Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Brown.
Hi Jamie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always been musically inclined since I was a kid. My love for music started with dancing. My siblings and I would just start making some of the craziest beats and songs, just being goofy, and we would just start dancing. Growing up in one of my hometowns in SC, I was known for being that kid that could dance, and as I got older, my passion just grew. In middle school, I joined the band class where I learned how to read and write music. Originally, I wanted to play the Tuba, but soon realized my size would not agree to me marching up and down a field carrying a Tuba, so I made the choice to join the percussion group. Which I feel matched me more anyway with being able to dance and have rhythm…I carried that passion with me to high school and then joined the actual marching band. During our practice, we (the drum line) would come up with some of the best little beats, and I would just start flowing in my head, and eventually, I started writing those raps in a notebook. I was about 15-16 years old then, and since then, I kept writing raps in my notebooks as I got older and never shared them with anyone.
When covid hit, I joined an app called Voisey where you could find 60-second beats and just freestyle. Whether that being singing or rapping you could just do whatever. So I would make videos and save them and share them with friends here and there… My friends really loved It and pushed me to release something because they thought I had potential. In September of last year, I dropped my first project which were those little videos I made, edited, and converted into MP3 files. Very low quality, but I was proud lol. Even so, with me feeling like the quality was bad or not up to par my talent was still received well, with a few critiques here and there.
After listening to all the feedback, I told myself I was going to get in the studio for the first time and really apply myself and give my listeners quality but going in the studio was something I was very afraid of because I’m a gay rapper.. However, I wanted that to be a treat for my 30th birthday, so I found a studio and made sure the engineer was comfortable with me and the type of music I wanted to make. My engineer Monty (Montiago Visual Studios, Charlotte, NC) made me feel super comfortable, and from there, and recorded my first real single, “Prada Bag,” off my 2nd project, “Elite Only” … Once I got into the studio, I was then hooked. I kept going back multiple times a week and was able to create my 2nd project in less than a month and released It 3 months after my 1st project on December 2, 2022. People were so surprised that I was able to do it so quickly while upping my sound and quality. I would joke and say, “Don’t forget I’ve been writing since I was 16”. However, after dropping “Elite Only,” I still wasn’t satisfied, if I’m being completely honest. While I was proud of myself for the success of the project, I just felt like I still could do better, but most importantly at that time, I felt I still didn’t know what my sound was, and finding that was important to me as an artist. That’s when I bumped into my producer, “4LHundo” or “Hundo.”
Bumping into Hundo on Instagram changed me as an artist. I finally found a producer who understood my sound and was consistent with sending good-quality beats. From there, I knew I had found my sound, and making music really became fun. Jan 2023 approached, and I told myself playtime was over. I kept writing more, challenging myself with switching flows, changing my tones, making sure I was enunciating my words clearly, and just simply being in my pocket. From Jan – March, I recorded about 14 songs I was in my zone. I knew I would be moving to Houston soon and wanted to make as much music with an engineer I was comfortable with and who knew my sound. After moving to Houston, I had started putting together a track list, making a cover art, choosing a single to shoot a music video for, and all. Once everything was complete and submitted, I received one more beat from my producer, and I was in love with it. I found my new engineer “DJTheMixtress” on Instagram, and we created my top hit and most streamed song, “Popping” which is knocking on the door of 100k streams. We recorded and mastered that song in 2 days (4 hours) and added It to the deluxe version of my latest mixtape, “It’s My World.” I was really nervous about this song because the flows were so crazy, and the sound of the song was new for me, but I guess taking chances gets you the best results.
Here we are today. My single “Popping” is really growing and getting buzz. I’m getting interviews, and my fan base is growing. I’m shocked, but I’m very grateful. I’ve only been doing this for less than a year, and to have people appreciate your craft is very humbling, especially being a gay rapper. With all the success that’s happened. I’m now collaborating with other bigger artist and have a few remixes set to drop this summer, including “Popping Remix” feat… WhoIsSkitzo, a female rapper out of Brooklyn, NY. Looking back, I’ve came a long way in these past 9 months. I’ve already created and released 3 projects, but I know this is just the beginning. Writing and rapping is my passion. I have a song called “I’ma Make It,” and trust me. I’m not stopping until I do.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not! People think being an artist is cool and fun. While yes, that is true. There’s a lot of grind that goes into being an artist. If I’m being honest, I thought I would pop from my first project because I knew my bars and flows were good, but making good music isn’t the hard part. There’s promo campaigns, the money you have to pay for studio time, money you have to pay the producers for using their beats, learning how to use social media to engage an audience, getting your music heard and heard by the right people that’s the hard part. Let’s not even talk about getting your feelings hurt and getting discouraged because family and people you thought were your friends don’t support you. However, the passion you have for the music gets you through all of that.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As well as being an artist…
Professionally… I’m a Technical Talent Acquisition Manager for a Corporate Retail Giant. Managing a group of recruiters where we hire for Software Engineers and Engineering Managers. I’m also a Certified Data Analyst as well.
I’m the youngest manager without our department…while being a black gay male. You don’t see a lot of black gay men in tech, so it’s something I definitely am proud of.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
If I’m not signed as an artist or writer… I hope to be an independent artist with a strong following where I don’t need a label to back me up.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_jb.santiago/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_JBSantiago
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/S8NcnfqHCdQ
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jayy-brown-2
Image Credits
Kwadwo Agyapong
Jerry Washington
