00:00
Intro
Off the Record is a show from 88.1 WKNC in which DJs talk with artists about everything from their music to upcoming tours to former bandmates birthdays. Make sure to follow WKNC on SoundCloud and Tumblr so you never miss a beat. Enjoy.
00:15
DJ Iron Mike
What's going on, everybody? It's your boy, DJ Iron Mike chilling on another beautiful local rap lunch. You know how we do every Thursday from noon to one, bring you nothing but the illest hip hop coming out of North Carolina. I got a special guest in the building with me today. I got Madison Jay. What's good, man?
00:32
Madison Jay
You already know what's going on with you, bro.
00:34
DJ Iron Mike
Thanks for coming up, bro. It's been. It's kind of been a long time coming.
00:37
Madison Jay
It really has.
00:38
DJ Iron Mike
I've been doing this show for like a couple years and you've been out here grinding for.
00:41
Madison Jay
Yeah, but every minute, man. Everything in due time, though.
00:44
DJ Iron Mike
Exactly.
00:45
Madison Jay
The timing is now and we here.
00:47
DJ Iron Mike
Exactly. So you had pretty good week last week. You played at the NC State Fair.
00:52
Madison Jay
Yeah, yeah. That was. I want to say and speak on that. That was just a grand opportunity right there. And the experience was just one of those things of like. I'm never gonna forget that. It's just. It was so many moments wrapped up in one smash. The stage shouts out to Black Bouquet, shouts out to P Mania, shouts out to Zips, shouts out to King Clash. We had a. A dope set. It was something rare at the fair. And I honestly, I'm just looking forward to do something like that again. Just to be in the backyard and touch the people.
01:26
DJ Iron Mike
Yeah, man, I. I got to DJ for a showcase at the fair last year, and it's definitely like a different vibe than it is what we get at like the club shows.
01:35
Madison Jay
Yeah. And that was something. When I can't lie, I stepped out on the stage and I, like, I said, oh, man, this is definitely like, not what I'm expecting.
01:44
DJ Iron Mike
It's the people.
01:45
Madison Jay
Yeah.
01:46
DJ Iron Mike
It's not like hip hop heads. It's the people.
01:48
Madison Jay
But the thing was, at the. The aftermath, it was the complete opposite of what I thought it was going to be. The same people who I thought were not going to vibe and rock out, they were the people who vibed and rocked out the most. And, you know, afterwards, when I was chopping it up with everybody, you know, they were very vocal about, hey, man, we enjoyed your set. We see the talent, we see what you're doing, keep doing what you're doing. So stuff like that man, it lets, you know and puts in perspective of this is what we do this for, just touch people and, you know, change lives, especially those that you don't think you going to change.
02:23
DJ Iron Mike
Yeah, absolutely. And like, so how is that experience? Because I'd say, like among this area's local rappers, right, you're one of the people who kind of like puts themselves out there the most, like, into different places. Like, you went out to south by on your own, right? You know, last year you said you went out to a 3C, right? Like, you put yourself into different areas, whereas, like, a lot of people kind of like to fit into a pocket and try bloom from there. You've kind of just like done your own thing. So, you know, how does that fit? Like, you know, like you did your state fair performance and all that, like, how does that fit into basically your strategy for yourself?
02:59
Madison Jay
For. You gotta. You gotta stretch yourself. You know, as an artist, you gotta stretch yourself out and touch different areas and touch different spots. And I know what myself and my team, that's just the key for us, is how we're going to thrive, is to go out to different areas. Whether, you know, it's in North Carolina, whether it's your Charlotte, whether it's your Columbia, South Carolina, your Florence, South. Excuse me, your Columbia. Columbus, Georgia. Excuse me. Columbus, Georgia. Columbia, South Carolina. Florence, South Carolina. Tallahassee, Florida. Like, these are spots that I'm stretching out and touching. And, you know, at the end of the day, it comes back home to Raleigh. But you got to always stretch yourself so that you're, you know, you. You never know what market you're going to be able touch.
03:45
Madison Jay
You never know what people you're going to be able touch. And you can only do that when you go into different, you know, spots that. Places that aren't your home and touch those people so that way they're feeling the same way. You know, you can be the hometown hero all you want, but when you bring that energy somewhere else, OT and they feel like, oh, now we see why you're the guy in your spot, because we, you know, we see and feel that. So that's what it's all about, man. And at the end of the day, I got the city on my back and I'm taking it in and putting it into other areas. And that's just kind of what it boils down to.
04:15
DJ Iron Mike
Now, you mentioned Columbus, Georgia?
04:17
Madison Jay
Yes, sir.
04:18
DJ Iron Mike
That city has a special place in my heart for me because it's the first place I ever lived outside Of New York City. Come on, now is where I went to basic training. Army get really ridiculous out there.
04:32
Madison Jay
Yeah.
04:33
DJ Iron Mike
So how is it? I never really thought of Columbus, Georgia, like as like a hip hop city, you know, because I just saw like my side of it and stuff.
04:40
Madison Jay
But like, then the thing is we have to break out of. And I'm guilty of it too. We have to break out of the stigma. Again, like you said, it's not considered a hip hop city. We have to break out of the stigma. It's the music at the end of the day. So the music can touch, you know, whether it's touching, you know, O'Reilly, North Carolina, a Columbus, Georgia, a Pakistan, you know, London, England. It's going touch people. Regardless of the fact if it's just that quality, that bomb, people are gonna, you know, I mean, they just gonna get enamored by it. So when we go to certain spots and think that, oh, they might not vibe with it, might not rock with it. Nah, they do.
05:21
Madison Jay
It's just they haven't got the light quote unquote put on them to be vocal about, hey, we got this over here, you know what I'm saying? The same way Raleigh and Raleigh, Durham has been trying to come up as a scene to let you know, like, yo, we got fire here. Yeah, John Blaze. And they're just now starting to get the layers peeled back to see like, oh, yeah, they really do have that fire. So like I, I just like, man, the unexpected spots like that, oh, shouts out to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, you know, I mean, that's a spot I'm about touch very soon. Tulsa, you know, I mean, just these spots because there's people there that want to know and tap in and tune into what, you know, I mean, what artists have going on.
05:59
DJ Iron Mike
Especially, like, you know, getting out to other cities, you get to see how like the different, how people consume hip hop culture, right? In different areas. And I guess, you know, as I said in like Columbus, when I came down from New York is like, you know, hip hop is like just like ingrained in the Mac, you know, you can't go anywhere without it being about hip hop. White people, black people, Spanish people, everybody's hip hop. And like, you know, going down to Georgia, I noticed that like, everything was still like, you know, in the south, so segregated, Right. You know, you go to one part of town that's where all the white people and all the gis go to hang out, right?
06:31
DJ Iron Mike
But then you got to go to the part of town where like no one, but they all tell you not to go.
06:35
Madison Jay
Right?
06:36
DJ Iron Mike
But I love that part. You know, you're in the strip clubs and like all that stuff is great and like going and you know, even like going up to other cities.
06:43
Madison Jay
Right.
06:44
DJ Iron Mike
You know, you've been to Austin and stuff. Just seeing how other people consume hip hop in Austin and stuff. So you know, how has that experience been for you since you get to travel?
06:52
Madison Jay
It's a, like what I like about Austin, man, is that mind you, it's like the live music capital of the United States really. Probably of the world, man. Like, they just have like, I mean 6th street maybe, but I mean Austin just give, they give you like a plethora. Yeah, Nashville mostly like country or whatever, but like man, six streets lit up with just different live venue spots. So like, I mean you can, how can you not?
07:20
DJ Iron Mike
Like it's like a buffet.
07:21
Madison Jay
Yeah. You know, I mean, and just the culture that's in Austin and they. It's funny because you know, on the build up landscape side, Raleigh has modeled itself after Austin, Texas. You know, I've researched right up on. Yeah, you know, because it's like, it's basically trying to come up as that be D.C. city that's also becoming a hub of, hey, there's a lot of culture here. There's a lot of things going on. Business revenue is coming in and you see the growth in Raleigh. Right. Just off of following that Austin blueprint. But it's crazy because I literally see the same thing about to happen here.
07:55
Madison Jay
It's just about to be a place of where you're going to see live venues popping up everywhere, different spots to where all these people can come together, clash, get it in and just start sharing the cultures out even more. But just to be able to take my, for me and my team to go out to different spots, man, you got to understand where we come from to go around and do this stuff, man. It's a beautiful opportunity. And the thing is that we're just only getting started now because I'm ready to. Now I'm ready to go across the water and I mean I'm ready to go get some crumpets and some tea. I'm ready to, you know, I mean, hit up Amsterdam. I'm ready touch across the water now, man.
08:33
DJ Iron Mike
Yeah, yeah, man. They, you know, overseas, they, they look at our music so differently, right? And you know, I was offered a DJ gig in Berlin. I put out some like reggaeton remixes that I Mean, I took like, hard rap tracks, reggaeton, remixes, and I got hit up by some promoter in. In Berlin to come out there. And I was like, yo, just.
08:54
Madison Jay
Berlin, Germany?
08:55
DJ Iron Mike
Yeah, you know, I mean, you know what I mean?
08:56
Madison Jay
Nothing crazy, you know.
08:57
DJ Iron Mike
No, but, you know, it's just like the way, like, know you. You always hear the story of like, rapper in America who can't get anyone to come to his shows. Not that's like you or anything, but I'm just saying, like, you. I'm just saying. But you hear about that, like, you know, Americans are so picky with the way we, right? We look at music and take in music. And then overseas, they just like the raw feeling of it, you know, I feel like, you know, a lot of the stuff that's happening here in North Carolina, we have that rawness. It's raw, which is, you know, you juice, you know, it's just like, there's so much raw talent out.
09:31
Madison Jay
Just like. And it's funny because you'll get certain artists, man, and we could take a handful of them just here, you know, certain looks, not getting certain, you know what I mean? Whatever the case may be, you take these handful of cats and you take them across the water, across the pond, man, we're talking about guys turning into superstars because that's what they are. Yeah. You know, I mean, you're talking about and be. And I understand that, mind you, coming up, you know, I'm like hip hop to the core. So I, you know, understanding about the touring and going overseas and just how, you know, Asia, Europe, just how they just gravitate towards hip hop, how much they makes American artists, You know, it'll be a certain artist we look at. Like, man, it's xyz. You go over there, these dudes are selling out.
10:23
Madison Jay
Torn Merch is going crazy. They're like gods over there. And it's a different. It's funny because they're getting the same thing we're getting is just the eyes of what they see, you know what? Through their eyes, they're looking at these dudes like, nah, they got a crap and ladies as well. Like, yo, they got a craft. They're, you know, fire with it. I'm supporting whatever they do. I'm gonna go in the back catalog. I'm supporting that. If they drop a new hoodie, I'm supporting that because I love what they do. And that just, again, it just boils down to doing what we do and loving what we do, because it just comes with being Able to do things like that, just to go different places and touch different people is. It's just beautiful at the end of the day.
11:06
DJ Iron Mike
That's why we do it, honestly.
11:08
Madison Jay
That's why we do it, man. Well, some of us, at least.
11:10
DJ Iron Mike
So, I mean, bring it back a little bit. All right, so, you know, we kind of got a little specific there.
11:15
Madison Jay
Right, right.
11:16
DJ Iron Mike
But there are a lot of people out there. I haven't heard of you yet. So. So, you know, what, what makes Madison J. Madison J?
11:23
Madison Jay
I mean, for me, man, Madison Jay is just like, I. I'm gonna be real. I just. Purple fried chicken, man. You know what I mean? That's the best way to describe the kid. Purple fried chicken. And when you hear that, it's like, yo, what in the heck? It's purple fried chicken. That's exactly what Madison Jake. You gotta like, tap in and tune in and see what that is. Because it's just like, you know, just the energy, man. I just represent energy that is just contagious, infectious, pure, and people gravitate towards that. Just me. At the end of the day, I'm a young man from Raleigh, North Carolina. I got a story, and I feel like, you know, that's a story that people want to hear from me. You know, I've just been doing this thing for many moons, man.
12:08
Madison Jay
And I just feel like literally, like the song says, my. My day to come is now. You know, I got the county thing going on. You know, that's just started out of here in Wake county, but at the end of the day, it's a hundred county strong. You know, North Carolina's 100 counties deep, but it just stretches out even beyond. It's everywhere is a county. So, you know, I'm just kind of representing that hometown hero, man. Just letting you know, no matter where you come from, it can be done. And, you know, for those that don't know, you got to check the back catalog. Raps like wrestling, that's a movement that, you know, just basically created from out the mud. Just letting people know, putting a spotlight on how, you know, the gimmickry that's going on in the game.
12:46
Madison Jay
And, you know, I mean, all the. The. The shenanigans and stuff like that and just how people are moving. I did that gave him trapped in the 90s 1 and 2. That was just basically going back to the, you know, one of the dopest errors that, you know, the 90s, man. I just touched a whole bunch of beats, put that out. That's classic, you know, that's a classic body of work. And then, of course, I hit him with Return of the Gap, which I classify as my debut album. That was just something that I put together with a great team of producers. We touched on a lot of topics that I've never touched about on in my music. Just kind of like my upbringing as a kid, how I feel as a father, you know, how I feel in my position in the game.
13:25
Madison Jay
And right now, we're getting ready to move forward to the next project. I mean, that'll be coming out very soon. So for those that don't know about Madison J, you surely will know. And I suggest you tap in and tune in.
13:36
DJ Iron Mike
All right, Word. So let's get into some music. I got your. Your single. It actually did some good numbers in the past year. Line them up. I'm gonna hit him with that first.
13:45
Madison Jay
Yeah.
13:46
DJ Iron Mike
And we're getting some other stuff. Some J. Cole, some King Mez, I don't know, some good stuff.
13:53
Madison Jay
And we got it. We gotta get into it. We gotta if that day to come, man. We got to do day to come as well. But right now, that line them up. And this right here fire is something different. Shout out to Brashiest Monk. He's on the production on this, homie on that you already know. It's just something. Something different to vibe to, man. I'm guarantee y' all gonna like it. We gonna line them up.
14:11
DJ Iron Mike
All right, it's wkc, Local Rap Lunch. Got Madison Jay on the boards with me, DJ Iron Mike. Let's go.
[Intermission]
14:28
DJ Iron Mike
What's going on? Everybody, look, you're on a local listening to local rap. Lunch man. Tongue got time. You're just listening to Zenso Fly with like that. Before that, J. Cole with ATM. And before that, I do Madison Jay. But line them up. I got Madison Jay in the studio. We've been chilling, talking about a lot about music stuff. Music, local music stuff, national music stuff out here, if you just tuning in. So, yeah, were just talking about off the air, about North Carolina's music scene.
15:01
Madison Jay
Right.
15:02
DJ Iron Mike
And how it moves and everything. And however, there's really space for anyone to do their thing. What do you think is like the next move for most?
15:10
Madison Jay
For the next move, Honestly, I think is going to be a. It's going to be a whole bunch of cats, basically are going to. I'm gonna say I'm gonna try to Put it in historical reference. Like you had the Kentucky when John Boogie and all those cats were at Kentucky, right? You had that strong four or five core. Then basically they get drafted, all right, but they still got the tie of Kentucky, you know, I'm saying. But then they each went to a different NBA team and did work. So basically you about to get a whole bunch of cats now that's about to get drafted. It's not going to be just one superstar. Like, I think that's what a lot of cats get trapped like, oh, this cat about to be the dude who blow.
16:05
Madison Jay
And nah, it ain't gonna be that because it's so it's divided. But at the end of the day, it's just way more than just one person about the. You know, I'm saying at the end of the day it's going to take a whole army or just a whole solid group of artists, you know, I mean, whether working together or just moving, you know, I mean, and strength, they gonna get on, whatever that situation be quote unquote, get on. And then that's just going to open the floodgates. I think it's just going to open the floodgates because all we getting your measures, you're getting your da babies, you're getting your rhapsodies, you know, I mean, Cole, you know, I mean, ninth, you're getting these people who already have kicked down little chips of the door.
16:49
Madison Jay
Now it's just going to be now more kicks to the door and the whole joint is coming down. So I think that's just kind of we in a renaissance period right now because now you're getting ready to just. You. A lot of cats, they already are now, they popping up, they working and it's just creating more momentum for the state just to make sure that we really on that bar to be heard.
17:11
DJ Iron Mike
And so where do you see yourself in that whole picture? Because I know you have a very good independent hustle. So you try to do it independently or you trying to get signed.
17:19
Madison Jay
Indy at the forefront. Because my whole thing is just break it down, you know what I mean? Build the brand up and then help others, you know what I mean? And put them in positions to eat as well. That's just really how the. The whole culture is going, you know, I mean, sustain and be afloat. And like I said, I'm at the forefront, you know, I mean, and I've been at the forefront, you know, just applying pressure and putting in work. So it's just kind of a spot that I've earned at the end of the day. But I'm not going to be one of the cats who like just, you know, gonna be gluttonous about it.
17:49
Madison Jay
It's like, nah, once I get on, like my hand is going back just like a relay, you know, I mean, it's going back and I'm bringing on, you know, I mean, and I'm putting on putting people in positions to put their people, you know, I mean, in positions and so on and so forth. Like I said, that's the only way that the scene is really going to come up if it's just a continuous cycle of people putting people on.
18:09
DJ Iron Mike
So you say, you know, I agree with you that there's probably going to be most. Not even probably right. Gonna be another wave.
18:17
Madison Jay
Oh yeah.
18:17
DJ Iron Mike
That, you know, we kind of saw back when little brother was popping right. But the. I feel like, what do you think? I have my own opinions on it. But what do you think the difference would be this time rather than last time? Because you've been around here for a while, there was a lot of animosity, food felt like they got left behind, stuff like that. In a small city like this, in a big, small city like this, honestly, what do you think would be the difference?
18:43
Madison Jay
It's going to be more game. More game has been learned since when you had that. That wave popping off. And even with the. I think it was a little small wave a few years ago with some artists coming from, you know, I mean, coming from the state, coming from around the way that we're doing their thing. But it's more game. Like you got people who are more in tune with the indie side now youw got cats who are like really putting those numbers behind themselves and doing their due diligence, learning about really being their own entities, their own bosses. So I think that's what's going to be the change. Now you had as.
19:19
Madison Jay
As opposed to cats who were kind of like trying to be artists and be found now you got movements and actual businessmen now who are coming to the table and they're bringing the business ethics and they're bringing the whole brand, such as myself as well. They're bringing that whole, you know, the overall scope to it. Not just a I'm a hungry artist trying to eat. Nah, I got a business. I got, you know, I got merch, throw my own shows, you know, basically, you know, when we come into the labels now, it's more what can you do for us? Because this is the work that we put in so far. So I Think that'll probably be the difference is just more knowledge now, right?
19:59
Madison Jay
And you know, after this wave is done in the next is that's the same thing they're going to be able to say we got more knowledge than what the ones before us came. Because that's just how it's supposed to be. It's supposed to be each one teach one.
20:09
DJ Iron Mike
So, you know, thinking another big difference too is like, you know, back when like little brother and them were coming up, right? Labels, like were the end all be all for the music industry. And now it's a lot more right now.
20:21
Madison Jay
You right? Yeah.
20:23
DJ Iron Mike
69 with love him or hate him was nobody, right? And now he's like on Billboard every month, right? You know, all off of just putting stuff on sound.
20:31
Madison Jay
Yeah.
20:32
DJ Iron Mike
And like one of my biggest criticisms and this team was always kind of like how, like there's always been so much talent, right? But there's never been like knowledge. Not never, but like business sense has kind of been lacking. I noticed that's been changing a lot late.
20:48
Madison Jay
Yeah.
20:49
DJ Iron Mike
Which is good to see because you got people like, you know, beefs and bars, they have like their sessions, right? You know, not informational sessions, but, you know, education sessions. AOC does the same thing, you know, so, and you know, you, you know, you don't just rap, right? You have a clothing line, right. You know, which is crazy. So I remember when I found out about that, I was like, oh, this is dope.
21:11
Madison Jay
Like, come on now.
21:11
DJ Iron Mike
Yeah, yeah.
21:14
Madison Jay
Got on the county, right? You know, I mean, the county right now.
21:16
DJ Iron Mike
So, you know, as far as like being a businessman, like a local businessman, being a minority businessman, right? How do you feel like, how do you see yourself kind of like positioning yourself as the years go by?
21:27
Madison Jay
It's just basically you have to, especially as an independent artist, you have to put your business hat on, tap into that element. See, you know what I mean? Because it goes back to what were just talking about, you know, I mean, with labels and getting on and stuff like that, you have to put yourself in the position to be put on like. Or to put yourself on, basically. So with that being said, it's key as an artist, indie especially learning the game. So that way you're not really misinformed about the business. For me, I'm all about like doing my due diligence and reading, researching, wanting to know more about the business and more in ways of how I can keep myself self contained, you know what I mean? Whether it's learning how to do graphics.
22:15
Madison Jay
Whether it's be learning how to mix and master and record myself, it's just, you know, so that way you can help others as well and spread that knowledge on. So as a businessman, it's just something that is funny because it wasn't embedded in me. It's just something that had to acquire to do because it was a position to either sink or swim. Either you learn the game and thrive, or either you become a victim of the game. And I just know for myself, you know, I can't be a victim. So it's just for me, being a businessman is very key. And that's just something that every day, even outside of my artistry, that I'm always striving to perfect sub.
22:52
DJ Iron Mike
And like, one of the things that worries me about hip hop culture is right back, that is becoming. It's become pop culture. Yeah, definitely, you know, it's the most listened to genre, right. Of all the genres. Surpassed rock at this point. And one of my fears is that is that it would get whitewashed and not on some like, you know, racist.
23:15
Madison Jay
Right, right.
23:16
DJ Iron Mike
But whitewash in the sense that now it's like because, you know, we're in a place now where it's so independent, you do your thing independently, where our people are kind of like behind the curve.
23:27
Madison Jay
Right.
23:28
DJ Iron Mike
As far as like knowing how to set up your llc, do your publishing and all that kind of stuff. What do you, what do you think needs to happen to, you know, keep hip hop with the people as opposed to becoming, you know, something for someone else?
23:43
Madison Jay
It's funny, that's a funny conversation because I'm actually like one side, I'm like, yo, I think it's a blessing to have the culture, you know, I mean, at the, at the forefront of, you know, culture pop culture. Because it's kind of like you work to do something and it gets its, you know, it shine, it gets its time, you know what I mean? To really thrive and do what it does after being kind of in the dirt and hidden away and you know, kind of like, all right, now that, you know, hip hop is kind of at a forefront. Well, not at kind of, it is at the forefront.
24:20
Madison Jay
It's like, all right, so I think more or less the question should be how do we keep hip hop pure now that the fact or quote unquote, pure now that it's at the forefront of pop culture? And this is basically, I think the gatekeepers, you know, I Mean, the, the. The. You don't have, you know, people just running throughout your house. You kind of got like, regulations of who comes in and out your house. And I think it's the same thing that needs to be, you know, to the culture just because you have to maintain certain standards, certain codes or ethics.
24:51
DJ Iron Mike
I agree with that. But then on the other hand, like, you know, you have like this whole, you know, separation of like the young cats, right, who are so like this. But, you know, like one of the things, you know, you see in hip hop you don't see in any other genres, like young cats disrespecting the old cats and stuff. And it's like I get where both sides coming from, right. I mean, because I'm like in that weird Realm, right. I'm 30, so I'm not quite old, but I'm not quite young.
25:16
Madison Jay
Right, right.
25:17
DJ Iron Mike
So I see where both of them are coming from. But it's like hip hop does need to change to stay relevant, Right. You know, gotta evolve. Yeah, but at the same time, you got some people in the game right now that are getting so much attention. It's like, why, like, you're, you know, you're causing problems. So how do you feel about coming up with a balance?
25:38
Madison Jay
It's always going to be a generational gap, no matter what. I think even from. I think that's just kind of throughout history has shown us that, you know, the young versus the old has always been like the narrative.
25:51
DJ Iron Mike
Yeah.
25:52
Madison Jay
What it is, though, is the bridging of the gap. It's the bridging of the gap that brings those things together and how they basically go from one to the other. Once that bridge has been, you know, burnt or been kind of, you know, scattered or whatever, then that's where you get those real problems from. Because again, at the end of the day, you're always going to have some type of conflict between the old and the new. That's just natural because. Because it's just kind of like, hey, the young wants the spot of the old doesn't want to give up the spot to the young. You know what I mean? So at the end of the day, it's just all about coming to a meeting, coming to a median, you know, I mean, a middle point of where common ground can be.
26:38
Madison Jay
You know, me found that. And then you have those instances. Yeah, you got your, you know, I mean, you got your clowns out there from the younger generation who show no respect. But then you also have young Cats who have been, you know, I mean, they got home training when it comes to this thing, when it comes to this game, and they know I'm giving respect to the OGs. I'm giving respect to, you know, the big homies that came before me a, you know, respectfully, without, you know, stepping on toes or anything like that. But it's just all about just having that conversation, man. Everything, I think, just kind of just boils to having a conversation. So that way you can be like, this is why I feel this way. What can we do to get past it? The other.
27:16
Madison Jay
Other side can say, hey, this is how I feel. This is how we can get past it. And then after that, you. You come to that balance. Yeah, but it's just all about a. The both sides have to be willing to seek that balance because at the end of the day, you can't have one without the other. You can't have the young without the old, and you can't have the old without the young.
27:34
DJ Iron Mike
Exactly.
27:34
Madison Jay
Without the new. So it's just. It's just key. At the end of the day, it's just all about that balance, man.
27:42
DJ Iron Mike
I agree. And then also, like, part big, the major part of it is like, good music is going to be good music.
27:47
Madison Jay
Right at the end of the day,
27:48
DJ Iron Mike
You know, regardless, you know, like, you know, back like in two, in the 2000s, everyone was wiling out because, like, music in the 2000s got pretty ridiculous, right, too. But the stuff that was hot in the 2000s, right, still is hot now. It's good music at the end of the day. Same thing with the 90s, right? Was going to be what's being made now. So, you know, being. Making good music and, you know, being about your craft.
28:11
Madison Jay
Right.
28:11
DJ Iron Mike
Is what it's all about.
28:12
Madison Jay
Just like now. It's funny, I was reading, I was on Hip Hop DX and they were talking about Mers had a joint. But basically, long story short, he was just saying about. About classics body works, about how, you know, comparing classics from now until then and. And just the. The point that you were just talking about. Yo, at the end of the day, it's some. It's some crazy quality music that's come out of this realm, this generations. And again, it's just, you know, acknowledging that, like, at the end of the day, yeah, the 90s are my favorite era, but that's not the end all. Be all of music. You know, I mean, you still had the joints coming out in the 80s. You still had that 2000. You still have the new 2010. And here we are getting ready to go to 2020.
28:57
Madison Jay
Yeah, the quality still exists. It didn't go anywhere. It didn't just disappear just because it went into one era from another. It's like, nah, it just went. Went into another form, another variation. So you got artists who are really like. Like, they're cooking out here. They're putting out, like, stuff I feel like could even trump stuff from back in, you know, in the forgotten years and stuff like that, man. So it's a beautiful thing to see, especially when something quality comes out, you know what I mean? And I gotta do a plug Return of the Gap, you know what I mean? Return of the Gap, man, the debut album, I promise you, it's on Bandcamp, it's on itunes, it's on Tidal, it's on Spotify, all streaming platforms.
29:32
DJ Iron Mike
But.
29:33
Madison Jay
But that is literally. And I. And I put this on my. On my life. That is a quality body of work, from track one all the way down to track 16. It is a quality body of work. No track was just, hey, this is a filler track. No, each track means something. And I'm literally giving you my life story. So when. When. When you check out bodies of work like that, and people are putting their soul and their essences into this stuff, man, you can't tell me that, like, that the culture is, like, lost or is gone or people aren't upholding, you know, I mean, the standard, because they are.
30:04
DJ Iron Mike
So I was. Yeah, I was going to ask, like, you know, I think every artist wants to make timeless work, if you will. You know what? I'll take that back. I think there are definitely some people out there.
30:16
Madison Jay
Some of them don't.
30:17
DJ Iron Mike
Okay. That's the difference between an artist, though.
30:19
Madison Jay
Yeah, that is.
30:20
DJ Iron Mike
And just, you know, just somebody who's out here. Someone who's out just doing whatever. Exactly.
30:24
Madison Jay
Taking all the Rat Man's air, man. You breathing all the Rat Man's air, man. That trash out of here for real, man.
30:31
DJ Iron Mike
So, I mean, so wait, what.
30:32
Madison Jay
What.
30:33
DJ Iron Mike
What steps do you take to make sure that you're making something timeless when.
30:38
Madison Jay
You're getting 100 of me into it? I'm not going off of what. What's on what's on the gram. I'm not going off of what's popping on this blog. I'm not going off of what's in this magazine. I'm not going off of what this art. I'm going off of what 100 Madison J.
30:55
DJ Iron Mike
It.
30:56
Madison Jay
You know what he wants to do. Because at the end of the day, that speaks. And it also, it doesn't keep anything timely or dated, you know, I mean, it's just come a is raw. This is something that's gonna be able to stand the test of time. So when I go in and I cook, I make sure my ingredients are literally not from anybody else's kitchen. They come from my kitchen. We don't need any of that. None of that.
31:19
DJ Iron Mike
We don't need no antibiotics.
31:21
Madison Jay
No, none of it. None of it. You know what I mean? So I think that's just really, you artists have to go give themselves their all into these projects because at the end of the day, this is your. And I mean, this is all you got. This is all you got. And you speak through the music, you know, I mean, unless you just write, you know, I mean, you're writing books and stuff like that. And. But this is basically, this is your. This is you giving yourself to the people. So if you're not really giving your all, I, you know, you're going to be able to tell because the music is just going to fall flat. But then you got bodies of work that again, that just stand the test of time.
31:56
Madison Jay
Like return of the gap, you know, I mean, that, that stand that test of time. You can listen to them 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years from now and be like, yo, this sound like this came out today.
32:07
DJ Iron Mike
Exactly. And you know, and also just. It doesn't happen overnight.
32:10
Madison Jay
It doesn't, you know, nothing. You know, not too many things happen overnight. I mean, not too many things happen overnight. Especially greatness. Greatness does not overnight. It is, you know, it's a. It takes time.
32:24
DJ Iron Mike
But it's a beautiful thing when it does happen because it does seem to happen. A great example for that. I've been trying to perfect this certain scratch, right, for years. Like, I've just never. I don't know either. Just I was in my own head, right? Do it. And I was up. I was up at night. It was like 4 o' clock in the morning. And I just was like, you know what? Screw. I wasn't even on my decks or anything. I was just like watching Netflix or something. I was like, you know, let me get up and I'm being lazy right now. Let me, Let me practice.
32:51
Madison Jay
Get up.
32:52
DJ Iron Mike
And then just, boom, did it, you know, and that's something. I've been DJing for a hot minute. Like, I got it and then like, did it again, did it again. Got comfortable, did it at shows now, you know what I mean, right? When that happens, like, it's a beautiful thing, you know. So, I mean, I think a lot of people that are starting out, you know, you can attest to this. You know, you've. You're.
33:12
Madison Jay
You're a vetted, right?
33:13
DJ Iron Mike
You know, you're not going to be. You're not going to make a timeless work of art your first go. You're not going to get a bunch of beats from your homie and not,
33:23
Madison Jay
Not your first, like, literally not your first go in terms, like, all right, I just started rapping last week and I'm ready to start getting beast for the mixtape. Nah, it's not. It's not going to be like. It's going to take time, you know, I mean, it's going to take time. Even with. I mean, he came out the, you know, the Goat, Nas, he came out. He came out swinging, but is because he had time to, you know, I mean, curate and get that right? Working with large Pro Mc search, you know, I mean, working with the OGs before him, and then he was able to come with Illmatic and knock it out the park. But it won't. Like, the first time he recorded it was Illmatic. Oh, no, that. That. That is sadly mistake, you know, and.
34:02
DJ Iron Mike
That's, you know, like the story of how, you know, how New York State of Mind was recorded.
34:06
Madison Jay
I believe that story.
34:07
DJ Iron Mike
I believe, I believe it. But I also believe that there were like a ton of hours put in front of a mirror at home.
34:13
Madison Jay
Oh, of course. I don't think. I definitely know. I. I can't say that, you know, he is the Goat, but I can't say that he freestyled, but it was more like, okay, I'm a freestyle. Which verse? I got 10 verses. Yeah, this one. Let me get it, mind you. And I don't know how I'm gonna really start it because I don't know. So. But, but, yeah, but yeah, it's all good, man.
34:36
DJ Iron Mike
And like, it's all beautiful. Like, the way, you know, I see the way you move, you know, it's very inspirational, I think, at least to me.
34:43
Madison Jay
Right.
34:44
DJ Iron Mike
And I would assume everyone else is trying to do the same thing, you know, getting out there, getting away from this market and doing your own thing. Spreading your. Spreading your.
34:52
Madison Jay
That's what it. That's what about. That's what it boils down to at the end of the day. I'm not even gonna lie to you, man, because I don't got a lot of ego at the end of the day, I'm inspired by a lot of people as well, you know, I mean, I strive by each one, teach one. It's all about that. Like, at the end of the day, I want my energy to inspire somebody else to go and be great because I'm out here trying to be great. So if I can inspire someone to go A and B great as well, why. Why would I not want that? So at the end of the day, that's just what I'm really all about, is, like, I'm a go and be great.
35:23
Madison Jay
You know, I mean, I'm out here trying to strive and prosper, and that's what I'm gonna do. But if what I'm. The example that I'm doing, if I'm setting is going to inspire the next man, why would I not want that? You feel me?
35:34
DJ Iron Mike
Absolutely. So we're actually, believe it or not, almost out of time.
35:37
Madison Jay
Come on now.
35:38
DJ Iron Mike
I mean, you know, time flies.
35:39
Madison Jay
It do, but.
35:41
DJ Iron Mike
So just let the people know, like, what do you. What do you got going on into the new year? And listen, all that.
35:46
Madison Jay
Basically, I'm already in a 2019 state of mind.
35:49
DJ Iron Mike
Good.
35:50
Madison Jay
Like I said, Smash and J. Tap into me on the social media. I'm at the T H E M A D I S O N J A Y On all platforms you already know. Line them up. That is the single. You can stream that on all your, you know, I mean, your digital platforms. My day to Come, which for those who are consistent listeners of WKNC up here at 88.1, you know, that gets a lot of burn, a lot of love. So y' all just keep, you know, I mean, keep requesting it, keep listening to it, keep streaming it. Return of the Gap, the debut album, is online right now. For those who saw me at the state fair, just smash that killed that. We getting ready to hit the road now, so definitely reach out to me on the social.
36:31
DJ Iron Mike
Where you going on the road?
36:33
Madison Jay
Well, probably getting ready to really. Probably touch. Like I said, probably, you know, be going out. Going in. Going out west. Not west soon. That'll be in the works. Be touching Georgia again. South Carolina, Actually getting ready to plan to go to New York very soon. So.
36:51
DJ Iron Mike
Aren't you doing sobs? Not something like.
36:53
Madison Jay
It's coming.
36:54
DJ Iron Mike
Okay.
36:54
Madison Jay
Yeah, it's coming. That. That. That's definitely gonna be. That's. We speaking that to existence at the end of the day. Okay.
37:00
DJ Iron Mike
Okay. I don't know who I heard. Maybe someone else is going to sovs.
37:04
Madison Jay
Maybe your brain is saying your brain knows something.
37:07
DJ Iron Mike
Putting out Those vibes to the promoters,
37:09
Madison Jay
And that's what it's all about. That's what it's all about. But. But, yeah, man, y'. All. Y' all tap in and tune in with me, man. Like I said, at the end of the day, just out here working. Also got the roll on featuring Zips. That's the same one that's been buzzing right now. Real heavy. That's a whole nother energy right there. Y' all check that out as well. Then in the day, man, it's County. I'm working. You already know who it is. It's Wake County's finest, King of the state. Already know. Tap in and tune in with me,
37:39
DJ Iron Mike
Man, and let them know where they can find you on social media.
37:41
Madison Jay
Like I said, you can hit me up on all the social media platforms at this the T H E Madison M A D I S O N J A Y I'm all on the gram. I'm all on Twitter. Subscribe to the YouTube channel. I got videos galore. Literally. You can have a whole.
37:57
DJ Iron Mike
Really do.
37:57
Madison Jay
Yeah, you can get a whole YouTube and chill and watch, you know, I mean, the whole channel, literally, for the whole day. Yeah, man, you already know, man. Like I said, line them up. My day to come. That's. That's what we on right now. Coming soon, too. All right.
38:11
DJ Iron Mike
That's what's up, man. That's what I'm gonna leave y' all with. We're gonna play My Day to Come coming out of here. But, Madison Jay, thank you for coming up, bro.
38:17
Madison Jay
Hey, man, I appreciate you for having me, bro. You already know, bro.
38:19
DJ Iron Mike
Absolutely. You gotta do it again sometime. And if you like what you heard, you can always tune in again next week on WKNC 88.1 FM. You can also check us out on Twitter and Instagram @wknc881. I'm DJ Iron Mike. You can get me on Instagram. I'm mostly on it. I don't really mess with Twitter and stuff, man. But you can get me at real Iron Mike at, you know, on. On Instagram and all that. And again, thank you for listening, whether it's over the radio waves or the NC State student media app. And we will see y' all next week. Here's my day to come by. Madison Jay. I love y'all. Raleigh, Peace.