We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Justen Best. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Justen below.

Alright, Justen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

It’s very easy for me to be misunderstood in many situations. When it comes to being an artist, especially in Hip Hop, everyone is a “rapper”. It’s always been tough for me to even tell people that I make music because in their head I know their saying “You too?”. I like people to discover me. They’ll be times I’m controlling the aux and I’ll put one of my tracks on and wait for someone to say “This hard! Who is this?”. I’m also misunderstood when it comes to funds. The moment I don’t have any money for anyone, I’m either cheap or broke. I just notice people trying to figure me out all the time. Sometimes I look up and see someone looking right in my face. I dont just let anyone in, it takes time to learn the real me. When I don’t let people in immediately, I can tell it kills them not knowing about me.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I make music, model, act, and into behavioral therapy. Since moving to LA I have been performing in many venues and done many photoshoots. One thing I really noticed and have focused on is modeling. I find it interesting how much doesn’t pay you anything until you make it. Modeling and acting have been where I’ve made the most money since moving to LA.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding thing to me is when someone genuinely listens and mostly when I’m performing and seeing peoples reaction. I love seeing the demographics of my music and all the different places it gets streamed.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In 2013 I was in a car accident. The driver fell asleep at the wheel while going 100 miles per hour. The car flipped about 5 times and I came out with a torn ACL and broken neck. I came back the next year continuing to play college basketball. The accident put everything into perspective. I realized I’m here for a much bigger purpose and that I’ve already been through the worst.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fanlink.to/Prayinforthebest
• Instagram: @justendbest
• Twitter: @JBestBBall
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/WrAfdv2VUcM?si=Pld5E_QKQc6ngc8y

Image Credits
@MillieGracePhotography @MollyMawlz @DanPerezvfx