North Ave Jax is putting Vermont on the rap scene, proving grinds pay off + naming his fave artists (Exclusive)
The Vermont rap scene is alive but some folks just need more convincing before giving the state its proper respect. Fortunately, Interscope Records/LVRN’s North Ave Jax is here to save the day and at the very least make sure the Green Mountain State’s hip-hop culture is fully appreciated.
From talking about his early rap game roots to getting compared to the late Juice WRLD, Jax has plenty to talk about and clocking in at well over 30 minutes, this is an Attack The Culture exclusive you can honestly kick back and enjoy from start through finish. Check out some of our favorite moments from the conversation and scroll to the bottom to check out the full-length Q&A.
There’s a reason all of Jax’s music isn’t on every streaming platform - yet
I think timing is everything. You just got to know when to put things out and what people want to hear. Obviously it has to resonate towards yourself and I feel like I’ve always been musically inclined - I just started making music though and [my song] ‘Levels’ compared to ‘Trust Nobody’ are two different batches. Even then, I just feel like I’m a lot more capable of that initial growth. That’s why it’s on YouTube and I don’t want to be fully accessible where people can go to my page or Apple Music and be able to play [some songs] because I feel like it's a learning curve. I feel like it’s something you should be able to listen to but something that’s not fully accessible if that makes sense.
The music biz’s key to success is…
I feel like versatility is the biggest key in music. Look at Drake for example, he started off with the love songs and he was singing and slowly he started doing rap. Once you get both fans, bro, you’re unstoppable. I feel like if I can captivate on that early, I feel like I can do a lot of damage. I don’t want to be just one certain, ‘Oh, he sounds the same as this guy.’ I just want to be different. I feel like versatility is literally the biggest key and that’s what I’m working on right now. That’s my goal right now. I’m trying to start my career showing people, ‘He can spit, he can rap. Crazy. He’s nice.’ And then boom, it goes to the pop music and the hits. ‘This guy, he’s like that.’
Falling in love with music was a real thing
Growing up as a kid, I was super confident. I never really doubted myself at all until I stopped going to school. I was always so confident and certain and in-tune with everything and back home I feel into a super depressive state. I was making music, I wasn’t taking it serious - I don’t really communicate with a lot of people anymore. I’m sad when I’m there because it didn't uplift me or motivate me, people-wise and I got stuck in a loop. I was by myself for about three months and that’s when I fell in love with building a song. I kind of have rhythm but the reason why I feel like I’m in this position is because I can’t settle for anything less. As soon as I got this, I want way more. Obviously there’s steps but you just got to realize which foot.
The Vermont rap scene does exist
I’m not going to lie to you, there’s this kid named Kelly and he does my music videos. He did ‘Levels’ and he did ‘Trust Nobody’ and I grew up with him my whole life. He brought a lot back to Vermont. Back when this was happening, I wasn’t really feeling good - I was super depressed, I didn’t believe in myself. He told me, ‘Bro, you are going to get signed. Guaranteed.’ I didn’t believe it because I’m from Vermont and nobody ever made it out of Vermont. The biggest thing we have is Ben & Jerry’s and Bernie Sanders but Bernie’s not even from Vermont. He’s from New York City.
So it’s like, that core. I want to be that core for kids. I want it to be all over. There’s so many towns and kids that aren’t necessarily doing music but have so much skill and talent that need to be seen - I want to be that kid that people can look at and say, ‘If he can do it, I can do it.’ I want to be vulnerable enough to let people know no matter what you’re doing, you can do it. I don’t care if it sounds corny, cool. I want that to be my base. More than music. It’s way more than music.
Jax really trusts in himself
I listen to everybody. I know right from wrong. So it’s basically about discipline and if I were to say it, I lean on myself. But I listen to everybody. When someone would try to help me out, I’m not going to push them away I’m going to listen and see if I need that.
IG helped validate what Jax already suspected
Instagram is like the first thing I would post something on. It was literally me in a car freestyling. I got a thousand likes on it and my friend was like, ‘Yo, that’s a lot.’ That’s what I felt like. I just got a thousand likes. Everybody in Vermont’s listening to it, saving it because I had the insights and I saw it.
It got posted onto a rap page. That’s when I knew I could do this.
Jax has some folks he’s keeping tabs on
I do get compared to the Kid Laroi which is super annoying and that’s why I want to be so versatile so I don’t get compared. Don’t get me wrong, that motherf*cker is amazing. He’s so good. But I feel like there’s levels to this and I’m just getting started.
I feel if I had to say who inspires me like that, it would be Jack Harlow. He’s kind of on the same mindset that I have when I first got into this. He definitely influenced me a lot. Another artist is Brent Faiyaz. That’s my favorite artist. The other one is Dominic Fike. He’s the one I want to work with. That would be so dope to me.
My favorite producer is Jetson[Made]. My favorite sound right now is guitar. I love the guitar.
