Welcome to our in-depth interview with Jay Cartier, the talented beat maker turned artist who recently released his album, "Everything is For Sale". In this engaging discussion, Jay takes us on a journey through his musical background, the inspiration behind his album's powerful title, and the personal stories that influenced each track. Throughout the conversation, he provides valuable insights into his creative process, collaboration experiences, and his aims for the future. Prepare to delve deep into the thoughts and experiences that shape his unique artistry.
Can you delve deeper into your background as an artist? What were some of the key experiences or moments that shaped your musical journey and helped you discover your unique style?
I started off as strictly a beat maker/producer and it took a ton of growth to get to this point with my production style. Now in terms of what inspired me to write; I’d say just starting out listening to the rappers my pops listened to in the car on the way to the gym and other places we went. I used to be much more into R&B and singing which is why I probably have that love for melody as well as the sport of just sparring lyrically.
"Everything’s For Sale" is not only the title of your album but also a powerful phrase. Can you elaborate on the personal meaning behind this phrase and how it relates to your life and music?
Honestly the idea of naming an album that has been in the works since I first heard “Watch The Throne” I don’t know why but that Hov line (“…and Everything’s for sale, got 5 passports I’m never going to jail”) has always stuck with me. Of course it’s different from my perspective; in my interpretation of the title it’s me looking at myself and my brand as a business. I feel like I’ve laid the groundwork and I’m confident enough in my product (the music) to where I can say I’m open for business essentially. The transition of being an upstart and trying to figure things out and then being able to confidently say that I’ve got something here that people can buy into and relate to and that being said: Everything’s For Sale
Beyond the overall theme, could you provide more insight into the specific themes or topics explored in each song on the album? How do these individual songs contribute to the overarching message of the album?
I can actually break it down song by song I won’t go too far in depth because I think the music can speak for itself overall.
•Track 1 (Pricey) to me is just my overall opinion on the state of music since I’ve been away, what separates me from other people in this space in terms of just being authentic to me and not trying to be something else. Lastly I’d say it reinforces previous statements (about family / loyalty) I’ve made in the past and I think it’s a great way to either be introduced to my sound as an artist or be reintroduced after the outro of ‘There Will Always Be Casualties’
Track 2 (‘96 Impala) in my opinion is a little more personal, I talk about the loss of a friend briefly, I talk about loyalty once again which is huge for me in my life but I say it in a different way. On ‘Pricey’ I say that loyalty is “Pricey” which it can be, depending on what/who you’re loyal to & Vice versa, it can be costly. On ‘‘96 Impala’ I say that loyalty is a mindset that can’t be purchased, which I also believe to be true. But of course I also throw metaphors and bars in there and send shots at those who’ve been fake in the past.
Track 3 (‘No Discounts’) is where the album starts to become a little more fun for me. It starts off pretty chill with the overall theme still being prominent. But then you hear a Jayson Tatum interview clip where he says he’s “Humbly one of the best” and that’s how I feel about music & then you get hit with the first beat switch of the album and I continue to talk my sh*t essentially. I felt like I was humble on ‘There Will Always Be Casualties’ but this time around I had to just say what I’ve been feeling and thinking.
Track 4 (‘Again & Again’) is pretty simple in terms of concept for me. At this point of the project I’ve shown you once again that I can rap, but now it’s time for some more playlist, radio friendly type of records with melody & a hook that’s catchy but also still stick to my niche of punchlines & quotables. This one is just about getting back in your bag and getting that feeling back of being on top of your game.
Track 5 (‘In Or Out’) has a pretty simple theme as well; I think everyone has been in a situation with a potential significant other and you get to that point where you have to kinda ask are you with me or not. It felt relatable and I’ve been in those situations myself so that one made sense
Track 6 (‘How [feat. SEVNGOINDIGITAL’]) This one I had a lot of fun with, Sean sent me the beat with his hook & I just took the theme and let the music come to me. It just talks about different ways I’ve dealt with the opposite sex in various situations. This is one I think is very relatable as well.
Track 7 (‘Problems [feat. Dhalya Nicole]’) I think this record is also very relatable. I believe a lot of us have been in potentially toxic relationships where we are 10000% sure that we are/were not the problem and sometimes we like to let the other person go figure that out for themselves. Dhalya absolutely killed her verse & I think it was very important to have a woman’s perspective on a track like this because this almost feels conversational to a degree. I don’t consider myself to be an R&B artist per se but this one makes me want to step foot into that genre a lot more so we’ll see what the future holds.
Track 8 (On the Up & Up) I go back to the “no hook” style previously used on the album and on this one I’m just back to talking about what I believe in and just keeping it honest about my views on the world and what I think again separates me from the rest. Along with the second beat switch where I get back into that space where I’m just confident and talking crazy honestly.
Track 9 (Everything’s For Sale) this was the final song recorded for this project believe it or not. I wrote it in about 30 minutes and I just had a great time putting together the bars and punchlines and I didn’t want to put too much structure into it. Just wanted to have fun with this one. With this album I wanted to get into that boastful mode at times and also stick to my real life experiences and this song embodies that feeling I believe.
Track 10 (Soul Food) “Put everything on the table like soul food” this song starts to slow down the album again to lead up to the conclusion. I’m basically saying that I’m more open and honest with my feelings, thoughts and emotions in the music. I want to be someone that the listener can relate to and any emotion or situation I can portray from my life into the music I feel like listeners in some capacity can relate.
Track 11 (All Business) as an artist I feel as if the intro/outro combo is just as important as anything else that goes into a great album sonically. I like for the outro to end as a cliffhanger because obviously more is coming in the future. Once again I’m talking about my real life and individual experiences on this album so I’m just venting about what goes on in day to day life. I still of course have to throw in some more bars that some might view as disses and I don’t really care how anyone takes it. I think this one wraps up this album very well and hopefully it’ll have listeners looking forward to what’s coming next.
In addition to your creative process, could you share any specific stories or anecdotes about the inspiration behind certain songs or the challenges faced during their creation?
I feel like I might have touched on the specific inspirations for each record on the previous question. However there are at least 3 songs on this album that have literally 4,5,6 different versions because they didn’t seem finished or I wanted to switch things around or make a different beat for it etc. One challenge for me is if I have the music in the tuck for too long it’ll become “old” to me and then I’ll be stuck in the cycle of my competition with myself to outdo my last thing. So it can be a blessing and a curse. I was constantly hearing things that I thought I could improve until the day I submitted the album. The biggest challenge for me is figuring out when something I’ve created is officially “Finished” sometimes the process of getting it done can take on a life of its own.
Building on the collaboration aspect, what qualities or strengths did SEVNGOINDIGITAL and Dhalya Nicole bring to the album? How did their unique styles blend with yours to create a cohesive musical experience?
SEVNGOINDIGITAL and I have collaborated a few times with 2 releases prior to “How” on “EFS” I’m a huge fan of his music and he brings such a unique style and sound to this project and from what I’ve heard from his discography I think he never misses.
I also am a huge fan of Dhalya Nicole and we have a few mutual friends that are all in and around music in one way or another. My friend and also frequent collaborator X Savy linked me with Dhalya on Instagram and after hearing some of her work I told her that when I found the right record I’d send it her way and she said that she’s open to collaborating and so about 6 months later I sent her “Problems” she sent her verse back and I knew that it could potentially be a big record.
When faced with creative blocks or obstacles during the album's production, how did you push through and maintain your artistic integrity? Were there any breakthrough moments that helped you overcome these challenges?
There was a couple of times during this process where I had a little writer’s block. Since I mostly write about my real life and my personal experiences whenever I feel stuck I just put the music to the side and go live life and let the world tell me what I should write about and usually after about a week or so away from recording I come back with a clear mind and it all flows much easier. And there’s some days where it feels like I can’t miss & I can write 2/3 songs in an afternoon as well. The main thing I learned for me is to never force it.
Reflecting on the recording process, can you share more details about the studio sessions? Were there any interesting techniques or experimental approaches used that contributed to the album's sonic landscape?
9/10, unless I’m on a feature or helping another artist write or listening in on a session, I'm recording at the house in my own studio so I don’t have many interesting studio stories unfortunately. Other than my dog Rylee being in the studio with me occasionally barking it’s not too much going on when I’m in album mode. I like being locked in without distractions during my process. I might put the Knicks game on but I usually start with one line of a verse or hook and then build off of that. I will say sonically I organized this album in this way with the track listing very purposefully. That came from me just listening to the tracks in different orders and I found that in my opinion this version flows the best.
As your sound and style have evolved, what specific elements or influences have contributed to this growth? Are there any particular experiences or interactions with other artists that have influenced your artistic direction?
I have a few friends & family that either are in the industry now or have been around it & I’ll usually shoot an idea or something to them and they can give me some more educated opinions on things. It might be something minor that I’m missing on a song or maybe they hear something I don’t. And so I’ve taken pointers and games from people I look up to that are within reach on a personal level and I’ve let that help mold me into the artist I am today.
Going deeper into the tracks, are there any lyrics or verses that hold personal significance to you? Can you share the stories or emotions behind those specific moments in the album?
As much as possible I try to say phrases that I don’t think have been said before, at least to my knowledge. I strive to find ways to put something together that makes sense and gets the message across without being repetitive for a cookie cutter type bar. On Pricey I have a line that says “my mother hates that we like guns it makes her nervous, but f*ck it we’d rather fight cases than follow hearses” and when some of my friends heard that line for the first time they gave me that look like; yea you got something here I’ve never heard that. But I try to find moments like that within every record honestly, while at the same time keeping it as simple as possible to understand & keep some replay value.
Beyond the intended message, what do you hope listeners will discover upon repeated listens to "Everything’s For Sale"? Are there any hidden layers or deeper meanings that you intentionally embedded within the songs?
It’s such a cliche thing to say but I think the music can speak for itself and be interpreted differently. I don’t want to give any listener a super specific answer on what they should take from this album because music isn’t really a definite thing; it’s art that affects people differently. In terms of deeper meanings I’d like to think so. I don’t want to be someone who just talks just to talk & it’s the same thing with the music. Some of the lyrics can definitely be looked at deeper depending on the knowledge of certain situations I’ve been in & I even revisit things I’ve previously mentioned in my music as well. I do think I’m good at generalizing certain things enough that a broad group can relate when they hear it but it’s always something specific. One of my close friends said it sounds like I’m “dissing people in every song” but I don’t necessarily view it like that I just speak my mind. That being said I’m also not ducking any lyrical smoke so you can interpret the lyrics however you want. Like I said the music can affect different people in different ways.
Balancing artistic integrity with commercial appeal can be challenging. Can you provide examples of instances where you had to make difficult decisions or compromises during the creation of this album? How did you navigate these situations?
If I’m being honest I don’t think I’m a big enough artist to say I’ve been put in any of those types of situations yet; I’m fully independent and I don’t follow anyone’s lead on what they believe I should be as an artist. I am big on making sure I’m not stepping into a space where I’m not myself or I’m not an accurate representation of me. I’m the same person in the studio vs in real life and that’s important to me. As long as I’m not compromising my morals and principles and beliefs & I give the song/project all that I can give it, I’m willing to live with the results.
Can you describe any unexpected or memorable moments that occurred during the album's production? Whether it be unconventional recording techniques or serendipitous collaborations, we'd love to hear about any interesting occurrences.
I’d probably say when I was recording the intro, it was one of those moments where I felt as if every line was coming together perfectly and every bar was going to land. Being in that creative zone where you have the feeling that you can’t miss is a great feeling. Honestly it happened a lot throughout this album's creation. The second half of the intro I didn’t even write it I just tried punching in line for line and I think it ended up being one of the better verses on the album. I tried something new because I really was considering not doing a second verse but then I liked what I kept hearing after that line and it turned into another verse.
In terms of musical influences, can you expand on how specific artists or genres have impacted your music? How have you incorporated these influences into your own unique sound?
Believe it or not I’m not closed off to only listening to rap music, I do listen to and enjoy other genres. If I hear a song and it sounds good to me then I’ll probably check it out and check the artist’s catalog out as well. I don’t hear a song, realize it’s not rap and then say “nah that’s not for me” . I might not want to make that style of music but I can listen to it and appreciate it. In terms of inspiration, that’s a long list; I grew up on mainly the household names from my parents era; Micheal Jackson, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire. The list goes on. I’ve been drawn to classic and classic sounding samples since I got started in music & obviously sampling has been a staple since the beginning in hip hop so that’s fitting. I was introduced to hip hop by hearing KRS-One, Eric B & Rakim, Mobb Deep, 50 and I’d say Jay Z as well. And now my hip hop ear is super diverse, I listen to everything from Future and Metro Boomin to Benny the Butcher, Conway & Griselda, just depends on what mood I’m in.
Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals and aspirations as an artist? Are there any particular milestones or achievements that you're aiming for in the future?
For me, I want to be talked about in the best rapper conversations, long term. Just the art form that is rapping & putting together these bars, not necessarily achievements, but just knowing your reputation precedes you as one of the ones. I feel like I’m already laying the groundwork to be one of the best rappers lyrically. I think highly of myself because of the work I put in. It’s not a shot at anyone else because I feel as if I’m good if not great at what I do. Humbly, I’d say it’s too soon still to even talk about achievements. I genuinely love music & the process of creating something new & as long as I give my all into this I’ll live with whatever the results are I think that’s the best way to go about it. Now in terms of possibilities, I truly believe, skill wise, that I’m closer to the top tier of rap than I am to the ground level. Bar for bar I’m confident in any scenario & I’m willing to stand on that. I take pride in being a great writer so I’d love to collaborate with other artists and help them create as well & if I could get some writing credits on a major project that would be huge. Obviously everyone’s cliché goal in music is a Grammy award and I’d never say that I don’t dream of that being a possibility but I’m aware that it’s more than just good music that can go into certain awards and sometimes the art can get lost in trying to chase a trophy. For me; meeting certain artists and collaborating with musical hero’s of mine would be way more important to me as an achievement vs certain awards that others may put more stock in. The list could be endless but if I had to pick a Mt Rushmore right now I’d say; Hov, Drake, Future & Griselda. And I’d add J.Cole on that list too.
Finally, is there anything else you would like to share about yourself, your journey, or the album that we haven't touched upon? Any additional insights or stories that would help us gain a deeper understanding of your artistry?
I think we’ve touched on just about everything that I can think of. I’ll just close with the fact that I just write and rap about my personal views, experiences & opinions. I make music just venting & talking shit about my perspective on things and I think that a lot of listeners can relate to me.