Conversations with J.aaron Boykin

Today we’d like to introduce you to J.aaron Boykin.

Hi J.aaron, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Of course, thank you for asking! Honestly, I got started in music because there weren’t many other things that were much of interest to me. Music was all around me, in my house, and my family, everywhere. It spoke to me. It was the only thing that I knew better than I knew myself. Music was a safe place for me. It was my refuge as someone who’s neurodivergent and didn’t quite understand the world like most people see it. I could feel music throughout my body or the pit of my stomach, really the only thing that made sense in a world that doesn’t all the time. 

Once I found out that I could give people the same feeling I had, that I could move people the way I was moved, there really was no other Plan B. Whatever I could get involved in musically is what I did. So I did all the choirs, acting, you name it. I went to school for music as well, but ended up dropping out and going on tour with a band. Figured I had nothing to lose! Since that point, I’ve spent a long time cutting my teeth in NYC, gigging and eventually working my way into bigger rooms and stages around the world. I worked really hard on my craft along the way. It was really important to me to be a good musician before anything. I have so much respect for this game that I didn’t wanna shortchange it. Staying on that trail, being persistent and taking some risks here and there, that kind of led me up to this point! 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nah, it hasn’t been a smooth ride in any sense. We all have hardships in life, and I’m not any different. Didn’t grow up in the best neighborhood. My mother was a single parent and passed away young. I spent some time being homeless, living outside, and eating whatever I could find. Violence, mass shootings, PTSD, a lot of not great things. You pair that upbringing with the difficulties most artists face in the music industry, and there’s no way you can call any of it a smooth ride. I’ve heard more than my fair share of no’s, had my music stolen, uncredited, heartbreak with collaborators, and have had to start over a few times now. This is a really hard business. No matter how much I wanna just create the art, we have to be business savvy as well, and things didn’t start to turn around for me until I got my skills up in that department. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I think I’m known for my voice! I’ve made a bit of a name for myself for having a distinct, deep tone and a pretty wide vocal range. Even had people tell me you can hear the hardships and triumphs of your life in your voice, which I think is a compliment! Most of what I’ve done vocally is R&B, Soul, and Hip-Hop. My East Coast roots won’t let me not Rap from time to time. I’d call myself a vocalist first, and I’ve expanded over the years into songwriter, producer, instrumentalist, kind of a jack of all trades. Right now, I’m really proud of being a member of the Recording Academy. It’s always been a dream of mine to be a Grammy winner, but in the meantime, I’m really excited to be amongst peers, helping advocate and shape the future of the music industry. I’ve led a couple of bands and toured around the world, even won some money on a reality show back in the day. I also do music in the sync world for TV/Film and have been lucky enough to collaborate with publishing houses, producers, and artists around the world. I think people like working with me because I’m a one-stop shop, which isn’t too common. I’ll bring depth to my work that a lot of people don’t have access to. Everyone has their own story to tell, and the sum of my stories shows up in my voice and my work. And I’m an actor, so while a lot of people know some of the music that I’ve done, these days I get recognized for a couple of commercials I have appeared in. I’m fine with either.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I would tell anyone starting out to keep saying yes. Keep saying yes to growing, learning, and opportunities. It will be hard, but most people fall off because they stop saying yes, not because they ain’t good enough. Also, keep in mind that there are two sides to this thing: the art side and the business side. You must learn both individually and make them talk to each other. It’s not negotiable, so dig into the business side early!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jaaronhi.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaaron_hi/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@j.aaron_hi
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6E1WZ7zhoNGfBXdESnNwIZ

Image Credits
Rob Flate