Cee Jay is, up until now, EDE's quick-tongued, fire-spitting secret weapon. Now, that secret is being let out. Come May, his debut release, "Rejuvenated" will hit the market. Until then, you can catch him on stage supporting Rah Scrilla at The Camel and Strange Matter, among other places, and you can learn more about the man behind the mic below.
NT: How’d you come up with your stage name? Was it something someone referred to you, and have you gone by any other names before that one?
CJ: It was a nickname given to me in elementary school. C.J. is my initials so that’s how that came about. During my young & dumb years, I've used the names GQ Money and C-Dub.
NT: How long have you been rapping? Why did you start? And who would you say is the biggest influence you have when it comes to your flow, and your choice of beats?
CJ: I started experimenting with the rap thing when I was 12. But I've been recording tracks since 2003. Malc and I went thru the whole summer of 2003 recording at my cuzzo's crib. It was a good experience, I learned how to work Cool Edit and I learned how the song process should be done.
My flow is influenced by every emcee I ever heard that was versatile. 2Pac, Biggie, Busta Rhymes, Big Daddy Kane, too many to list, ya dig. I gotta admit, I’m a big fan of beats with the right sample. Something that I can feel in my heart. But I love original beats with no samples, too. Some of my favorites include Arab muzik, Kanye, Premo, Blaze, Dilla, anybody that got that fire!
NT: What are your thoughts on the current state of the game?
CJ: It has its bright sides, and it has its "why are you here" sides! [laughs]
NT: In 5 years… where do you see yourself?
CJ: On stage, rocking the crowd. making sure my daughter never needs anything and my girl is happy. Hopefully making my mother proud and my pops smiles from above.
NT: Tell me about your upcoming release and what it means to you at this stage in your career.
CJ: Well, I got the new mixtape called “Rejuvenated” coming out in May. That’s a statement project for me. It’s basically me warming up for an album that’s gonna be beautiful. I’m bringing every aspect to Rejuvenated. I’ve got that mood music you can vibe to, I’ve got some showcase songs so you know I got skills, I got party cuts, a couple for the ladies, some dark side tracks, some conceptual stuff and some personal stuff. It’s an introduction to me, my mind, my life, my soul. It’s my well needed therapy! [laughs]
NT: Which of your songs has meant the most to you so far in your career? Why?
CJ: Well, since I’m still in the recording process, it’s hard to say because at this point, all my songs mean so much. Every song is an opportunity for me to showcase myself to the world. For right now, the self-titled track “Rejuvenation” means a lot because I’m reflecting on my life in this song; where I've been and where I’m going.
NT: What single event in your life has had the most influence in your rap style?
CJ: Honestly, seeing Beanie Sigel perform made me say "my flow has to be def." Meaning, I should be able to spit on a track or be able to perform a verse in spoken word and everyone can feel what I’m saying. It’s gotta be powerful. The realest emcees put their hearts on the track, and thats how I’mma be.
NT: EDE is not short of talent. Who's your favorite artist in the group besides yourself and why?
CJ: Everybody in the group is my favorite because they all give me different types of music. They all bump in my whip. There's so much talent, it’s hard to narrow a pick to one. EDE for life!
NT: Kobe or LeBron?
CJ: King James.
NT: What legacy or memory do you want to leave behind in hip-hop?
CJ: I want people to remember me as a stand up, honest, authentic, dude. Someone who came into the game, was able to keep it real with the fans and myself, and still had material to give to everyone. white, black, low class, middle class, east, west, midwest, south, whoever.
NT: What was your favorite EDE release of 2011? Which one are you looking forward to most in 2012?
CJ: “Smoking in the Bathroom” was my favorite. I finally got back to the game from that project and it got me hyped every time i played it. Now you know, I’m looking forward to everyone's releases man! But I gotta say, the compilation mixtape is what I’m waiting for. All of us on one CD? Magnificent, baby!
NT: Any upcoming performances?
CJ: We're working on that right now. Me personally, I’mma make sure I got the right track to perform at certain venues. Make sure the songs are appealing to the certain crowd I’m entertaining. It’s coming soon though. I believe Scrilla’s got a performance around his release this month, so u know we in there. Watch out for all of us. Just keep showing support and check our pages for updates.
NT: How can people find you? Facebook? Twitter? List 'em all.
CJ: Right now, I’m not on Twitter. Never been a fan of that. But look me up on http://www.facebook.com/CeeJayEDE and http://www.reverbnation.com/ceejayede
Hear "Racing" by Cee Jay:
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