Jay Bueller

Exclusive Interview

Tell us about where you are from and how you got to this position today.
I’m from a small town called Meridian, MS. I’ve been writing songs since I was 12 I started recording when I was 18. I was signed to an independent label Known as Hard 2 Hit. I released my first album Everything’s Gonna Be Different. I think at the time the world wasn’t ready for a south artist with a sound like mind. So marketing the record, especially for an independent label was a challenge. After that project I released a several mixtapes and toured all over the US, in search of the right market. I then took some time off to go back to school. I dropped out of school in the 9th grade and with the music slowing down I went back got my GED and enrolled in college. Toward the end of my third year in school I picked up the pen a pad again. My brothers were playing around in the studio so said fuck it I’ll write something too. The verse was insane. It sparked something in me and it’s been on ever since. That’s also how I got the name Bueller cuz I left school to Record an album.

Tell us more about the current song you are promoting to everyone.

Been a Long Time is one of those records with a soulful beat you can just go in on and say I’m that dude look at me. It really doesn’t have a hook, cuz it reminds me of one of those records you just have a circle of niggas going in on it. I wanted to come with a record that showed my skills. I’m one the few remaining artist that feel lyrics matter.

What are you currently working on and what can we expect to see?
Bueller Season will be my next release. I’m planning on using the Lil B technique of releasing on ITunes and as free download. I love making music and I just really want people to hear it. I put a lot of work into this project. I’m also working on a mixtape with Green lantern. That’s sure to be hot.

Tell us about one of the hardest challenges you had to face in the industry?
Knowing how to market my music. My name before it was Bueller was Dirty South. The problem was I didn’t sound like the average south artist so it confused the listeners. I’ve been told my music is too east coast or west coast I wasn’t southern enough. Truth be told everybody in the south isn’t walking around with slow drawl. It’s kind of like the West Coast. For the longest artist are expected to look a certain way. You know the flannel shirts and dickees look. In the south artist were expected to make booty shaking music or crunk songs. That shit sound good and the club and its cats that good at making music like that but that’s not what I do. I like to make songs that stick. Things have changed now and the game isn’t as regional anymore because of the internet so I feel good about this go around.

What was one of the biggest set backs in your career and how did you bounce back?
To break it in this industry you have to have someone in the industry already or connected to it in some way. The cats I fucked with just had money. Egos would get in way. The funny thing was we all were street dudes so artist would flock to them just to be close to a “real Nigga’ but they would never do the follow up. It would be like, oh we was chilling with MC Blah blah last night doing it big. Then I’d be like so when we gonna work together? The response would be something like Oh I wasn’t sweating him like that. We were just chilling. Like cats were scared to be seen as groupies. When the bottom line is you got somewhere you trying to get to and if someone can help you let them. I mean the artist would use them for credibility so who’s the groupie or better yet who cares. That’s ignorant nigga shit.

What are some things artists need to be careful of?
Always be loyal to yourself. We all wanna make with the team put the homies and keep it real, per say. But this is business if you work a job and your unhappy quit. You could be hindering yourself by rolling with a team that may believe in but really doesn’t have the means to get you the exposure you need or just flat out don’t know what they’re doing. So always remember Friends is friends family is family but Business is Business

What suggestions do you have for other artists like yourself?
Do you, literally. Don’t let anyone dictate your sound. Make music you can stand behind. Don’t try to copy what’s hot or what everyone else is doing. By the time you catch on you have more and likely missed that opportunity or everyone is trying the same thing. Just be innovative and stand up for your creative control. Also, you gotta work harder than everyone else even those working for you. It’s a million rappers, you gotta stand out.

What are the best ways to sell your products as an artist?
Hand to hand still works in the south, it’s just a grind. The approach now is to stay independent spread the music thru the internet and make the money off shows and other merchandise. My goal is to be able to release music when I want for free and for sale. Cuz you have those people that never go to the free download sites they buy everything off ITunes or sites like that. At the end of the day I love music. I just want to know for making great music. I care about the money enough not get fucked over, but not enough that it overshadows my creativity. You got artist that are full of hits but they end up appearing to be full of shit cuz they trying to make what they think people wanna hear instead of what they feel or can relate too.

What is one of your favorite ways to promote yourself and your music?
Thru the internet hands down. I believe an independent artist has a chance to compete with the majors thru the internet. You just have to get your team together and do your research. do the follow ups, and keep pushing, Don’t put a song out and expect to just take off. You can go to a new record but keep pushing them all.

Where can people visit you?
You can visit me on twitter.com/thisizmylife You can download my mixtape Jay Bueller Presents PC Music. I recently set up a Facebook fan page also www.facebookpages/Jay-Bueller/270033903010019

- WWSMagazine