Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamal Baul.
Jamal, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all started in 2005 when I was 15 years old. I started off as a rapper just throwing freestyles and songs up on Myspace. 713mvp was my name back then. Terrible I know. My uncle heard about this and started letting me record in his garage since he was just starting to get into making beats. Me not liking some of the beats caused me to start asking him how to make beats. I dabbled in making beats but was more focused on rapping at the time. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I started taking music production more seriously. I went to prairie view still pursuing rapping but the only thing that stuck from that was people telling me to start using my real name. Jamal Baul. The rest is history.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Of course not. Trying to get around people I thought would help further my career has cost me a lot of money. Not to mention me dropping out of college and still putting money into equipment while sleeping on people’s couches and floors isn’t the greatest either. I’m sure the stigma around me resembled the dreamer that never woke up. To be honest, it still is a dream to me to a certain extent. I’m just scratching the surface of making it a reality.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I specialize in the creation of r&b and hip hop instrumentals. I stand out by thinking outside the box while maintaining a high level of marketability in my sound selection and rhythms. Most in my field hang their hat on selling you what you’ve already heard before. I hang my hat on selling you what you’ve always wanted to hear.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I definitely would have started earlier. If I knew what I know now, I would have jumped at the chance of creating my own music. I took piano lessons from 5th grade to about 8th grade. My mom forced me because she noticed I could play things by ear. I hated it because I was a big wrestling fan and my lessons made me miss raw and smackdown. So I didn’t go in trying to learn anything. I’d just memorize my songs, play them at recitals (with no sheet music), and leave. My teacher couldn’t believe it. Man, I was stupid. lol
Contact Info:
- Email: jamalbaul@yahoo.com
- Instagram: @jamalbaul
- Facebook: @jamalbaul
- Twitter: @jamalbaul
Suggest a story: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
