Json has been rapping and ministering for some time now. He is back with his uniquely titled album,
Braille. He shares with NRT about the new album, his progression over time and other interesting topics.
1. The first obvious question is why the title, "Braille"?
It's not a heavily thematic album. The title, Braille, is coming from two different concepts primarily. I think braille is similar to music in that you can't see it, but you can feel it. As an artist, I've always wanted to be a dude that people could connect to on a deeper level rather than getting hype and getting them excited. Some dudes want to be known for lyricism. Some want to be known for punchlines. Some want to be known for similes and metaphors.
I want people to say, "This dude's message was real. I felt it and I connected to it." The larger aspect is based on Hebrews 11:1, which says, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen." Our faith is similar to braille in that it goes behind what our eyes can see. That "conviction" is a feeling that comes as a result of the Spirit. It's something that's in your heart and arrests your heart. I want to encourage believers that we can look beyond what's in front of us. We have a hope that goes beyond what we see and that's the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. You recently went on tour with This'l, Flame, Shai-Linne, KB, V. Rose and others. How was the tour, and how does it compare to others shows?
Shout out to everyone who was on the tour. Primarily it was me, KB, V. Rose, Flame and Spec. Then This'l came for the last three shows. Shout out to Kristin, who is Flame's wife, for a lot of hard work that she put in. Shai-Linne was on the tour as well. The tour was dope. We're friends beyond the music. It was great, rich fellowship and we have a great time.
The difference is that it is a little more tiring and physically draining. So it has those aspects of it, but the dope thing about it is to go from place to place and consistently run into all of these people whom have been encouraged by what you do. It's kind of mind-blowing. It was different than someone playing your track and you perform. We had a dope show put together. We had a glow-in-the-dark set. We had glow-in-the-dark apparel.
3. If you were to compare Json now and Json from the first album, The Seasoning, what would be the same and what would be different?
His burdens are the same. I have definitely matured because I am not as narrow on the way I see things. Artistically I think I have broader view. On
The Seasoning I was still trying to find myself, and I still am, to some degree. I didn't really know how to put together an album.
The Seasoning was rawer because it was certain things that I did not think about when making this album. I wasn't thinking about shows and album sales. I wasn't as steeped in the industry as I am now. That's a good and bad thing. I also have a broader taste for music.
4. You included some people like Lori, Juliana Zobrist, Demond and Serg on the album. Why was it important to have them on the album especially since they are not big names?
If you search my last three or four records, I've included artists that people weren't that aware of. I'm not the biggest artist and I don't have that big of a platform. For dudes and women that love Jesus, I want to give them my platform to build whatever it is they have going on. Lori is super talented as she works with Spec. She is also in a group called Confess and Be Free (C.B.F.). Serg is a dude from Florida that I've been building with. He's a solo artist and in a group called Authentic. He wrote the hook and is featured on "Passing." He wrote a few other hooks on my album also. He's a dope writer and rapper; I just wanted to give people a chance to hear what he has going on. Although I can't do that with everybody, this has always been a burden of mine. Juliana Zorbrist is actually my pastor's daughter and I was just humbled to work with her.
5. Two standout songs for the content and titles are "Intoxicated" and Benjamin Button." Tell us about those two tracks.
"Intoxicated" was one of those records where I had the concept. Often as Christians we look at the world and we get a whiff of what they have going on. Then we want it and that's intoxication. We see what they have and we know it's not good for us. We have all been guilty of partaking from time to time of those things that we should not partake in. Even though we know it's bad for us, it still feels good to us. I had the concept and then I met up with Spec and V. Rose. Together, we all had a hand in writing the hook. Lori came in and murdered the hook and she wrote the bridge. It just kind of came together. Shout out to Spec for producing it.
With "Benjamin Button," I made a statement on another song where I said, "You ain't growing up; you're just getting older." I posted that statement on Instagram and my boy Alex Medina said, "That sounds like a song to me, Benjamin Button." That's what people do. They don't grow up and they act like children. It's one of those songs that people can relate to. I wrote it from the perspective of a dude and a perspective of a goal. It's just saying that they are still doing childish things. You are still running around selling dope or you don't have a job. You're Benjamin Button.
6. You hit the nail on the head with "Holding Nothing Back." You answer a lot of questions in a very loving, but straightforward manner. What could say to people on message boards who say that Reformed is the way or Calvinism is the way, etc., and they do it in a way that is divisive?
I understand why people call themselves a Calvinist. I agree with the theological perspectives of Calvinism—not everything Calvinist. I agree with it in terms of people knowing exactly where someone stands. I think it's Biblical. It's what the Bible teaches and it's clear in scripture. I think it's a way to communicate with each other in a challenging way, but not in a way that makes it seem like you have it all together because of a theological preference. I am for standing for truth. That may means that you may tell someone that they are wrong or you may offend them. You don't want to add to the offense.
