KDUP caught up with Jackson, the musician behind Big Wild, at this years Capitol Hill Block Party.
Great to speak with you today.
Thank you for having me.
So one of your projects that I have enjoyed the most is that goodies pack you released on SoundCloud, what are your thoughts on SoundCloud?
SoundCloud is not as open as it once was, which is sad, but I see why they did what they did. I feel that they were forced to, or we probably wouldn’t have any SoundCloud at this point. It’s kind of a shame because I feel that a lot of what has happened to electronic music lately can be owed to the fact that SoundCloud was such an open and free environment for people to experiment without having to worry about getting music taken down or getting sued. It’s different now. Music will always evolve and SoundCloud is not going to be like it was.
As a live DJ I am sure you have seen some pretty cool venues, do you have a favorite so far?
Red Rocks Amphitheatre. It’s an outdoor venue, and just a beautiful spot. It was also one of the biggest crowds I have played so far. I guess you can say it was a big milestone in my career.
Dream venue to DJ?
I would love to play at the Olympics.
You began making hip / hop beats correct?
Yeah.
Where did you first start?
Just in my house on FL Studio. I would sell the beats online. That was how I got into music, how I learned songwriting and producing.
You like to mix a lot of hip/hop in live sets, was hip/hop your first love for music?
Yeah.
Can you give me your top five alive or dead?
I’m gonna mention producers: (In no particular order) Timbaland, Dr. Dre, The Neptunes, Kevin Parker of Tame Impala, Swizz Beatz.
What kind of student were you?
I got decent grades but I was never super into school. I was always producing and that is what I stuck with. I was the quiet kid in class. I had a good amount of friends but when it came to school I don’t know why I was just super quiet.
What was your first job?
First job was when I was in med school. I worked for my friend’s dad’s landscaping company. It was during the summer so I was sweating my ass off digging up roots and trees.
Pokémon GO has taken over our youth culture. Do you enjoy Pokémon? Do you have a favorite Pokémon?
I haven’t played Pokémon GO, but I used to play red way back in the day… so I would say my favorite is Venosaur.
If not music, then what?
Hmmm… Probably not much. I would like to build something so maybe carpentry.
Highs and lows of touring?
I would say there are definitely more highs than lows with touring. I have met a lot of cool people that have shared their experiences on how my music has effected them. I have gone to really cool venues and places. Sometimes when you go to five, six, seven shows in a row and you are totally burnt out and missing home. I miss my girlfriend and my family. In general, I love touring. No complaints.
What should I be listening to right now?
I have been into a group called Hoops, they are on Spotify. It’s like throwback low fi guitar music. That is the best description I can come up with but it is super catchy. I have been listening to a lot of Tame Impala. I’ve been branching out from SoundCloud and exploring things on Spotify. I’ve always found that the best suggestions I get are from friends. I have been trying to get more sharing between my friends and I have found some really cool stuff.
Dream collab?
Anderson .Paak
Really? He is great. I only have good things to say about Anderson .Paak.
Yeah I saw him three years ago in San Francisco and I was blown away. He wasn’t Anderson .Paak at the time he was Breezy Lovejoy. There were only about twenty people in the crowd and no one knew who he was but it was still an amazing show. I have been wanting to collab for a long time.
What is the message to the youth?
Stay focused on things that you really love. It is easy to get caught up in things that are not important or trivial. You gotta understand other people’s perspectives too. There are a lot of things to through out at once. I guess be open minded. There.
That’s a good summation. What is the biggest lie in the world today?
The collective idea of what success is. I think that it is very misguided. I think what we perceive as a “successful person” is oftentimes not successful.
I agree. A pet peeve of mine is when I see those “Steps to Success” books, yet they sell so well.
Well that’s because there are so many misguided people out there and those books prey on them.
Agreed.
