Throughout the years that I've lived my life, I've come to the realization that one day you will need help from God. The question to ask yourself is are you going to call on him? Before attending the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff I didn't know what to expect about an HBCU. I had just recently completed two years at a small Christian school located in Springdale, Arkansas called Ecclesia College on a basketball scholarship. While most people from back home thought this was a bad decision, going to a place I don't know anything about could be a big mistake. However, I never paid attention to what people said, I followed my heart and faith led me there. The experience ended up being something I'll never forget. Without even knowing I had signed to play for a college that was 15 mins away from the biggest school in Arkansas. The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. I remember on the way up my mother saying "Don't be out here on this campus every weekend" and thinking to my self I was going to conquer that place, even if I wasn't enrolled that was my new home.

Throughout the week I would stay low key, make sure I completed workouts and school work. But on the weekends my roommates and I were out there .
We'd sneak out late nights in my truck since I was the only one with a vehicle at the time, and escape to what real college life was like. What I mean by that is Ecclessia was filled with rules and many people were watching waiting on us to break them so they could report back to coach, but we never ended up getting caught. I remember going to kickbacks and people asking who are these niggas, why they always here. But eventually when they found out we were just college athletes trying to have a good time they let us into the lifestyle. My time in Northwest Arkansas soon began to come to an end . I had set all the goals for my self that I wanted to at that point. Become a starter and lead the team in either scoring or rebounding. Both of which I achieved as a freshman.

So what's next for JG? Believe it or not but before I became a college athlete I was more so know as an entertainer. In high school I was apart of a rap group called Yungn Ent. Rob Major who transferred to my high school my sophomore year taught me almost everything I needed to know about recording my sound. We had a wave going on at the time. Doing shows at the local middle schools and people shouting our names. It was like we were already famous but didn't know it yet. Rob ended up moving out of the city our Junior year and shortly after the music group fell apart. With basketball coming into my life I also decided to put the music down for a while and focus on this thing called college. After my freshman year of college was over , onee day while sitting at home I decided to purchase music equipment again. The first track I recorded after my return was titled "No Limit" and can be found on Mental Issues the Mixtape. I was basically just rapping about what all I'd seen thoroughly the years of me not doing music. But it wasn't until I walked into my dorm room one day and an Ecclesia baseball player was telling me how he'd been playing the song all day. I knew then I still had it.

As sophomore year continued I just kept on making more music, I was sprung again recording a track almost every night. I really just needed to make up for lost time. I remember D Lock were at a Caribbean party at the U of A and these two foreign girls were dancing all over us. After the party was over I asked if they wanted us to take them home and there response changed the way I recorded forever. She flipped her hair back and said "American Boys ain't Shit" and kept walking. I told D lock I was going to make a song about it and later that night I did. The song titled "American Boys" was created. At the time I never realized the impact I was making on people's lives with my music, but I did know D lock was really feeling that song for the simple fact that he witnessed a man take a situation and turn it into something so subliminal, you would have to be there that night to understand the true meaning of the record. That's my favorite part about this whole thing, I never really know where my next track is coming from I just have to live and capture the moment.

Headed into junior year I knew what I had, a talent and the look to carry it, however I wasn't prepared for the hurdles I'd have to overcome to reach those people, The University of Arkansas Pine Bluff was a complete 360 from my previous way on living. I ended up transferring there because my old school didn't offer animal science degree and Pine Bluff had the best science program in the state. I made a lot of moves the summer before attending UAPB. I recorded one of the biggest songs of my career titled "Saucin" with a well known producer in Memphis name J Dav. That was actually my very first time recording in a professional studio and we made a masterpiece. Throughout my life I've had so many hints that I was made to be a superstar but I couldn't quite capture those moments long enough. One of those moments happen when J Dav stopped the recording session to let one of the biggest artist in the city hear my song. If any of you know who Yo Gotti is he is a multi millionaire recording artist born in the same city I was born in, Memphis, Tn.

Gotti was shopping at the time and only heard parts of the song, it was almost like God was telling me it's not your time yet , but you there. I left with that record and prepared to perform it at my new school. With so much hype behind everything I had a gut feeling that I was going to be able to take off after they heard it and my career would begin before I even graduate. But that wasn't the case, people loved it, people I didn't know rapped it in class while I was trying not to focus on music , and even quoted me under pictures on Instagram. But I still didn't feel like I made it yet, I was a broke college kid with few plays and not that much attention on the yard. Bad things just started happening to me, my roommate ended up getting into a jam and lost his car, and shortly after mine quit as well due to engine problems. I shaved wrong one day and messed up my face and on top of all that my grades were all below average. I was thinking about dropping out of school at one point.

In life I've learned that so many people are good at hiding things about themselves. I know I was, I sent my song to all the djs on the Yard in hopes that maybe they could jump me off my feet through the club scenes but either they were looking for money which I didn't have, or just not interested. Throughout it all I made a promise to myself to never do one thing, and that was quit. Before my grandmother passed I had a dream that she came to me and said let the family know everything is going to be alright, and that I did. I feel like she's been paying attention to me this whole time. I never lost faith in myself I just knew I had to bounce back and grind harder.

My second semester of Junior year I stated to see what I was lacking, and that was communication. I never really talked to people on the yard I just figured they knew who I was, once I started bringing more people along my journey more doors began to open. People respect grind. I made a goal in 2017 to drop at least one mix-tape a month and that's what I've been doing. I just enjoy making music regardless the number of people who listen to it, I know it's good music and it's my passion. If you think positive all the time, positive things will come into your life. I'm approaching my senior year with a different mindset, and rather the world is ready for me or not, I'm coming.

-JG


" Law of Attraction "


( Aug 2017 )