J Noa earned his first Latin Grammy nomination at age 18.
Photo: Edgar Núñez.
How did your taste for rapping and composing begin?
The truth is, I did it because I knew how to do it, it wasn’t because I had it as a career that I could say I was going to dedicate myself to. It was more like when you know how to do something and you just do it. In the end, over time, I ended up liking it and falling in love with it, because I was born with that around me. What I needed was to develop it.
At what moment did you realize that you would dedicate yourself to music professionally?
I started posting videos on social media that went viral. The public was interested in what I was doing, and I said: “Well, this is going well, let’s continue doing it.” When I got to the point of realizing that people from other countries were watching me, I decided to dedicate myself full time to this and organize a work team.
They have considered her “The daughter of rap” in the Dominican Republic. Tell me about the mom and dad of rap…
“The dad of rap”, there in Santo Domingo, his name is Lápiz Conciente, he is one of the most respected rappers. He is a guy who has had a great career for quite some time, and everyone there respects him. “The mother of rap” is Melymel, a girl who started very early. At around 14 years old she was already doing shows. Everyone has to talk about her when they talk about rap, because she is a girl who is also a composer. For example, she has composed Anitta.
What is it about Autodidactthe song with which she was nominated for the Latin Grammy?
It’s a song that talks about me, what I represent and what I don’t like. People talk about the artist, and the song is an outlet, but not personal, but more artistic, more rap, and going for the musical side. It is one of my favorite songs to sing live, because in the double tempo part people go crazy, and with the band you also feel a very hard feeling.
How does it feel to have achieved a Latin Grammy nomination at the age of 18?
It was very cool, because being so little I didn’t imagine seeing myself there on a red carpet at the Latin Grammy. It was a dream for me. Although the awards are not something main, for me, as an artist, it is a gift that they are giving me. It’s not like I work for awards, but every artist feels good when someone recognizes their talent and when they tell you that you are doing well.
What do you recommend to women who want to enter the music industry and more specifically rap?
Let them look for their own style first of all, because it is very tedious when you get into music by doing what they tell you and not by what you like. If later you make that change from what you are doing to what you really like, it is a little tedious, you have to change the marketing and everything. First, one has to know what she likes, what she feels comfortable with. After that, trust your talent and be perseverant, perseverance is essential. One has to be like that because things don’t happen overnight.
Do you feel like you’ve done something out of your style?
I rely a lot on the idea that art cannot be pressured. It has to be free. I always write what I understand, what I like and what I feel comfortable with. All the music I have made is not what they tell me I should make, they are songs in which, almost always, I present the lyrics, although they collaborate with me with the rhythm, but literally I am the one who organizes the lyrics.
What was your inspiration for the debut album? Kill each other for the crown? What do you explore on this album?
I worked on the album with several producers: Trooko, Faster and RIKE Music. It is very colorful, has different themes and talks about things like mental health, heartbreak and hip hop. I am very excited, I hope that people receive it and that they give it love and warmth, because, the truth is, we have worked a lot on this. I’ve been with the label for two years and I hadn’t released my first album, but the time has come.
At the Capitalia Festival in Santo Domingo he did the opening act for artists such as Juanes, Juan Luis Guerra, Residente and Sting. How was that experience?
I was very excited. Juan Luis Guerra is one of my favorite artists and sharing the stage with a person that everyone respects, and of that caliber, was incredible. Also being part of the act for Sting, who is a guy with a very long career; Juanes, who God knows how long he has been making music, and Residente, who I always have to mention in my interviews, because he is one of the role model artists for us as rappers.
