By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
A name the world should be getting familiar with is Jae Murphy. There is a lot of talk surrounding the hip hop movement in the DMV area. This talk is well-warranted and Jae Murphy is playing a major part, as he is currently wrapping up his senior year at Howard University. Already, Jae Murphy has a lot going for him, as he is a DJ for the BET Music Matters Tour.
Currently, Jae Murphy has a lot of projects he is involved in. Of course, Jae Murphy is focused on his education and behind his education comes his work with BET. But, the original grind for Jae Murphy has been the mixtapes. Over the years, the mixtape game has changed and has virtually replaced albums, for the most part.
Hip Hop Vibe spoke to Jae Murphy earlier today. Jae Murphy opened up to us about the rising talent of the DMV area. In addition to talking about the talent in the DMV area, Jae Murphy talked about the outlet he is creating for the area and his role in the BET Music Matters Tour. There have been a lot of positive things to happen to Jae Murphy and he shared these experiences with Hip Hop Vibe.
Read the entire interview below:
What originally got you into DJ-ing? To be honest, I was hosting before I was DJ-ing. But, when I started at Howard, I would travel with my friend, who was a DJ. I was hosting house parties and at lounges and clubs. So, being around DJs, I acquired the skill. I was always around the DJs and it soon became a part of my craft. When you are host, you are the MC, but when you are the DJ, you control everything. Having full control of parties, concerts, and events led to me wanting to DJ, running the microphone and the turntables at the same time.
Why did you choose to go to Howard University? I am from Chesapeake so I am local. In high school, I only applied to Harrington University, in Hampton, VA. I also applied to Howard University. My parents wanted me to go to Harrington, but I was drawn to Howard when my good friend told me about Howard, it was not too far, but not too close. Howard has that name behind it, as a historic African-American university, and it is in DC. I applied to Howard in the first month of my junior year and I was accepted in February or March of 2007. When I visited Howard, it felt right, and I got my degree in broadcast journalism.
What was your time at Howard University like? To be correct, I was at Howard for five years. I did not declare my major until my sophomore year, so that held things back. I found out who I was and what wanted to do. When I first got there, I wanted to get a degree and get money. First, I went for computer engineering and I then decided I did not want to look at a computer every day.
With everything I had going for myself on campus, I decided to go with the flow during freshman year. But, I declared my major for broadcast journalism my sophomore year and I became a fixture on campus. I hosted my first house party in 2008 and I am social, so it came natural for me to entertainment. It was a house party of sixty or seventy people who I had classes with and it came so natural and I have been on my hosting game ever since, I became that vocal presence.
My energy led me right into broadcast journalism and I learned how to do real news stories and I was everywhere, doing the surprise concerts. Before I got there, Jay-Z did a surprise concert on the yard. When I got there, I hosted homecoming. In my third year, I pledged for a fraternity and things changed even more for me. Soon, I was outside of Howard, in the city, doing events and I ended up interning for Radio One. I graduated on May 11, 2012 and I came, I saw, and I conquered.
You major in broadcast journalism, can you tell us more about that? My sophomore year, I declared my major in broadcast journalism and I studied how to become a news producer, hard news. Even though the curriculum was more toward hard journalism, it helped me helped me if I wanted to be on entertainment and radio. Broadcast journalism had me ready to be a reporter, or to be on radio. I had two shows on the college radio show, I learned what I learned, developed my talent, and then I expanded my brand. I went from being a college personality to honing my craft, I was the microphone man on campus, whenever, wherever. I was called the ‘Voice of Howard University’ by a lot of people, I took it and ran with that. Through broadcast journalism, I learned how things are produced on both radio and television.
How long have you been working for 93.9 WKYS? I was an intern at first, but after I graduated, I was offered a position as a promotions assistant and a board operator. When promotions would be offered, I would be out there, hands on. I have been on the mic, but it has not been in-depth. I was hired at WKYS and I was booked to host a Kendrick Lamar show in Norfolk, and then I was booked in Richmond and this was during the time of the BET Music Matters
What doors have been opened for you since you began working for Radio One? Basically, with the radio station, I have landed a lot of hosting events. I have done a lot of traveling, which I also did back at Howard with my fraternity. I have been everywhere, Miami, and several places. From there, I was booked to host shows for tours, which led to the BET Music Matters tour.
How did you end up being a part of the BET Music Matters Tour? I was hired at WKYS and I was booked to host a Kendrick Lamar show in Norfolk, and then I was booked in Richmond and this was during the time of the BET Music Matters tour. The first two dates of the tour were in my hometown and I rubbed the managers the right way and they let me host the rest of the tour and I hosted the twenty-three dates in the United States and Toronto. It was then when the DJ-ing got real for me, because I filled in when there would not be DJs at events. From there, it blossomed and my last show was in October 17 in Los Angeles, I got on the plane and I went back to Howard for my first homecoming as an alumni.
Who are some of the people you have met through this outlet? Oh man, I met so many people on this tour. I saw Drake in Toronto, Lupe Fiasco, J. Cole, 9th Wonder, T.I., Twista, I did not realize it was that many until I had to name them (laughs). But, I ran into a lot of people, shout out to everyone, the tour was real. It was this tour that gave Kendrick Lamar the momentum for his good kid, m.A.A.d. city. I am very proud of Kendrick Lamar, definitely proud.
The self-proclaimed Prince of the DMV, what do you feel you bring to this growing hip hop scene? Ah, I just have a passion for raw, unsigned, talent. I love running into people who are so dope at what they do and do not have a platform. In the middle of their hustle and grind, I want to bring the unsigned hype together for a show and open their eyes to all of them. With my Leaders of the New School, I want to show the world what we can do.
What type of impact do your mixtape releases tend to have? My mixtapes show people that I am still growing and building and my next mixtape may be due later this summer, which is called Leaders of the New School. I go after people trying to get into big-time magazines and even if they don’t make it next year, they will be there the year after. I want to be a part of that formula of exposure and I know we will have a major impact on the game with our mixtape release. It is all about making noise and that is my main goal, because noise turns heads. Making collaborations, making noise, you won’t get noticed if you’re not making noise.
After graduation, should fans expect to see more of you on BET? Oh man, I have been on BET before for the BET Awards announcements where I asked A$AP Rocky a question. BET is currently doing formatting for their programming, but you will never know until the announcement is made. But, I will be on BET and MTV, along with many more and when my visuals go viral, look for them on television, all in due time, it is coming.
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