Springfield native is on a mission to inspire many and build upon his buzz.
Boston Culture: Where did you grow up? Righteous Justen: I was raised in Springfield, MA from Orlando, Florida. growing up in both places weren't too different being from the "urban" areas lol, I did everything you could do as a child though, really outside, fighting in the street for older heads, playing ball w niggas, getting bent every party every weekend, stealing shit from the mall after school to get fly for the weekend the list goes on. My litness don’t have a demographic. I looked up to curtis jackson, ric flair & my grandmother tbh.
Boston Culture: How you go about in getting in a creative mood? Righteous Justen: it's a very sporadic process as far as being in the act of creating, I literally only talk about my life and shit I really see around me so writing is easy once i'm in that initial thought. In the studio all I need is some sips of jack or some spliffs and we in there like swimwear I just start to talking. Boston Culture: When did you start making music? Righteous Justen: At about 14/15 is when I knew music was the only thing I wanted to do, I used to ball and I realized early when I lost my passion for that so I started my journey of pursuing everything that came with music immediately, by 2019 I started consistently releasing content. Boston Culture: How did you get your artist name? Righteous Justen: tumblr bruh lmao when tumblr was at ITS HEIGHT and that's all niggas did everyday was go there to get fly or network with ppl. There was hella cool people, even cooler usernames so I googled mad random names and eventually the meaning of my government, which became my artist name. Boston Culture: What themes and messages do you rap about? Righteous Justen: Individuality, being a kid from the hood, in the hood but never really relating to my environment. mental health, i'm a very traumatized person I talk about a lot of the things vulnerable to me. If i'm in a righteous mood I might make a turn up/lit type song, if i'm down bad imma make a underdog song. I don't really have a limit for conversation. Boston Culture: Tell us about your last project. Righteous Justen: #THAGEESHIEST is my debut body of work, I made it because i'm a fan of BARS and authentic hip hop so I felt like bringing it back to them DJ kay slay, green lantern, gangsta grillz mixtape days killing shit on industry beats, I got a big vision for the development of that mixtape series once I get past all the copyright issues, I like to call it the "rap chixtape." shoutout to lil wayne also for being the inspiration and setting a bar for mixtapes. I plan to drop twice more before the years over. Boston Culture: When did you first explore your talent as an artist? Righteous Justen: I remember being like 7-8 writing my first rap not serious at all but even at that age I remember the feeling of having something to say and how it made me feel just writing it down. Boston Culture:You been working with any new up and coming producer/artists? Righteous Justen: shoutout to my dawg Anomalous a producer from chicago just started working with him, but for the most part everything is pretty in-house, A U R & 199X are the main suspects for any future production of me. Boston Culture: Talk to me about your whole lyrical process. Who's the best lyricist? Righteous Justen: I grew up reading a lot and still do so i'm a fan of wordplay, literally playing with words, syllables, rhyme patterns, imagery is something I like to give people also when story telling. Kendrick lamar is the goat in my eyes not really much anyone can say to get me to disagree. He started a lot of the things rappers similar to him do rapping-wise and the way they attack making songs. My favorite lyrics damn... I know I haven't wrote em yet but as of now probably everything I said on a track called "Last Year" on soundcloud. I rapped it all in one take so you can just hear the rawness and feel every word. Boston Culture: Talk to me about your process in creating visuals for your songs? Righteous Justen: watching movies, shows, culture, bouncing off ideas and adding to them with my friends, everything is feeling with me so if it matches the vibe of the song I feel then fuck it i'll try anything. Boston Culture: Was there ever a studio session when you thought. "Yo this is crazy" ? Righteous Justen: I engineer all of my own music so pretty much everytime it's time to mix a song it's like "yo I wanna kill myself" lol but nah haven't got that fred sanford feeling just yet. Boston Culture: Was there someone you looked up to or aspired to be? Righteous Justen: My nigga dre litez (y'all youtube him btw) but yeah he basically made me rap and make my first song we was like 15 and I had a lil studio setup in my room with mixcraft, as far as aspirations he was and still is one of the best rappers i've ever heard so just being along side him was all I needed to go spit the hardest shit I could come up with.
Boston Culture: What has been your most amazing moment you've experienced? Righteous Justen: Either the 1st time I performed or just being acknowledged by & having conversation with Benny The Butcher because of my lyrical skill, having reception like that keeps me on track and focused to create more. Boston Culture: What was the best advice you got? Righteous Justen: If they don't understand you then you're doing your job. Boston Culture: What do you dislike about the art world/music industry? Righteous Justen: All the gimmicks, everything's watered down, everything is the same we need more originality, more individuals, more authenticity gotta start doing the carfax on mfs. Boston Culture: Who are your biggest influences? Righteous Justen: kendrick lamar, westside gunn adlibs, 50 cent 1st album, russell westbrook highlights, and Quentin tarantino films. Boston Culture: What inspires you to stay focused, Righteous Justen:my environment & recently the family and friends who see more of me. Boston Culture: Who's your favorite artist? Righteous Justen:Drake, easily. Boston Culture: What’s the mentality you live by? Righteous Justen:"No Weapon Formed Against Shall Prosper." Boston Culture: What do you want to let your fans know that you haven't mentioned? Righteous Justen: I love you all for the support musically & mentally. Boston Culture: What brands should sponsor you? Righteous Justen: Champion & Lacoste by the time y'all read this i'd probably have both brands tatted on me.
Comments