An Interview with Jerney
‘I feel very inspired when listening to music outside of hip hop, and I think it helps my songwriting ability as well’
Evan Dale // October 26, 2021
Walking through South Denver’s Washington Park, Jerney’s stoic nature was the first thing to notice. A mosaic of changing leaves stood at all times cohesive with the pale pink military jacket he sported, either juxtaposing or just matching enough the color already on display. And yet, from hearing his music – most recently his new collection, Motion Picture Season 2 – the natural aesthetic vibrancy meeting head-on with his mellow stoicism made a lot of sense. Bright key progressions supply the bubbling floorboards for the meditatively understated delivery in his music. A productive inspiration from Tame Impala in particular encounters a lyrical prowess rooted in Lil Wayne and Mac miller. Numerous allusions to Kid Cudi in conversation bleed their way into the electro-nuanced hip-hop of his canon at large. Jerney is an enigma, and as a hip-hop artist in Denver, Colorado pursuing a coding degree with aspirations of merging his musical world into the expansive universe of video game culture, he has to be. So, dive deeper into Jerney’s journey as we speak to him on his wide-ranging influence, how Covid affected the music industry, the role music videos play in his artistry, and more.
RNGLDR: Let’s talk Colorado and let’s talk local hip-hop. Obviously, the state at large has long had a pretty proud musical tradition ranging from amazing venues old and new from Red Rocks to the Mission Ballroom, and a lot of artistry predominantly in the spheres of bass music and bluegrass. But, what sort of framework does exist in Denver and in Colorado when it comes to hip-hop? And is it growing?
JERNEY: The music scene in Denver is interesting. I feel that most people appreciate the genre here but more so for larger acts as opposed to local talent. As much as it has grown, I think it’s best to blend it with electronic or alternatives sounds.
RNGLDR: Aside from yourself, who are some other local names we should check out?
JERNEY: One of my favorite artists here in Denver worth paying attention to is Donny Blot. He’s a label mate of mine and a really dope rapper. He’s featured on “Bounce” which is on my latest project.
RNGLDR: And is there any way to describe how a Colorado hip-hop scene might sound, or is it too early on to really get a stylistic grasp on what it is that’s being made here?
JERNEY: With most of the artists here being from different places, it’s hard to say that there is a specific sound. If I were to say though a lot of it is reflective of Boom Bap.
RNGLDR: As for your own sound, if you could describe it with the made-up name of a genre, what would you call it, and why?
JERNEY: I used to be very east coast centric but as of late I’ve transitioned into an alternative hip-hop drama with tame impala vibes.
RNGLDR: Looking outside of Denver and outside of Colorado, who are some rappers from whom you draw inspiration? And how do you hope that their sounds can be heard in your own?
JERNEY: My list of inspiration is all over the place, but I’d say lil Wayne, Curren$y, Mac Miller, Tame Impala and Frank Ocean.
RNGLDR: And outside of rap and hip-hop altogether, who are some artists that have inspired you musically?
JERNEY: I really like artists like Mac Demarco, Thundercat, Tash Sultana and Washed Out. I feel very inspired when listening to music outside of hip hop. I think it helps my songwriting ability as well.
RNGLDR: Removing yourself from the equation, if you could see any two artists in music today work together, who would you want to collaborate, and why?
JERNEY: I’d love to hear Kid Cudi and Tame Impala do a collaborative project together. That would be a top tier album in my opinion.
+
RNGLDR: We also run a narrative series called Dream Venue taking the reader on a journey that culminates in the ultimate live concert. As the artist performing, what would be your Dream Venue?
JERNEY: It sounds cliché as fuck, but I would love to do red rocks or Madison Square Garden. Those are two venues I would probably cry on before going on stage. The types of things I try to manifest in my everyday life.
RNGLDR: With live music picking up again, do you have any shows in the works?
JERNEY: Surprisingly I was able to still get shows during the later part of covid shutdowns. As of the year 2021 I’m already at 7 shows for the year which I’m very appreciative of. I do have a show in the works for mid-December just before the holiday. I love my relationship with venues here in Denver they always look out for me.
RNGLDR: What have you missed most about live music since the pandemic first rendered the concert industry momentarily disabled?
JERNEY: It was tough at first once things shut down, I had to reevaluate what I wanted to do in the music business. Which drove me more towards digital content like making games, music videos, etc.
"I really tried to come up with something different from most the music we hear today as well as staying true to who I am as an artist..."
RNGLDR: With live music back in the schedule, you also just released a new project: Motion Picture Season 2. Its predecessor was released in 2015, and you’ve dropped three other projects since, so what about this particular collection connects to Motion Picture Season 1?
JERNEY: As far as Motion Picture 2 and its connection to Motion Picture 1, I had always wanted to double back and continue that series but it kinda got lost in the other projects I started. This one was very important to me because I finally got down my music composition process from the engineering, beat making, and overall quality of music.
RNGLDR: What do you hope listeners get out of Motion Picture Season 2, and how do you think the project exhibits your own sonic evolution?
JERNEY: What I hoped people appreciate most is the different sounds incorporated into this project. I really tried to come up with something different from most the music we hear today as well as staying true to who I am as an artist.
RNGLDR: Like much of your past work, your artistry with Motion Picture Season 2 extends far beyond simply the music. A multimedia artist through and through, the release and rollout of the project also includes a number of visuals to accompany the tracks. What is it about film and videography that grant you even more room to express your artistry?
JERNEY: This project for me was a true art piece so naturally the music video had to reflect that vision. I wanted to do something timeless that I can look back on and admire. I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from the music videos associated with the project.
RNGLDR: With Motion Picture Season 2 and its accompany visuals out in the world, what’s next for Jerney as an artist and as a man?
JERNEY: The next steps for me is to finish my coding degree so that I can incorporate my music into games. I think this is my evolution into making a real impact in the entertainment industry. It’s also has been a goal since I started Motion Picture 1. If you listen closely you could hear the correlation between that and a Video game Soundtrack.
