We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful JaeEss (JS). We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with JaeEss below.

JaeEss, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

For the past 2 years I have been working on this series called “Live On Your Own Terms” (LOYOT). The title came from a conversation I had long ago with my homies Himmy and Dallas. At the time we all had just moved into a townhouse together and they had asked me what this new chapter of our lives was going to be called. Without hesitation, the first phrase that came to mind was “Live On Your Own Terms” and it became my motto since.

A few months later I decided I was going to turn this motto into a music series. The concept was to drop back-to-back EP’s in the form of “Seasons” and promote the projects by having cable television styled videos for the posts to make it feel more like a story you should be keeping up with. This idea was only supposed to last one summer, however as time progressed many people started to adopt the LOYOT motto for themselves and used it to progress in their own aspirations. Noticing this, I chose to take more time on this series and make it my mission to not only to expand the message of “Live On Your Own Terms”, but to also show people what it means and takes to live the LOYOT way.

So far we are two Seasons deep and we are currently working on the third and final Season. To me this Season is the most important out of the set so I been really trying to dig deep and I understand what LOYOT means to me. I want this Season to be people’s motivator to make the dreams a reality so everything I make for it is made to accomplish this goal.

JaeEss, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Well…first thing’s first….I go by JaeEss lol (pronounced JS). I have been writing raps, making beats, and recording my own songs since I was in middle school, so pretty much over a decade now at this point. Of course it was just a hobby I did on the side, but the more I worked on it the more I fell in love with it. By the time I was in high school it was the only thing you catch me working on. I even ended up selling my game systems so I could focus more on learning how to make the sound I was looking for. It became my addiction because it felt like it was the first thing I had full control over, therefore whatever I made was a full representation of who I am or who I wanted to be in the future.

I saw my first paycheck from making music when I was 17. During this time I had a partnership with YouTube as a producer and I would post my beats and beat remakes. It was technically the first job I ever had. From there I learned how to sell my beats to other artists and it became a little side hustle I had. Fast forward about 4 years later and I landed a job as a recording engineer at Blessed Forever Studios (Valdosta, GA). This was a crucial time in my life because it really taught me how to consistently put myself out there as a producer and artist and it also set up my foundation to work on the LOYOT project.

I would say the thing that makes me stand from others is the open ear I have when it comes to music. I fell in love with Rap at a young age, but even then I never wanted to box myself in a certain sound. I experiment with different sounds and styles very often because I think diversity is important when trying to connect with different listeners. I. also try to push other artists I work with to push the boundaries of what they’re comfortable making, which is why I feel like people enjoy working with me. Overall my goal is always to make something that is fresh for people to enjoy, so I really try my best to think outside the box.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I feel like the most rewarding part of being an artist is the moment you release your work for the world to experience. I love it because this the moment to show the world “this is who I am” you know? It’s definitely my favorite experience when people actually connect with the music you made and add it to their own playlists. Any time I get a message or DM from someone saying the love the music I make it literally makes my day every time.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

The reason LOYOT means so much to me is because it is more of a practice than anything. Living on your own terms is something you have to choose daily because the world can make you feel like you don’t have the time or resources to do so. Specifically this past year, I dealt with a lot of trials that caused me to take a step back from pursuing my goals. Between moving to a new area, my car breaking down for good shortly after, and working a job that more-or-less was paying me enough to sustain my basic needs, I had to take time to get my personal life back together and it was honestly a draining experience. Even though I had so much going on though, I never forgot what I wanted for myself though. If anything my purpose for working on the LOYOT series grew stronger because these trials and tribulations are why living on your own terms is so important. It’s more than doing whatever you want. LOYOT to me means to live a life you can be proud of, and every achievement I obtain, whether music-wise or personal life, shows me I’m living the LOYOT way.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaeesstheguy
• Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/jaeesstheguy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JaeEssTheGuy

Image Credits
Big shoutout to CokeShotIt (@cokeshotit)