Not many college students can say that they successfully balance Greek Life, academics, and a promising music career. Jacob Fajerstein, also known as Cub-J, can. Jacob is a 20-year-old University of Illinois student hailing from Evanston, Illinois. He is performing at the Canopy Club with another Evanston native, Kweku Collins, and Swill the Will on April 14th at 8 p.m.
You can check out his songs on his SoundCloudHow did you get started writing music?
“I was always rapping with my friends and fooling around with free styling since I was a freshman in high school. It was really just me and my two friends, Alec Rosenheck and Adam Rubman, and then Rubman started to write raps and release songs – so that inspired me to try and do the same. Around when I was a sophomore in high school I started writing raps, but I didn't start recording until I was a senior. But I didn't drop an album until last summer [Love Abuse]. “
What's your favorite song off of Love Abuse?
“It changes every day. I don't listen to it much anymore because I'm working on my next projects. My favorite song off the album is probably Deep in a 40 oz., or Square One. Deep in a 40 oz. is probably the dopest sounding song that I've made. I like the vocal production. Square One because that was actually a rap I wrote my junior year. My producer, Adam Rumban, re-did the beat and I re-did the first verse of it because one of my best friends in the world who had a verse on that song with me [junior year], but we never ended up doing it because he got sent to rehab, so I dedicated the second verse of the song to him. I don't think anybody really realizes that, because you have to really listen. So the second verse is completely from my friend who was in rehab's perspective on life, so that's why we redid it – as a tribute to him. So I really just appreciate the meaning of that song."
Is this your first show at U of I?
It is. I did a show at the University of Michigan last year, I may do it again this year, I don't know. The thing is I just need to release more music, it's hard because I'm at school and I'm taking 17 credit hours so it's hard to focus on my music. And my producer goes to Tulane and then my collaborator/best friend (Alec) goes to DePaul. I'm very excited, my fraternity is having a date event for it so we're going to get a bunch of people to come out. And also, the kid who is headlining, Kweku Collins, is two years younger from me and from my high school. He's a cool ass kid and I can tell you he's going to be big, the way his music has progressed has been really great. Yesterday [April 1st] he just got signed to a record label. There's this hip hop website called hotnewhiphop.com that I check every single day, I find songs that drop every single day, and then I see Kweku Collins gets signed, Evanston native. So I'm really happy about him and his success at a young age and I think it's cool that I'm opening for him right after that happens. Me and him have been talking about collaborating."
Do you have any music coming out?
“We're planning on [me, Alec, and Rubman], releasing a collaborative album by the time summer starts. Just a few different tracks here and there of all of us. It's mostly going to be Adam Rubman's production, mostly instrumentals. Mostly I'm trying to start a new mixtape that I'm not going to drop until the end of summer because I take my time with this stuff and I work and I'm busy. I don't have any song titles yet but I have about 4 songs that I've written so far and they're hot."
Where do you get your inspiration?
“Mostly from other rappers, music that I listen to. Kendrick Lamar just dropped what I think is the hottest rap album of all time and that's certainly inspiration. A lot of it comes from my producer [Adam Rubman] because he's so talented. When he comes through and sends me a beat it's always the dopest shit I've ever heard him make and I'm so inspired from that beat to write my verses for it. He's my main producer, and I do reach out to other producers and I'm excited to compile a mixtape with other sounds. My next work is going to be very different from what anyone has ever heard from me before."
Do you want to continue rapping after college?
“Yeah definitely. My dream is to become a famous rapper. I'm a broadcast journalism major and I'm getting good grades and I'm good at it. I want to do something with hip hop, so if I wasn't going to be a famous rapper, I'd like to have a radio show where rappers come in and I'd interview them. Definitely want to do something with music – all the people I'm surrounded by, all my friends, are so talented. I know Adam Rubman is going to have a bright future in music and if I stick with him I think good things are ahead. My most recent song that I dropped, Lil' Pieces, definitely got the most recognition of any song I've dropped before. It's getting near 7,000 views and my most listened to song before had maybe 2,000. It's looking good."
How do you prepare for show?
“[For canopy] I'm going to practice every day that week, a couple times a day, which is pretty hard to do alone. I found out my friend can't come and he usually performs with me, so I have to do it all alone. I'm going to walk on stage and feel the energy from the crowd and feed off of that. Canopy Club is the biggest show I've done so far."
If you could collaborate with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be?
“J. Cole"
Now for the typical U of I questions….
Favorite bar?
“Red Lion, it's so close to my house. A lot of kids in my house work there. It's a great time, but I like Cly's too."
Favorite drink?
“Whiskey Coke"
Tickets are available for $5 in advance and $10 at the door.
