Josi Green is someone who has been on my radar for some time now. Between the loosies I would check out here & there, & his latest album “FOCUS,” he has slowly but surely made his way into my headphones. He has been making some power moves as of late, so learn a little bit about him below then check out his music catalog here.
EM: First things first, give a brief introduction of yourself for our readers that may not be familiar with you
JG: My name is Josi, formerly known as Josi Green. I’m an artist from all over the Chicagoland area.
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EM: When did you start making music?
JG:
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EM: Who are your top five influences?
JG: Lupe Fiasco, Lil Wayne, Erykah Badu, Music Soulchild, and Drake
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EM: What are your top five favorite albums off all time
JG: Doggystyle – Snoop Dogg • The Cool – Lupe Fiasco • Usher – Confessions • Late Registration – Kanye West • Urban Legend – TI
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EM: What about your top five mixtapes?
JG: Dedication 2 – Lil Wayne • So Far Gone – Drake • Friday Night Lights – J. Cole • Anticipation – Trey Songz • Overly Dedicated – Kendrick Lamar
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EM: How much has Chicago influenced you & your music?
JG: Chicago has a great effect on my music. It’s home and where I grew up. A lot of my music is based on what we face growing up which is death in most cases, but it’s still beauty in our city. If you listen to records of mine like “Don’t sit in cars” which puts you in the killers perspective of these different murders he’s carrying out, you will begin to understand how a lot of these people think and how these situations happen. A lot of these kids are young man, I hopped off my grandmothers porch and was in the streets around 10. I was lucky to have both parents and a get away, whereas most of my friends are now dead, in jail, or roaming the streets lifeless. So when I rap/sing or whatever, i’m doing it for that little boy and girl in Chicago without a voice.
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EM: How would you describe your music to someone who has never listened?
JG: When my music is about my personal life, it is very transparent and honest. My last album FOCUS was an album I made not for people to just listen to, but for them to feel like their problems were the ones that are being listened to. I don’t try to be so far over peoples’ heads with my bars because that honestly comes natural, but I’ll say simple things that the average person wouldn’t catch off first listen. Kendrick said it best “some rappers use big words to make their similes curve, my simplest sh*t be more pivotal”
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EM: If you could collab with one person dead or alive who would it be?
JG: Drake
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EM: What’s one interesting fact about you that most people wouldn’t know?
JG: I once spit for Tory Lanez at Reggies and he said I had a dope flow (watch here)
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EM: So who are some of the younger Chicago artists that you have been rocking with? (sidenote: next question will ask about the bigger Chicago artists)
JG: Well, I’m 1/3 of AIM with my brothers Plainro & Ausar, but i love a lot of these guys man. Here is a pretty decent list I might say; Mother Nature, Isaiah G, Aaron Duex, UG Vavy, Legit, Femdot, Cassius Tae, Jonvthan Stewvrt
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EM: Who are some of the bigger name artists from Chicago that you wish to work with in the future?
JG: Definitely Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Twista, Common, Chance the Rapper, Saba, Mick Jenkins, Jeremih.
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EM: Who are some bigger non Chicago people you would like to work with in the future?
JG: Drake, Kendrick, J. Cole, Erykah Badu, Rittz, Tory Lanez, Bryson Tiller
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EM: What is your favorite song that you have created?
JG: Don’t sit in Cars
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EM: What are your thoughts on Donald Trump?
JG:
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EM: The National Anthem or The International Players Anthem?
JG: The international players anthem >>>>>>
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EM: What can our readers expect from you for the rest of 2016?
JG: singles, singles, singles, and more singles. I might drop a short EP but my focus currently is singles.
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EM: Last question, where do you see yourself in five years?
JG: In 5 years I’ll have a certified diamond album under my belt, whether it be mines or for songwriting.