Here at Broken 8, we recently had the pleasure of catching up with OfficialJWalker, a compelling rap and hip-hop artist hailing from Hudson, North Carolina. Known for his raw, universal sound inspired by legends like Tupac and DMX, OfficialJWalker has already made significant waves, featuring on tracks with major names such as Bobby Shmurda and RITTZ.
With the recent release of his deeply personal track ‘Conscious’ and the hard-hitting new single ‘The Work’ featuring Virginia's 2Reckless, OfficialJWalker is clearly on an upward trajectory, with new music videos and upcoming shows on the horizon.
In our recent interview, we dove into OfficialJWalker's musical origins, tracing his journey back to an unexpected childhood inspiration that ignited his passion. We also unpacked the emotional depth behind his latest release, "Conscious," exploring the difficult personal experiences that shaped its creation.
Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us today. When did you first start making music? Where did it all begin, and what inspired you?
“This dates back all the way in 1999. I was six years old with a game called ‘WWF Attitude’. I kid you not, it had entrance songs that were custom. It was just something about those beats that caught my attention as a child for some reason. I already knew how to take a tape, place it in the radio and record. That's what I did.”
“I had a two-sided cassette tape that had multiple songs from a six-year-old me. An old friend of mine had that tape and I don't know if he still has it, but that was the oldest music i ever recorded. From that to being taken to a karaoke bar as a kid with my parents, music played such a heavy roll into my life. I was actually around Rock music heavy before hearing Rap, R&B, 70s, 80s and so on whenever my mother played that around me.”
The release of ‘The Work’ and ‘Conscious’ have become recent milestones for you. Can you tell us a bit about ‘Conscious’ and what it means to you?
“My latest release, ‘Conscious,’ was actually made back in 2020. I have a tendency in recording songs and holding on to them until I feel like the time is right. ‘Conscious’ was a very different song for me. It had a singing melody, along with pain that I was truly feeling because I was at a point in my life to where I was cutting off people and things that was no good to me. It hurt me to say bye to a couple close friends during that time, but in order to move forward and better myself, it was a decision I had to make.”
“The song came into play during that time because I was on the brink of splitting from a lifestyle I was trapped in for so many years. Departing felt different. I didn't know how to respond to things I was no longer becoming part of. I felt pain, depression and a sense of lost hope. I created ‘Conscious’ to fulfill that and to know I could move on, even though it was still in the back of my conscious.”
You touched on splitting from an old lifestyle. How did that influence the single, and were there any artists that helped inspire the sound?
“I wouldn't say artists, but moments of a broken friendship with some, a toxic relationship I was getting out of and recovering from along with a drug usage created that influence to make this song. Everything was so built up and I needed something different to escape with. I was having one of those long nights during the Covid times and released my energy on this song in a soft way, but yet felt through words of emotions.”
OfficialJWalker's journey is a testament to the transformative power of music, showing how personal pain can be channelled into something truly impactful and relatable. His dedication to crafting honest and meaningful tracks, combined with his ambitious plans for the future, solidifies his position as an artist to watch.
For more from OfficialJWalker, be sure to find him today on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
