Exposed Vocals Interviews J Davon Harris
Formerly known as JQ The Great, J Davon Harris has matured and reevaluated his approach to hip hop. Although still an up and comer, he has released a host of material and been labeled as the “Next One” within the indie circuit. Having lived most his life on the east coast, mainly New York and North Carolina, his influences are expressed heavily within his music. Priding himself on his family’s history in music, J Davon Harris is an artist that lives music and his drive and consistency toward reaching national success is exemplified in his work.
Having begun his journey in Fayetteville, NC as a teen, he continued working toward stardom in college in Charlotte, NC where he would soon become locally acclaimed in the Charlotte hip hop scene. His decision to enlist in the US Army Reserves in college did not slow his progress. Under the name JQ The Great, he released a compilation mixtape of freestyles entitled “B.A.S.I.C (Bars Attitude Swagger Intelligence Crime) Training”http://www.datpiff.com/JQ-THE-GREAT-Basic-Training-the-Lost-Files-mixtape.93850.html just after departing Charlotte to attend US Army Basic Training. Upon his return nearly a year later, he released the follow up “Impaired Vision” http://www.datpiff.com/JQ-THE-GREAT-Impaired-Vision-mixtape.307829.html featuring the lead off street single, “Want That” that was distributed on iTunes by Island Def Jam Digital http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/want-that-single/id497290035 After a brief relocation to the DMV, J Davon Harris has only improved his lyrical prowess and subtle wordplay.
In an industry where image is the end all thee all, a rare find is an artist such as J Davon Harris, who is comfortable within himself and straight forward enough to let the hip hop world know, he does it because he’s nice. At first listen, his content is unable to be categorized because of his ability to portray the “everyman” characterization in his music. J Davon Harris shows the transparency of a confident veteran on any range of topics. Consistently improving, he returned with his latest effort “Who Is J Davon Harris? The LP” released in November 2013 taking an organic approach making the album available exclusively on his website. “Who Is J Davon Harris? The LP” was followed up by the surprise EP “Native Sunn” released in early 2015, which his core supporters greatly enjoyed, the surprise release and short but full project left his listeners awaiting more.
Exclusive Interview:
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
J Davon Harris: Well, I grew up in Albany, NY. I’d say around the year 2000 my father joined the Army so from there we moved around a lot, I lived in Germany for a couple years and we ended up in Fayetteville NC, and in Charlotte, NC is where I really started investing into music. To answer your second question, I’d say I’ve always been an artist, I always had that feeling that creating was what I was put here to do. I actually started out DJing which lead to emceeing.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
J Davon Harris: I previously went by the name JQ The Great, as I matured I decided to change it up, my first name is Jaquar, so I just took that and ran with J Davon Harris. The inspiration behind it is that my music is so attached to my real life that I didn’t need a “made up” name or moniker, that I could just be myself.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
J Davon Harris: It’s the times, I grew up in the 90s in the days of Columbia catalogs and going in to Sam Goody or Media Play for CDs you know, but it’s just different now. The listeners want music fast, and when you have loyal supporters that do purchase your music, its only right to give away loose songs for free.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
J Davon Harris: I got some advice a long time ago; always stay ready. You never know when an opportunity will present itself. It will sound cliché but it’s really about being active, active in your area on social media. You have to network with the promoters, the venues, the radio personalities.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
J Davon Harris: I can recall one instance that wasn’t really a mistake I was just caught off guard. I was blessed with the opportunity to perform at an open mic, Thursday Bliss at Bohemian Caverns in Washington DC, and the band was amazing, so the band kept jamming to my record after I finished my verses and I was so caught up in how great the music sounded with a live band that I just stood there awkwardly, kinda in awe… I still remember that entire performance.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
J Davon Harris: I haven’t been on an official multi city tour, yet, but I always have to travel to perform, normally to NYC. I’ve moved around a lot so I’m usually un phased, I like to touch the town and go to work. From being in the military I know so many people in so many cities that I’m never uncomfortable so nothing really of interest, it’s like a homecoming everywhere I go.
Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
J Davon Harris: My inspiration is from my past, successes, failures just life experiences, the plans that I have for my future and the future of the people around me. The experiences of the people around me. My songwriting process varies, sometimes I’ll write just from pure inspiration without music, other times I’ll write to a beat. I just write, it’s like a sculpture, chip away at the stone until the masterpiece is chiseled.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
J Davon Harris: My site is whoisjdavonharris.com which I can do a lot better at updating but with twitter, facebook, snapchat, Instagram, I’m pretty sure the listeners who want to know what I’m up to can figure it out. There is also hkthemovement.com the site for our label, definitely lots of dope music from my brothers on there and thegrindneverstops.net which is just random dopeness that is related to hip hop. Of course I use the streaming services that are available, my music is available on all the major streaming sites.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
J Davon Harris: Haha not necessarily embarrassing but you will find some Amy Winehouse in the mix with The Eagles. I listen to everything, whether it be for inspiration or just because, if it sounds good I’ll listen.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
J Davon Harris: I’d probably bank 400K and invest the other 100K into my career. So I’d spend that year off working, pushing my music more.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
J Davon Harris: Honestly it’s funny I’m not technically savvy with studio equipment, the studio I go to locally here in the DC area is state of the art as well as the studio my label mates own in Charlotte, NC so I just step in the booth and do my part lol.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
J Davon Harris: Word of mouth is always the best way, but I use social media a lot, blogs, sites etc anywhere that makes sense. I also work with a few independent clothing and jewelry brands and we do cross promotion together, you can find them all over my social media and vice versa. It’s cool we all have a goal and are working together to reach it.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
J Davon Harris: Wow, well I follow Chuck D’s twitter account, I think he follows me too but I won’t gas it lol, but he was tweeting about performing in sold out stadiums over his career and still doing so. If I could choose it would be somewhere like South Africa or Australia and I’d have the honor to perform with Public Enemy, that would be crazy!
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
J Davon Harris: I’m working on my next project, my good friend and producer Remo Willz is going to be sole producer on this so it’s going to be interesting to see what we cook up. I’m also working on a joint project with two other good friends, artist/ producer, N-Omega and Comical Mischief, we’ve all worked together separately in the past so this joint project has long been in the works.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
J Davon Harris: I can’t even imagine; I’ve devoted so much to music that I don’t even think about it.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
J Davon Harris: Nas I Am, I bought an edited version from somewhere. I just remember popping it into the disc man and letting it rock, I memorized the whole album.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
J Davon Harris: Just desire and drive, I want to take music to the highest level and I have the support of my wife, friends, family etc so that makes it easier.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
J Davon Harris: I’m starting 2016 off working, I’m blessed to open a show for Styles P in January and two days later I headline alongside Cassidy, so 2016 is starting well, listeners can look forward to seeing me perform more in other cities. Of course the new projects I mentioned, more visuals and I’m sure I’ll put some gifts out there for my loyal followers.
Soundcloud
https://soundcloud.com/jdavonharris/part-ii-gotta-win
Youtube
