Recently, we got to pick JoeJas’ brain with a few questions about his most recent single, “SUEDEFLIPS”. A song full of witty, melodic bars and energy, “SUEDEFLIPS” is a song that really can’t be put in a box. Released in February, the song is lyrical, multi layered, and catchy. The video is funny, entertaining, and full of references you might not catch. As one commenter said “I’m glad I am subscribed. I love this. This is music without the bullshit” That’s exactly what it is… and a whole lot more. If you have not heard of JoeJas, he is a talented artist who is multi-faceted in that he writes and produces all his own music while shooting and editing his own videos. But I’ll let JoeJas tell you more about his latest release and how he is carving out his own space in the industry.
JoeJas, tell me about "Suedeflips!”. What's this song about? What's the message behind it? With it being self-produced, what was the inspiration behind the song, beat, and the visual?
Suedeflips! Is just me reflecting on how I’ve seen a lot of people change as they grow older but I’m still doing all the stuff towards ideas and dreams I had when I was younger. The beat was inspired by drill. Not to sound like it but just the hi hats and how the kick is so forward is the mix. The visuals came as I was writing the song. The mask was in my head before I’d even finished writing the lyrics. Expounding on that I think how the beat always changes to something different but still completes the goal is how my brain works. There’re always 100000 things going on, but I’ll always say what I set out to do. Not to mention the beat always changing is keeping you on your toes when you listen.
You said that "Suedeflips!” is about holding your values and being you no matter where things go in your life or what age does to you. Did you feel pressure to change who you are as an artist or person because of society or other people? Did any of that pressure and conflict come from within? Or was it more so coming from others?
Nah I’ve never felt pressure to change, I’ve never really cared what people think cause we’re all going to die and I’m not trying to be lame cause that’s what’s cool. But people won’t accept certain values or things they don’t understand so it’s me saying I don’t care I’ve been this way forever and I won’t change to fit in to waste my life being boring.
The video for "Suedeflips!” features a bit of everything, including a whole bunch of shit people would not expect. It is entertaining, funny, and creative at the same time. How would you describe it? What was the thinking when putting it together, shooting it, and editing? Was it a long process from start to finish?
I normally have a lot of Ideas when it comes to music videos so it’s normally pretty easy. I always have an album semi ready before and I would know like these songs definitely got to have videos. With suede flips I knew I wanted the orange in it to play off the ‘fruits of my labour line’. With the whole video I didn’t want a crazy narrative just really good shots that you can pause at any time, and it looks fire.
I hope people are really listening to what you are saying. So many witty lines and wordplay throughout. We can tell you enjoy rapping and making music, but does it come easy to you? Does writing come easy to you?
I love geeking out over lines. Listening to Big L, Pusha T and Lil Wayne I always use to love the way rappers would flip lines. I make super nichè nerdy references so anytime people go dude that one line it makes me happy. Or when people understand the song, because a lot of people will see the video hear the wild high pitch ad libs and think it’s about nothing. But those are people who I don’t think will ever understand or want to so it’s cool.
You have been shooting and editing your own videos for 5 years now. Rapping for years. With a wide range of experience in a couple of areas, is there one thing that you enjoy doing more so than the others, whether it be rapping, producing, or shooting/editing the videos?
Nah I can’t put one over the other, that would be like saying one of my kids sucked haha. It’s just whatever I’m feeling. Sometimes I really wanna make a crazy beat and not even rap, sometimes I wanna get some crazy shots I have in my head on camera and other times I just wanna go crazy with the raps or design some clothes it’s whatever is inspiring me in the moment.
Is there any part of being a creative and an artist that you don't enjoy?
I like it all. When I was younger, I would have hated being boxed in. Now I’m just fully doing whatever I want. I could care less about where people put me cause I’m always going to break that and prove them wrong.
Tell me about Fat Llama. "Suedeflips!” seems to be an extension of what Fat Llama is about: being yourself, embracing being weird, being you, and not fitting into the mainstream or popular sound.
Fat Llama first started as just a skateboarding brand with clothes but then I expanded it to be a whole world where I have a radio station playing music and interviewing people, a clothing brand with things I design on paint, a label for me to drop music on, an events organization brand where I put on loads of types of events, and the list goes on.
You are building your brand and the name Fat Llama through merch, hosting events, and doing a lot in general. Where do you want the brand to go from here? What should we expect from Fat Llama in the future?
A festival. I’ve been wanting that for years. There’re so many cool artists that get overlooked because a lot of companies and people aren’t down to take risks with weirder things or mixing weird things with normal things. I want to do that. We’re all more than one thing so why can’t a guy screaming his lungs out be right next to an angelic R&B set?
Do you have any events that people can grab tickets to see you or anybody else associated with Fat Llama?
Yeah, I have an art show coming up that I’m going to have live music at and it’s free!
If “Suedeflips!” is somebody's introduction to JoeJas, what's another one of your songs that you would want people to listen to?
I think Venture?, Sixteen, & Planet at the 4.W.I. Lounge are really good ones to get into because it shows how diverse the sound I make is. I’m not just happy sometimes I just ponder thoughts that would be sixteen and other times I just want to make music with no words to let the sounds speak.
Any final thoughts on "Suedeflips!”?
My favorite bars off it are “wrist ice, fried chicken priced boss man not gentrified shit” shoutout my adventure time watch and “Since a seed, I’ve been decisive, all in till my meat bag lifeless, vulture Finna get the itis, and when it comes save my fruit so my labours timeless.” Those make me so happy when I hear them.
“Suedeflips” Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c3ydfDDiww
“Venture?” Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to2yzV1iljU
Four Wing Island Album (including Sixteen and Planet at the 4.W.I. Lounge): https://music.apple.com/us/album/four-wing-island/1522615607
Check out “Suedeflips”, JoeJas, and Fat Llama on all platforms:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/0Wg0czrGUS9ivGQE8eoMdh
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/gb/album/suedeflips/1603159505
Social Media Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/J0EJAS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairymuffinman/ Website: https://www.fatllama.co.uk/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/fatllama
Official Artist Bio:
JoeJas is a rapper and producer (when producing going under the alias "HairyMuffinMan".) JoeJas has been rapping since he was 11 and started production at 17 because the beats he was on did not showcase the full vision he had for his music. He had then put out his self-produced debut album ‘Planet’ in 2016 taking influences from Punk, Jazz, Hip-Hop & R&B and blending them all in one. This genre mashing will then become a defining point in JoeJas’ music.
All music videos have been shot and edited by JoeJas from 2017-present showing the wide array of skills capable. In 2016, he had started his own line of events under his brand ‘Fat Llama’ which put on a multitude of artists coming from different genres around London. This happened because JoeJas felt that there wasn’t anything for people considered weird and not to meet in the middle while finding new sounds they weren’t usually accustomed to. In 2021, JoeJas won the Vans Musician Wanted Competition with praise from Anderson Paak & J.I.D.
