Just Reflecting: Taj ~ Interviews

It takes time and effort and focus to not only juggle a career or degree but to do both is something admirable. Space Jam Music's Taj lets us into his mind and reflects what is most important to him.

The MaYoR: You have been making beats for quite some time now. What and or who influenced you to have interested in music?

Taj: I think it was something that just happened. When I was growing up I was really always into music. Like I started writing raps in the back of my coloring books when I was little but I always had some shit in them that I shouldn't of so I was got in trouble for it. Then I started getting into instrumentals since I couldn't write raps.

The MaYoR: Now with the technology being so hands on and not as hard to make a beat, now it seems as though everyone is a producer or a beat maker. I know you have studied music and take pride in your craft but with us being just about ten year apart our language may be alittle different lol. Would you consider yourself a music producer or a beat maker and why?

Taj: Lol, I consider myself as a music producer. I feel as though that I have too much talent to limit myself to just a beat maker, if I'm going to do something I might as well do it all the way.

The MaYoR: I respect you for that response and your train of thought. Now you have a new Instrumental Mixtape coming out this month. When you decided to work on your new instrumental mixtape where did you get the ideas beat wise from and what?

Taj: I just listen to a wide variety of music to get different ideas and sounds and samples. Like there's a song on the mixtape sampling "wrecking ball" by Miley Cyrus and there's also one sampling a video game. So that's kind of what I'm aiming for with the mixtape is a wide variety of sounds.

The MaYoR: What is the title of your mixtape and what does the title of your mixtape mean to you the most?

Taj: Incineration means for me to set fire to everything. To never sell myself short of what I'm capable of doing. And I see as like an innovation type project for myself and the area because I don't really know of any producer around Harrisburg who's done this before.

The MaYoR: Now this is your first year attending College correct? I remember my freshman year matter fact my college career if I wasn't in class or cooling with a babe I was in my room recording and making beats heavy. It was a distraction but it was worth it in my opinion. How do you balance being a freshman in college and working on your craft? Is it a challenge and how has that atmosphere helped with your creative process?

Taj: It's probably one of the most difficult things I've done in life so far. It's stressful worrying about all this homework, essays and projects that have to be in on time and on top if that working on one of my biggest music projects so far in my career. Time management is how I balance it all out I have to pick what's more important at the moment to work on and get it done. Being in college has definitely help with my creative process it's helped me go about doing stuff different and has opened my mind to a variety of styles of music.

The MaYoR: I agree and all I ask is that you give school the same amount of love as you do your music. From Big Homie to Little Homie feel me. Now two years ago when my big homie DJ B.E. introduced me to you were in a group called Space Jam. Now I see you doing more of your own thing. What does "Space Jam Music" mean to you right now?

Taj: Right now SpaceJamMusic to me means the same as it did before. It's just that us as a music group didn't work out because we all had different views on stuff and bigger priorities. I personally believe that we made ppl in our age range do music groups and try to go hard, because there wasn't really any teenage music groups In the burg until us. Like I constantly hear ppl that I've never even met claim that they're part of SpaceJamMusic. But we are still a group even though we aren't active because it's more like fam. But if we can get it done I would definitely like to get a SpaceJamMusic project out.

The MaYoR: Very understandable and I am glad to hear Space Jam Music is still fam and relevant. Now with music being so influential and you being one of the main quarterbacks being a producer, what do you think your purpose is musically since music is such a influence to everyday people, even people who you may not ever meet but follow and love the music that you make?

Taj: I think that I'm meant to be iconic. There's been countless times were I've met somebody and they would already know so much about me and tell me they've been waiting to work with me or something like that and I've never met or heard of them. There's been times were people that I looked up to myself has even told me that I've inspired them and it just surprises me every time because I don't see it as me doing anything great I'm just being myself and doing what I love to do.

The MaYoR: What is one of your favorite styles of music and how has that helped you as a musician?

Taj: I don't really have a favorite style I listen to all different genres and they all help me become better because they help me compose better than if I was to just listen to rap or any other genre constantly. I listen to shit that you wouldn't even expect me to listen to.

The MaYoR: When approaching this project were you trying to create a particular sound and if so could you describe that sound?

Taj: That's what I was avoiding with this project. I don't want to have a "sound" because I feel as though if you have a "sound" you're limiting yourself. So I'm aiming for it all to sound different.

The MaYoR: I want to thank you for taking the time out and Reflect on your musical journey. Let the people know where they can find you at.

Taj: I'm on basically all the social networks; IG, Twitter, Facebook "@XcuseMyFrenchx" is my IG & Twitter. You can hear my music on soundclound.com/Amir-SpaceJamMusic. I'm going to upload the project on datpiff so when that drops that link will definitely be in rotation.

The MaYoR: Thanks for kicking it with me and breaking down what goes on with you. Keep grinding and most important my G finish that degree. One love.

Beat: Not Another Word