Gishan Akanga has a lengthy sit down with emerging South London rapper Juvie. Get to know more about him, and how he's managed to get himself to where he is today, independently.
BY GISHAN AKANGA SEPTEMBER 17, 2021
G: Who exactly is Juvie?
J: "It’s quite funny actually, I haven’t always gone by Juvie but I decided to make the permanent change to Juvie in about 2016. I used to go by 'Rondo' at first, even releasing music under that name too. I soon realized that there were other artists overseas that shard that same name. I wanted something that made sense for me, something that was truly unique. When the name Juvie came around and I started putting out music with that name I saw that I was getting a lot of positive reception. That's what I truly wanted, positive connotations associated with my name, my brand. The feeling was refreshing, it felt like my audience had met someone new.
G: When did you start making music and what made you take it seriously?
J: "A couple of my friends around me actually started rapping & I remember just being in the background for the most part. Being present at their video shoots, studio sessions - you name it, I was there. It was only until one day I was sitting in my room & I thought let me actually record something on the laptop and hear how it sounds. I was really young, probably about 12 or 13. I used the voice memo app with a instrumental playing off my phone, and just started spitting. I must say when I heard it back I was quite impressed [chuckles]
It was at that exact moment after the playback, I made a promise to myself. That the next time I go studio I’m actually gonna lay something seriously. So there I went, straight to the studio to record. When I was more or less happy with the few recordings I had, I started dropping audios in 2010/2011. However, it really wasn't until 2016 I started taking music a lot more serious , with clear intentions. I began shooting videos, booking and attending studio sessions more often, I really wanted to perfect my style. I put myself out there and started working with notable platforms like Link Up TV, Mixtape Madness, Blackbox etc. Uploading on those platforms allowed me to see the countless views I was generating, and that alone confirmed with me that I had a lot of talent. Certainly a lot more to showcase."
G: Who would you say has been your biggest support system throughout your journey thus far?
J: "I would definitely say my team. That's my camera man, producer, and the brothers I have around me. They have such an understanding of what I’m trying to do. They congratulate me whenever I’m doing what needs to be done & stick by me throughout the good and the bad. The feeling of having that shared vision is indescribable. I would also say myself. Keeping my faith and knowing that everything will work out as long as I stay consistent."
G: What genre would you put yourself in?
J: " Genre wise I would say preferably HipHop/Rap. However I do consider myself to be quite a versatile artist. I can actually see myself changing up my style of rap in the future, I already jump on several beats and change my flow from time to time. I wouldn't try to box myself in a category for certain just yet. I could do anything and everything, who knows."
G: Who would you say are your biggest influences?
J: " I look up to people who know they are on a mission, those that move with a purpose and motivate others to pull through. Gherbo, Yo Gotti, Raheem Sterling, Stormzy to name a few."
G: How have you managed to develop your career by yourself?
J: "If I'm being truthful, just by being consistent. Accepting that trial & error is a no brainer when it comes to taking the time to perfect and improve my sound. I'm not always going to get it right, but what I am going to do is get better. Believing in myself that everything I had going on was going to work & the results prove just that. I’ve seen the results of those actions today. You know, being able to gain 150k streams in a year or 10K+ monthly listeners & 10-15k views on my own channel. Those are huge accomplishments that I made happen."
G: A lot of people do wonder, where do you come from?
J: "My heritage wise is Ghanaian & Ugandan. Area wise, I was born and bred in the UK. South East London - Peckham/Walworth Road to be exact."
G: What can we expect next from Juvie?
J: "Strictly greatness. I do not want to talk too much but I have a boat load of stuff I want to express through music & that will most definitely show with time. As for now, my recent release is a 5 track EP, which is out on all streaming platforms, called Headache & Heartache. I feel as though it gives my listeners much more of a insight to Juvie than my previous work. I have a few awesome features in the works with some established artists, so expect a lot of magic to bless your ears real soon.
Listen to Juvie's Headache & Heartache EP below.
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