Exposed Vocals just caught an interview with Jay Anfernee
Jay Anfernee is a 20 year old underground rap artiste and actor from the Commonwealth of Dominica, one of the Caribbean islands.
Debut mixtape: https://soundcloud.com/jay-
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Jay Anfernee: Well, I’m a 20 yr old male…I was born and raised in the Commonwealth of Dominica – that’s one of the Caribbean islands. The first rap song I ever heard was “Live Your Life” by T.I. ft. Rihanna. I loved that song so much that I practically learned both verses of the song, and the more I rapped the song, the more my mind was opened to the lyrics, the message, the emotion. From that point, I realized that I could use rap as a way to get issues off my chest, so in 2010 I started writing. In late 2012, I was rapping. By then, my writing style had developed.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Jay Anfernee: My middle name is “Anfernee”, and my relatives calls me “CJ”, so I just dropped the “C” and put that together. I go mainly by “Jay Anfernee”, but the longer version of that moniker is actually “Junior Anfernee”.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Jay Anfernee: I don’t…have a problem with sharing music online, because I don’t get to travel a lot compared to my own information and music. I’ve contacted and have collaborated with another artist from Los Angeles, and I haven’t ever been there in my life. Online is a sure way to connect and get my music to places I won’t normally reach physically or via radio at this stage I’m on. My music is for free at the moment, because right now I’m still not at the developed level in terms of studio quality production and advanced promotion, so I don’t necessarily care for charging. I just want people to enjoy what I put out and give me the props deserved.
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?
Jay Anfernee: Don’t jump ahead of yourselves. Your music career can’t walk as soon as it’s born – you have to let it crawl first. Give it a chance to get accustomed to its surroundings because that is what it affects and is influenced by. It’s good to have confidence in yourself because it helps you stay steady on your path to recognition, but just don’t let that same confidence overgrow. It’s good for you to have pride – it’s bad for pride to have you.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Jay Anfernee: Yeah, I’ve made a couple. I remember during one of my performances, I was too into the moment of one of my songs that I forgot the next line. It was embarrassing for me, but I made something up to fill in. I can’t even remember what I said, but all I know is I said something. Either nobody noticed the faux-pas, they didn’t want to bring it up, or they didn’t care because I never heard any comment about that slip-up ever. I’m not complaining though.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Jay Anfernee: I’m not on the touring level.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Jay Anfernee: Inspiration comes from…anything. Whether it’s the news, hanging out with my people, listening to a song, working, listening to MY own songs, walking the street, watching a movie, cooking, reading a book, anything. Before I used to write my lyrics – now I type them because sometimes my own scrawling confuses me. I write a few lines, I cross them out for some better ones, I go to record and I mess up my own self. With typing them, I just discard a line or save it somewhere else to use or alter in another track. Plus it’s useful when inspiration knocks me when I’m on the road. When it comes to these things, I have short-term memory, so I just pull out my phone or tablet and type out a line or two that just came to me. Later on when I get home, I can review what I just got and see if I can add it to a track in progress or use it for a new and entirely different track.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Jay Anfernee: My platforms at the moment are Soundcloud and Youtube. I deal with Soundcloud more than Youtube, though, so you can check out my page: https://soundcloud.com/jay-
the-don
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Jay Anfernee: To me, none is embarrassing. I’m not even ashamed to say that I listen to R&B, or soul, or doo-wop. Why should I
be? Music is a universal language. These genres are sampled in hip-hop and vice versa. For example, one of my favorite songs is
“So Appalled” by Kanye West, Jay-Z, RZA and company. One of the samples is Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s song “You Are, I
Am”, and the genre is basically progressive rock. I’m not a fan of progressive rock, and people know that, yet I love the sample – I
listen to the full song for the first time, and I love the song. Nobody I know listens to progressive rock, but I’m not going to be
embarrassed if they see or hear it on my playlist. It’s MY playlist, dammit.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Jay Anfernee: I’m not even going to lie. I’m gonna use it to get a Master’s and use some for better promotions. I’ll live on the rest as cheaply as I can.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Jay Anfernee: Yes, there are planned studio upgrades as well as plans of me joining a group, but I’m not going to discuss that further. We’ll see what happens.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Jay Anfernee: Local radio, Soundcloud, and social media. That’s the best ways I have right now. Soundcloud works best for me. Yes, that’s right, even better than local radio. You won’t believe it until you come to my island. The hip-hop genre, though very influential here, is not really supported as much as it is in America.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Jay Anfernee: I wish I could perform in either England or anywhere in the Caribbean with Nas, Kendrick Lamar, Busta Rhymes, J. Cole, Eminem, Joey Bada$$, Rapsody, Notorious B.I.G., Lauryn Hill, or Big Pun. They are the ones, among others, that I listen to and respect for what they’ve done and brought to the hip-hop genre. It would be an honor to be performing with them. Also, there are fans in the Caribbean who listen to their music, but don’t get as much chances to see them live or on tour in their country as the Americans get. I want to be able to make that possible.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Jay Anfernee: There’s a mixtape in progress right now, and I’m taking an even better direction than last time. The whole concept of that tape is just…too heavenly, too otherworldly for me. The thought process amazed me to the point where I just don’t believe that listeners in my area is going to get accustomed to it or even like it. I don’t know. We’ll just have to see how it goes. That’s all I can say for now. I’m not revealing what the concept is just yet.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Jay Anfernee: I’d be working. I’m working other ways even while I’m working on music. That way, I’m covered if it doesn’t work out for me.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Jay Anfernee: I don’t remember buying my first album.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Jay Anfernee: My sense of responsibility is quite good. I know what needs to be done now and what can wait. There aren’t really any heavy repercussions when I have to make decisions to put something on pause.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in the next year or so?
Jay Anfernee: Look forward to me doing better than I am right now. That’s all. Peace.
