Alright think of all the white rappers you can…starting now: (I’ll wait…)

Eminem…Everlast…Bubba Sparxxx…Vanilla Ice…

…and that should be it right?!? Wrong!!! There is definitly one more you should add to that list and his name is Jay Eff Kay, a New York City based rapper, whose song topics should be something that every American should hold close to their hearts. And that topic is America. His album and called America: Suicide Notes Vo.1, and before I review his album lets learn a little about the man behind the music…

FortyOneAcres: where did your sense of patriotism come from?
Jay Eff Kay: I don’t like the word “patriotic” because I feel like it implies some kind of blind attachment to something. For the time being, I love America more than almost anyone I know — it’s the best place in the world and every where else sucks. But, it’s like a woman. I love you now and we have some history together and that counts. But, if you start getting all mean and get nasty cottage cheese thighs, I will leave you for a 19 year old Ukranian stripper. America is quickly losing what’s so great about it and I think a lot of people my age are virtually giving up on it. You know, I am named — my government name, I mean — after someone who died fighting in Vietnam, and I think about him a lot, and I want to protect his legacy, and work to protect what he might have died for. But, I am certain he didn’t die so that a handful of billionaires, Christians, and fat welfare slobs could fuck the rest of us normal folks over. And that’s the way things are going.

FOA: what are your musical influences?
Jay Eff Kay: I listened to a lot of punk and metal music as a kid; I think that comes through a bit in my lyrical content. In terms of rappers, there are a handful of titans that I listen to obsessively: Jay, Em, Ice Cube, Biggie. Ice Cube especially is someone who I grew up rapping along to and I really try to emulate as a songwriter and social analyst. But, I think the other guys are bigger influences on my lyricism and flow.

FOA: if you had to listen one artists musical catalogue…who would it be?
Jay Eff Kay:Uh, that Chinese rapper, Jim or whatever his name is. No wait, Blood of Abraham.

FOA: how did you enjoy your experience on vh1’s the white rapper show?
Jay Eff Kay:I just auditioned for it and they showed my clip. The main thing I remember is that Serch and Prince Paul were kind of bitchy during the auditions. They seemed like guys who know they are past their prime and have a grudge against younger guys because of it. Serch is one of those guys who is constantly reminding you that he knows what real hip hop culture is and you don’t. Whatever dude, you look my dad. It’s probably better I wasn’t on the show. I would probably would have gotten insanely drunk and banged that monster Persia on live television or something.

FOA: your album, America: Suicide Notes, Vol.1 has some pretty bold statements about the current state of hip-hop. Care to elaborate…
Jay Eff Kay: Around when I was just starting to get pubes, rap was pretty much the most dangerous thing…ever. Rappers were saying all the things you weren’t supposed to say. “Cop Killer.” “Black Korea.” There’s a line in there that goes “So pay respect to the black fist/or we’ll burn your store right down to a crisp.” This is one of the biggest selling rappers, keep in mind. You think that would happen nowadays? Today, rap is all PC and white-washed and safe. I admit, hip hop has gotten way raunchier — which I think is great — but it’s lost almost all its social and political angst. Even rappers like Common or Talib who package themselves as socially-minded rappers just repeat these tired, inoccuous refrains about “the people” or “the struggle” — safely edited to make sure that the Gap won’t pluck them from their new ad campaign. Meanwhile, the country is a bigger shithole than it’s ever been, and no one’s talking about it. I talk about this in my song “I’m All Over It.”

FOA: so did you grow up in the suburbanian atmosphere you talk about in
your lyrics
Jay Eff Kay:I spent the majority of my life in a town in Mass that was somewhere between suburban and rural. On one hand, it was boring as fuck, but on the other hand, there was some deeply fucked up stuff going down. Basketball coaches ODing on speedballs, a priest who molested kids, a semi-retarded Vietnam vet who drank antifreeze from someone’s car and got fully retarded; we pretty much had it all. America in general is just a fucked up place, there’s no geographic exceptions to that.

FOA: So I noticed that you were talking about previous jobs, what was your previous job…and why’d you leave? Or was that song about you livin your job true to life?
Jay Eff Kay: That song is entirely true; I used to work at a big law firm down on Wall St. I was frustrated just feeling like a nobody and burning myself out just to make rich guys richer. So, I just said fuck it. Got my money saved up and bounced.

FOA: what is the influence for your name and the title of the cd?
Jay Eff Kay:I used to go by “John Eff Kennedy” and shortened it to “Jay Eff Kay.” I wanted a name that was pop cultural but also political, and he was the pop culture president, basically. The title of the CD…a lot of the CD is an essay on how America is going down the shitter, so I thought “Suicide Notes” was a funny way to put it…like America had hung itself in the garage and this was the note it left its kids.

FOA: if you could colabo with one artist who would it be…and why…
Jay Eff Kay:If I have to choose only one, I would have to be strategic here and pick some legend who’s about to croak. There’s so many famous people I wanna work with before they die. I already feel bad enough I didn’t make it big while ODB was still alive, because we belong on a track together. How about Magic Johnson? I should have him lay down a hype track because he can’t stave the HIVer off for more than another couple years. Muhammed Ali, too, he looks like he could go any day. I’ll put them both on a chorus. Shit’d be hot.

FOA: any upcoming projects?
Jay Eff Kay:Just the next disc in this series. I also put out a “Year in Review” each December.

FOA: final words or thoughts?
Jay Eff Kay:I’m always getting better at this rap shit, man. I study it and grind at this like nobody else and gain steam every day. Other people say “don’t sleep on me.” Well, I’m saying go ahead and sleep on me now and get all caught up because you’re going to need to be wide awake for this shit later.

That was Jay Eff Kay: The Interview, but make sure you check back to FortyOneAcres to read Jay Eff Kay: The Album Review. Shit’s hot…