Westleaf Staff
What's up Leafers? Welcome to the latest edition of On the Rise where we interview upcoming hip hop talent. Today's guest is Quincy Jamal straight out of Orlando by way of New Orleans, Louisiana. Quincy's sound is underground and vibey similar to a Dom Kennedy or Curren$y. We can definitely see him performing on stages such as Rolling Loud or Coachella.The shining MC is making moves in his city so we had to tap in with him. Checkout the interview below!
Westleaf Staff: What's up Quincy? When did you start making music?
Quincy Jamal: I started making music back in 2005 at the age of 14. I recorded my first songs on an mp3 player with an internal mic, playing beats in the background and recording straight through.
Westleaf Staff: Real! Salute to you. So how did your early life shape your interest in music?
Quincy Jamal: My birth father was an up-and-coming hip-hop artist based out of New Orleans. He was killed before I made a year old. Music was literally in my DNA. Once my mother met my stepfather I was often surrounded by music because he played loud music day in and out. I can remember listening to tapes by Prince, 3-6-Mafia, Project Pat, Michael Jackson, and Outkast. A wide range of music surrounded me at a young age. I started writing my first raps when I was about 12 and started recording myself on that MP3 player at 14.
Westleaf Staff: That's dope. What city do you represent?
Quincy Jamal: I was born in New Orleans, LA... but Orlando, FL raised me.
Westleaf Staff: Shoutout to New Orleans and Orlando ! Y'all have some talent. So how did you create your stage name?
Quincy Jamal: A lyric from my song Reminisce goes:
"Few years later found the pad started to shift energy
Listened differently, something changed up in my sensory
Focused on their flows lyrics start to slip my memory
if you know you know, used to go by the name N.O.B."
As a kid when I would rap in school all of the other kids would call me N.O.B. (N.O. Boy), because I was one of the few people at school from New Orleans. For a while, I stuck with it, but as I became older I decided to take my given name Quincy Jamal as it just felt right.
Westleaf Staff: Ha! That's cool. So who is your biggest Musical influence?
Quincy Jamal: I'd say my biggest influence in regard to how I approach my writing would be J. Cole. I'm very introspective and try to channel the world around me and how I perceive it through my music.
Westleaf Staff: That's dope! What's been the defining moment in your music career thus far?
Quincy Jamal: The defining moment in my music career was when my mother passed of breast cancer in 2020. At the time I was working on my 3rd album, and when she passed the entire approach to that project shifted. I can't remember what it was originally going to be called, but it's now called Growing Pains. I really let out a lot of emotion in that album and once it was complete, I had to take a 2 year hiatus from music to really recenter myself. As of November 2022, I've made my return to music with a completely different approach to marketing by releasing consistent singles with videos and targeted ads. This has really been building some traction.
Westleaf Staff: That's real bro! So what does art mean to you?
Quincy Jamal: It's cliche, but to me, art is in the eye of the beholder. One of the things that I've learned on this musical journey is that my music may not be for everybody, but I do have a market of people that appreciates the art. Aside from the self-expressional therapy, those are the people that motivate me to keep creating it.
Westleaf Staff: Dope! Where do you see your music career going over the next few years?
Quincy Jamal: If the growth is as consistent as it's been over the last 6 months, I can definitely see myself touring and tapping in with the audiences that have been engaging with me. Right now my largest market of fans is in Brazil, so I would love to take a trip out there and do a few shows in the next few years.
Westleaf Staff: You can do it. So what makes you a unique artist?
Quincy Jamal: The introspective lyrics and versatility. If you go through my catalog, I have a song called Good Days basically tapping into the feeling and vibe of having a chill ass day with no worries. Then I have a song called Reminisce, reflecting on the past and how much less stressful things were as a kid. Mama Ain't Working, I'm expressing the pain of watching my mother pass away. Up, is essentially a double entendre of wanting to get high, but also wanting to elevate in status. I talk about a range of topics in my music. Most of my songs are introspective, but relatable; and I'm not trying to be something I'm not.
Westleaf Staff: That's super insightful. Before we go, describe music in three words.
Quincy Jamal: Spiritual, Expression, Therapy.
Follow Quincy:
Instagram - @iamquincyjamal
twitter - @iamquincyjamal
Tik Tok - @iamquincyjamal
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/iamquincyjamal/
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