Jim-E Stack Talks Swag, Pancakes, Music, SXSW, and Diplo (VTT Interview)

Jim-E, you’re pretty new on the scene. Tell the people where you’re from and how you got started in the game?

I was born and raised in San Francisco, and I spent all of my life there up until about two years ago when I moved to New Orleans. I started playing the drums when I was 11 years old. As a freshman in high school I auditioned for and then joined the school jazz band. Keeping up with all those kids forced me to step my game and take music more seriously as a pursuit. I didn’t necessarily want to end up being a professional jazz drummer, but I loved playing with a bunch of dope musicians and missing study halls. I had to be on game to stay in the band, so that meant practicing much more and also just listening to and staying up on jazz. Playing in that band for four years definitely drew me into music more so than anything else.

About half way through high schoolm making my own music really began to appeal to me. I liked the idea of being able to express myself and solely myself through music, and not having to worry about a band member’s opinion. I made shitty hip hop beats at first, but then I started making dance music as soon as I heard Daft Punk and Switch, and I guess I’m still doing that for the most part in one way or another.

“Purple Swag” is my shit. Did you know that song was going to blow up? Who cut the video for it?

No, not really. I knew my bootleg was decent, and I knew I liked listening to it, but I definitely didn’t anticipate all the love it’s gotten. If you search my name on Twitter that’s almost the only thing people give a fuck about.

Jason Ano, who shot the original video for “Purple Swag,” recut some of the original footage and some b-roll I believe. A$AP Rocky’s personal support really helped spread my name to a bigger audience, and Jason’s video totally revitalized my bootleg’s hype. Big up the both of them.

Right after I saw “Purple Swag” I caught your set during SXSW at the Turntable.FM party. How was your first trip to Austin?

SXSW was amazing. I had been last year but I only played one pretty mellow party. This year I played two or three parties each day. Since I was running around most of the time I didn’t get to see too many shows besides the ones I was playing, but I did catch this band Reptar for a bit. I had been listening to their new record a lot so it was dope to hear them live.

I think my favorite part of SXSW is getting up all my friends who are musicians or who work in music. We only kick a few times a year, so it’s nice to get a few days with everyone, watch them play, and hear their new music. I also just love meeting and reconnecting with other musicians in real life who I’ve only been in touch with on the internet.

If your swag had a color, what it would be?

Tie-dye

How’d you hook up with Diplo? Are you officially working under Mad Decent or is your situation still up in the air?

Diplo hit me up on Twitter last summer after he heard my song “Lemme.” I spent most of that summer in San Francisco, and we kicked it each time he or Major Lazer came through. He also spent some time in and around New Orleans after I went back there in August, so we linked up then too. I don’t have any releases planned with Mad Decent but their whole camp has been really supportive of my music, and they’re always putting on for me.

CLICK TO READ MORE AND PREVIEW THE NEW JIM-E STACK SINGLE

Where did you come up with alias Jim-E Stack?

I had been making music for a minute by the time I landed on “Jim-E Stack,” but I never really settled on a name. I would change my alias track to track. I guess it was “J Stack” for the most part though. “Jim-E Stack” is alright but I wish I had thought of “2 Chainz” before Tity Boi did. Dude’s got the best name in the game.

If you had to choose between a stack of cheese or a stack of pancakes what would it be?

A stack of chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes like my girl from back home makes

What’s the vibe like at one of your shows?

Some can be sweaty dive bar parties while others are kind of upscale, like at hotel clubs and all that. I’d probably classify myself as a house DJ more than anything else but I always try and work in a wide range dance and club music, whether it be hip hop, grime, maybe some dancehall or New Orleans bounce, or whatever in between.

Be sure to check out Jim-E Stack’s new single “Bubble Boy” forthcoming on Body High July, 3rd.

What type of music did you grow up listening to? Who are you listening to these days?

I listened to whatever hip hop and R&B was on the radio, I guess Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliot, and Bay Area rappers like Keak Da Sneak, E-40, Roach Gigz…Bands like Hüsker Dü, Minutemen, and Mission of Burma were staples for two of my best friends and me in high school. I was also big into jazz as I mentioned.

Recently I’ve been listening to Shlohmo’s 2011 album “Bad Vibes” a bunch. I was kind of late on that. I’m really into the WeDidIt collective and everything their affiliates have been doing. I haven’t been listening to that much house or club music lately, except for some older dudes like Omar S and Karizma.

Do you have projects or collaborations coming out this summer?

I don’t have any official collaborations on deck, mostly just my own original stuff and some remixes.