MusicWeek Staff: Who are your biggest musical influences?
Justin: Hip-hop related: Big Sean, Drake, J. Cole, Chance the Rapper, Childish Gambino, Russ Other: Bob Marley, Disturbed, Metalica, Linkin Park
Matthew: I feel like I draw inspiration from a different artist every week. This past week I was really moved by Hulvey, specifically the song Altar. His ability to make Christian music that hits in the mainstream is admirable, I’m thankful he’s doing his thing.
MusicWeek Staff: When/How did you become interested in music?
Justin: We’ve been messing around with “freestyle” rapping since our high school and early college years back as far as 2011. One day, in 2017 I had a moment of foresight and realization. I didn’t want to live to be 60 and look back at these years (my early 20’s) and think “What if?”. We enjoyed it enough and we’re getting skilled enough over the years of “messing around” that it was an inkling of a viable thought, but then blossomed into this beautiful dream.
Matthew: I grew up taking guitar lessons & writing remixes to Lincoln Park songs from ages 5-10, but truthfully I didn’t enjoy making music through that medium. When I was 16 I went to a studio and recorded a written over the “House MD” theme song & my friends went wild for that, they would come over and demand I sync their iPods to my computer so they could run the track. Still on the back burner, I didn’t make another song til I was 23 and by that point Justin & I had enough confidence to go all in on it.
MusicWeek Staff: How does this song "title of the song" differ with your previous song?
Justin: The beat and vibe of the song just transport you to a club type scene with heavy bass. It’s one of our only songs that I feel can be played at any club in the country and be unanimously liked.
Matthew: Room is crazy bc of the slap factor. It’s the first song we made where I felt like if they played it in the club, people would lose their minds. I definitely lost my mind in the studio the first time I heard the final. Personally it represents an evolution of sound & quality. We’ve been pushing to take our sound to a place where we can be ourselves & still stand in the mainstream. Room is a massive W to that vision.
MusicWeek Staff: What skills/personal attributes are most important to being successful?
Justin: Discipline, Faith, and Patience. But ultimately, success is just the progressive realization of a worthy ideal, which is subject to the individual. So as long as anyone is striving towards something they deem worth-while, they’re successful.
Matthew: Redefining success has been a major key for me lately. It’s hard for me to claim I have any advice to give on success because I don’t have the grammy plaque, massive house, or a classic car. Regardless I have to remind myself, “wherever you are, you’re influential to somebody.” Success to me lives in how I serve those people & in how I serve God.
MusicWeek Staff: How important do you think video is to your music?
Justin: I thinks it’s very important for all music, and for us especially.
Matthew: I think the right video can really help bring a song to life, further express the art. I aspire to make songs that can stand on their own, there’s just those moments in the studio where someone says “this one needs a video” & you know it’s true.
MusicWeek Staff: What did you hope to achieve with your music video?
Justin: Get people to see our faces and brand logo, while providing an entertaining visual to accompany our Music.
Matthew: Our recent run of videos have been about reaching out to our fanbase. We aimed to get clips on social media with the new music, branded around the “Death to Self” motif, for all the people that want to support & represent us. I’m crazy thankful for the love we get and I feel like I owe it to our fanbase to always push out the best art I can.
MusicWeek Staff: How would you describe your new video to any potential new fan?
Justin: We have some basic video visuals of Matthew and myself in front of a white screen to accompany the three new songs off our new EP: Death To Self, but we also have a “New Era” music Video we recently released earlier this year that is more of a New Year’s Eve party type theme
Matthew: The videos for Death to Self are all very light and mostly meant to be shareable on social media. Victorious is the last song we did a fully produced and directed video, which you can find on YouTube.
MusicWeek Staff: What set your music apart? What is unique, or at least uncommon?
Justin: Our voices and sound are unique. Everyone has their own voice, but as an artist, it takes time to truly develop that voice into its full potential. Every artist has influences/inspirations, and the development of our artistry over time has allowed us to use our influences to generate a “new” sound that is our own. We are also a hip-hop duo that has been friends for over 20 years, so that’s also a somewhat unique origin story.
Matthew: The majority of the music we write has a positive message and an upbeat truth. I feel like I’m genuine with my life experience & my art is an expression of that experience. I write about the most real thoughts & feelings that I’ve encountered here on Earth. No one else can speak from my expression so I focus on authenticity.
MusicWeek Staff: Has your music career journey had a deliberately direction or did it simply gradually evolve in whatever direction it found?
Justin: It’s more of a gradual thing as far as I can tell. Truly pursuing music as a career wasn’t the original intention with my (or Matthew’s) Life Story, but we both feel called by something greater than ourselves to take on this adventure.
Matthew: I’ve always had an aim for where I’d like things to go. However, I’ve learned that letting go of expectation helps me to enjoy the truer nature of my situation. God finds me 1/2 to my desired outcome & takes me to a greener pasture. I’m lucky to enjoy that relationship with my Creator.
MusicWeek Staff: Where can potential fans find out more about you?
Justin: We are on all social media platforms, just search MJ38. (Matthew/Justin). We also operate a Podcast “The MJ38 Show” on our non-music YouTube channel MJ38 Productions
Matthew: Check out the podcast, we have the audio available on all platforms & the video available on YouTube. I think putting context to who Justin & I are as people brings a lot more depth to the music. We talk about a lot of similar ideas presented in the music over long-form conversation. If you’re a fan of the music I think you’ll love the podcast. Search for “MJ38 Show” on YouTube.
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