by Kaeden Souki
…
Before North Portland native Vary — Ja’Vary Christmas — emerged as one of the best talents the city offered to the world, music was not the path he pursued.
A Lewis and Clark League Player of the Year at De La Salle North Catholic High School, Vary played guard with various collegiate basketball programs: walk-on for Oregon during their 2017 Final Four run, Cloud County in Kansas, Sheridan in Wyoming and then to Idaho, where he earned his bachelor’s in economics.
After playing with New Mexico Highlands in his graduate year, earning his master’s, Vary hung up the sneakers due to a coinciding fallout with New Mexico’s coach and the impacts on the NCAA by the COVID-19 pandemic. But departing from this path only brought him toward a path that was uncharted, but familiar.
Music runs through the Christmas family blood. Vary’s father, Nick Christmas III, was a coveted, successful drummer in the Portland music scene, and his brother Censory — fellow artist Northside Tego — had already been building a presence in the local hip-hop scene.
Music allowed Vary a smooth transition from his basketball career.
“With hoop, you get your creative juices off through your moves, or your charisma on the court,” Vary said. “Once that ended, I needed another outlet, and music was that outlet.”
While Vary entered the world of music through his brother, he also provided Tego support through other key facets in the production side of the industry. Using his experience in business and economics, Vary became Tego’s de facto manager. He also shot several music videos for his brother, fulfilling his even more enduring passion for visual media.
“I picked up a camera before I picked up a mic,” Vary said.
While Vary can’t necessarily shoot his own videos, he is very hands-on in their production, often creating songs with a visual in mind. He cites his video for “AMG” — shot in Los Angeles and featuring notable Compton rapper Westside Boogie — as one of his favorites to have helped with.
More than a passion, Vary believes a strong multimedia presence is necessary to survive as an artist today.
“In this industry right now, you got to be able to wear every cape,” Vary said. “We’re in a time full of content and so much stuff is moving that if you don’t have visuals that look really good, you’re not even in the race.”
While visuals may be vital for a project, that doesn’t take away from the importance of a song or album’s sonic dimension. For this essential task, Vary often turns to frequent collaborator, producer FranoFromDaNorf — with whom Vary has built five years of chemistry.
“You don’t want to bounce producers, the same way you don’t want to bounce barbers,” Vary said. “I hear stuff he doesn’t hear, he hears stuff I don’t hear. Once you guys know each other through and through, that’s beautiful man. A producer and artist relationship is so important.”
Whether it’s over original Frano beats or recording and mixing for his Instagram freestyles, Hits Off Main Studios in Vancouver is the temple in which Vary tempers his craft. The studio was the main site of production for his recent collaborative EP with Bay-area artist Isaiah Mostafa, “I Come in Peace”, released on Oct. 24.
While Vary takes pride in comparisons to one of his most revered inspirations, the late legendary West Coast artist Nipsey Hussle, on the record it’s his soulful influences such as Lauryn Hill, Sade and Erykah Badu that shine.
“It got me out of my box, out of my element,” Vary said. “Just from a creative standpoint, I think this is my best tape to date of utilizing and respecting music…Respecting the craft of it.”
Though he makes some of Portland’s best hip-hop, Vary believes the label “rapper” can be limiting to what he really is: a through and through artist. His records are curated, and wants that, as well as his wife and baby daughter, to be his legacy.
“Every time I look at [my daughter], it’s just like, ‘Keep going, keep going,” Vary said. “My wife…She’s my backbone. She’s pushing me and makes sure I got what I need, and she’s taking care of the house when I’m gone. It’s a blessing to have somebody so solid behind you in this music. Not too many people got that.”
With this foundation, Vary focuses on constant artistic evolution. He encourages other artists to get outside their comfort zone and any opportunity that comes their way.
“Be where your feet are, never take nothing for granted,” Vary said. “…Fail faster, try new shit. Make sure that whatever you’re doing is uncomfortable and make it so that you’re always on the move forward.”