J. Crum

J. Crum interviewed by SWAGG Magazine

J. Crum recently was interviewed and featured on online magazine SWAGG! You can read the interview below or you can peep on their website here.

Q.Tell everyone about yourself....
A: Whats up everyone? Hmm... Something about myself. Well my name is Joshua Crum, I'm 23 years old. I was born in Detroit in 88 I was raised most of my life in Omaha, NE. First and foremost man, I'm a worshipper. Not only on song, but I strive for it in lifestyle as well.

Q.How did you get started?
A: Well I was about 15 years old and I had just begun recovering from a Brain infection that almost took my life. After I was released from the hospital, I continued to wrestle in my mind about my purpose. Why was I still here? What more did the Lord have for me? I realized that life was too short to just sit around a do nothing to advance his kingdom. So at first it had nothing to do with music and everything to do with giving cats the gospel.
During study halls, youth group, and riding in the car lyrics began popping in my head of what God brought me through and songs about his love. I started getting beats and hit up a studio. I've been doing Christian hip-hop since then.

Q.Who inspires you?
A: Man...spiritually? I'd have to say my youth pastor and mentor of mine Mark McGaffin. Look him up at 220omaha.com and download his podcasts. He's a beast for real. There's a few I'm inspired by from a distance. People like Jeremy Johnson of the Ammo movement in Cali, Phil Valdez, Pastor Chris Hill, man I could go on and on this one.
As far as sonically? Man this list varies man. I'm influence by a lotta different genres which you'll hear in my new album. I love artists like theory hazit, sho Baraka, swoope, Lecrae, the fugees, Mali music, the roots, John legend. But I also love artists like Esparanza Spaulding, The Black Keys, Florence+the machine, James Morrison, The Arrows and more.

Q.What do you have going on in the near future?
A. Man a lotta new music in the works, a brand new album, a tour in march with Watersedge and Impact, a youth conference in March and May, and a lot of personal growth!

Q.What inspired the name of your album?
A. If you're talking about Kingdom Minded. I struggled while working on that album with looking at things with the right eyes and having the right thinking towards situations in my life. I began to embrace Matthew 6:33 and that's where I came up with Kingdom Minded.The album I'm working on now is exhale.Exhale is all about living with purpose . I believe that when the Lord breath on the dust that we inhaled our purpose. Which ultimately is to worship and live a life devoted to him. Too many cats are holding their breath in a sense tho, because they refuse to live for what they were made for. So this album is to encourage them to exhale! Ya dig?

Q.How important is music to you?
A: Music is one of the most powerful tools on this planet, Negatively and positively. Music is very important to me. I never want my music to impact a person negatively.

Q.How was growing up without your father?
A:Tough bro. I had some major identity issues as a result. My story with my pops probably isn't much different than the person reading this interview right now. I'm blessed that I met the best father a person can have tho which is the Heavenly One.

Q.What are you playing on your Mp3, Ipod right now
A. Made for More by B. Reith ft Lecrae

Q.What’s your motto or the advice you live by
A. Nothing revolutionary ever happened inside of a comfort zone

Q.Ten years from now you will be…
A. Uh...33? Lol

Q.Do you ever get nervous when you performing ?
A. Haha all the time bro! But it seems to help a lot. It gets myself out the way and allows God to use me more.

Q.How would you describe your music for the public audience if they have never seen you before?
A. My new stuff...I'm really excited with this! Im blending rock, smooth jazz, soul, pop, even indie styles in my new al - Swagg Magazine

Black sheep offers an awesome mix of worship and testimony. This album is a must have for a number of reasons. J.Crum is living out the music and he isn't just in the studio for the money. It shows in his music. This album is amazing. - The Light Poetic

Joshua Crum has soul. Being raised in a religious home on gospel music and having a near-death experience early on left no other option. When you meet him, you think he is older than he is because of his confidence and how he carries himself, but some would be surprised to learn that he is only 26. After hypnotizing us with his performance at the OEAA Summer Showcase, we knew we had to sit down with him to find out the backstory to everything J. Crum - Say Hey There Music

In previewing his new record, J. Crum appears poised to make a big splash.

Omaha rapper J. Crum released “Hearts Collide” yesterday, the first single from forthcoming LP Black Sheep. “Hearts Collide” focuses on a massive diversion in emcee’s life path. Whether instigated by a colossal event or the last in a series of them, change was imminent and necessary.

But it seems to come at the cost of becoming an outcast, which explains the channeled rage in J Crum’s delivery. Harnessed into a biting flow, there’s confidence and control where there could be abandon. Beats clap loudly and decay through Anthony Flakus’s sharp, metallic lead guitar, bolstering the track’s epic feel. J Crum blasts through the harrowing darkness of it all, draped in light and unafraid - Hear Nebraska