Meet Jamaal Matters

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jamaal Matters. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jamaal, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by focusing on my talents and gifts. When I was in elementary school, my peers would make fun of my accent and how slow I talked. Once I perfected my craft as a hip hop artist, everyone praised me for having a powerful voice that blended so well with the instruments. It’s funny how putting effort into your gifts can turn what some call a weakness into your strength.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Like most African Americans, I grew up with a large family. In the early 90’s I would spend time with my older cousins on the weekends and after school. Growing up around teenagers as a youngster was very interesting during that time. I can specifically remember my cousin Jr who was a DJ spinning “My minds Playing tricks on me” by The Ghetto Boyz during a family cookout. I was doing the running man, sporting a high top fade, and a Karl Kani fit. From that day forward, I began memorizing lyrics from artist’s like Snoop Dogg, Das Efx, and Wu-Tang Clan. Me and my 3rd grade crew would walk door to door and rhyme these songs for the neighborhood. Hip Hop has always kept me optimistic and motivated throughout my journey. Emceeing is probably the only thing that I’ve been good at for most of my life. Since my artistry is all that I have, I give it 1000 percent. I started taking my music seriously in 2010 when I released my 1st project Rip$tar Da Truth. I went on to get songs aired on Raleigh NC’s K97.5, performed local venues, and released my second project I’m Big” in 2012. I continued creating music from 2012 until 2016 but never had any official releases or shows. At the top of 2023 I decided to create my brand, Dope Oasis Music which is a publishing company for all of my art. I made up my mind, that for the 1st time, I was going to approach my music as a legit business. In January, I began collaborating with my producer’s A.R.T, Quise Beats, and Tap to formulate my sound as Jamaal Matters. After spending a few months in the studio and writing songs, I released my 1st single “Dior Cologne” (Prod. by A.R.T) in March. From then on, I have released a new single every month, created my own video content for each song, and promoted them on my own. My fanbase is the underground Hip Hop community and they have embraced me greatly since my 1st release. Pre 2023, I didn’t have a direction or specific sound for my music but I knew the underground was my lane in 2023. Currently, my singles are being played by underground DJ’s across the united states, College radio stations like DUKE University’s 88.7 WXDU with DJ Samp’s support my music heavily. Coming back into the NC music scene has been refreshing this time around because I’ve received an overwelming amount of support from the boom bap community and I kept the relationships that I built in tact. I recently performed at the Genius Party downtown Raleigh and those guys are amazing, performing at their function feels like a family reunion. Right now, I am working on Merch to help build my Dope Oasis Music brand. It will be launching very soon and I can’t wait for my fans to see what I have in store for them. Shoutout to Matters Click! My next show will be at Cat’s Cradle Backroom on October 1st .(Carrboro Hip hop Festival) I am very amped and ready to show the people of Carrboro how I get down! Shout out Skyblew. Being on stage and writing are my favorite parts of the art. Preparation is everything to me, so once I’ve rehearsed well, I’m ready to rock any stage on the planet. My next single “Rare” Prod. by Quincy Tones will be releasing in September. So far, I have released 7 songs that are available on all streaming platforms. I plan to release up until December and start working on a EP in 2024. You can follow me on Instagram @jamaalMatters I appreciate you guys for having me. Peace!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Patience, Planning/preparation, and timing

I would tell any artist that Patience, strategy, and timing is key because I know how it is to be so excited about releasing your new music but when you lack a strategy or plan, you won’t be able to build a momentum or fanbase. Be patient, plan, and be intentional about how and when you release your music so that it will build anticipation and reward you with good results.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I’m looking forward to Collaborating with great emcee’s like 38 Spesh and Roc marciano because I believe in what they bring to the culture of underground Hip hop. As a veteran wordsmith, I’m more than sure that my art would compliment their productions/songs well.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Dior Cologne artwork by Queen Hornet Convertible Top artwork by A.R.T

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