Interview: LA Based Rap Artist Jayy Starr Talks About Her New Single "Whatever, Forever" And Fresh Empire Campaign
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Jayy Starr aka Demi-Goddess is a Los Angeles based emcee, singer, and songwriter whose identity as an artist is personified in this quote -- “I pour my heart into every track I make. I’m a perfectionist. I can finish a full song, go back and listen to it, not feel it, and start all over. Every song I make is a part of my legacy. Whether it be a club joint or something conscious, it has to mean something at the end of the day”. The Demi-Goddess just released her latest single "Whatever, Forever" and is the face of the FDA's new anti-tobacco campaign, Fresh Empire, so we connected with her to find out how the track came together, why she feels it's important to promote a tobacco free lifestyle and much more.
After reading our exclusive interview with the Demi-Goddess, be sure to follow her on her social media streams and head over to Fresh Empire to check out her personal story.
Congrats on the release of your new single "Whatever, Forever"; it's very (wait for it...) DOPE. How did the song come about and can we expect a visual soon?
Ha! Thank you, thank you. I've actually always had the idea in my head I just needed the right production, which my boy SciFi surely provided. I like experimenting with different types of songs lyrically. I'm learning I don't always have to be so hard to show how, wait for it...DOPE, I am (laughs). You can definitely expect a visual soon. I want to put something visually provoking together. So I'm going to take a little time to evaluate direction, but you guys will be in for a treat.
Will "Whatever, Forever" be a part of an upcoming mixtape, EP, or album? If so, do you have a tentative release date and a title?
I'm putting together an EP. My last project was over 2 years ago, so I definitely feel like I HAVE to make a statement with this next drop. Mandatory! The project will be called "Have A Nice F***** Day". As far as dates go, I'm aiming for winter. I want it to be perfect so I'm being very picky with beat selection and s***.
Tells us about your nickname "Demi-Goddess". How did that name originate and what does it mean?
I was at a point in my life where I was so far in my zone I felt like I wasn't fully of this earth. Unstoppable, if you will. Demigods are a divine being...half human, half god. Faster, smarter, stronger than the average person. People that give it their all every damn time. Overachievers. Being a demigod is the only thing that truly explained who I saw myself as. It separates me from the herd and makes me sound all mysterious and whatnot (laughs).
Tell us about how you connected with Fresh Empire to become a spokesperson for their anti-tobacco campaign? Why is it important for you to participate in this nationwide campaign?
Well, they actually came across one of my freestyle videos that was posted on HipHopDX (shouts out to Justin!) and reached out via Twitter. I thought it was fake (laughs), but a part of me wanted to go against everything my mom taught me about talking to strangers and follow through with at least meeting and I'm glad I did (laughs).
It's important for me to be a part of something like this because, on a personal end, I lost my grandfather to lung cancer. Which is the story I depict in my spokenword. Some people think it's a script but I really lived that s***. We needed more people of color representing us on television. I could never relate to the old white lady with the hole in her throat growing up. That actually scared me so much as a kid I didn't pay attention to the message (laughs). Fresh Empire truly connects with the youth.
How would you say that you as an artist stand out from other femcees who are staking their claim in the rap game right now?
With exception to a few that I'm fans of, many of them sound like each other and nothing like me. Which in my case, is a good thing. I really love my craft so much that I have to be a part of everything. From the creation of the beat and me annoying producers about adding certain melodies and breakdowns (that turn out dope I might add), to me in the engineers ear about the mix, to the marketing. I have a hand in it all because I want it to be a catered experience for the people that enjoy my work. I don't care about trends. I do what I know will evoke some sort of emotion out of the listener without gimmicks. I also understand the business of it and know that music is just one end. I'm the only female rapper of this generation from the west coast to be the face of a major commercial campaign with no deal, no management and no major investors. I always do the unconventional things. It stands out.
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