I
JEROMIAH ‘JEJA VU' MCRAE, 22. MUSICIAN, ORIGINALLY FROM CHARLOTTE
LARISA KARR
Managing Editor
lakarr@unca.edu
Many stories lurk throughout
Asheville, whether they are behind
the Vaudevillian jazz-folk played
by buskers around Pritchard Park,
the colorful businesses decorated
with funky, hand-made crafts or the
laughter echoing from a patio as
locals and tourists alike enjoy de
licious beer.
So, if you were to describe your
self in three words, what three
words would you say and why?
“That’s a good one. Ninja be
cause I like ninja stuff. I’m not re
ally a true ninja, more like a nan-
ja, you know? But I don’t know, I
breakdance too, I forgot that.”
That’s awesome, yeah.
“If I had somewhere to, like,
head-spin. I’d be into that.”
How would you describe your
style?
“Well, if I want to be funny about
it. I’d call it hobo-chic, like, you
know, boho chic but with a hobo
twist on it.”
Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s very
Asheville.
“If I was going to be practical, I
would say, T don’t have a style. I
just go with what I feel.’”
You’re passionate about play
ing guitar. Who musically would
you say inspires you?
“It’s really singles. It’s no spe
cific musician or group, but I defi
nitely love Ixd Zeppelin, Rush,
Little Johnny, there’s a lot of peo
ple. There’s a lot of crazy musicians
out there like the band Animals as
Leaders, they’re crazy. I can do
some tap stuff too as well.”
As an artist, as a musician, how
would you say your career has
evolved over time?
“I think over time. I’m changed
from more of a punk type of style
to hip-hop. Originally, as a Idd,
I was always rapping in summer
camp, because it was a black sum
mer camp. We always used to have
freestyle sessions, a cipher or what
ever.”
That’s awesome, yeah.
“And so, in the cipher, we basi
cally, we’d kind of roast each other
and then just try to get the best bars
out of it and then I stopped listening
to rap when Soulja Boy came out
because I realized rap was taking a
terrible turn.”
Yeah.
“Then later, I listened to Soulja
Boy and I was like, ‘This shit’s ac
tually some gold.’ I love it and then
trap happened and then I stopped
rapping again and then I listened
to trap and I was like, ‘It’s hype.’
You know, you can’t argue with the
hype-ness.”
Yeah, there’s a reason why it’s
popular.
“Yeah and if you dissect it, actu
ally, they just added snares to an
cient African rhythms. That’s why
it’s so tight. That’s why it’s so good
to listen to.”
That’s cool.
“It’s rooted in a lot of history. Rap
itself is based on an ancient style of
spoken word, call and response,
that was going all over Africa.”
That’s so cool. So, what are you
doing here in Asheville? Do you
work here or are you just hang
ing out?
“I sort of work here. I work at a
temp agency. I’m also just hanging
out, drinking alcohol, trying to get
LSD and smoke weed and chill.”
Nice. Have you had any inter
esting, memorable experiences
here so far?
“Quite a few, yeah. For one,
damn, where do I start? Wow. My
first experience in Asheville was
--- - __ .3 1
PHOTO BY DUSTY ALBINGER
Jeromiah ‘Jeja Vu’ Mcrae has
strong opinions on Soulja Boy,
trap music and the history of rap.
Bele Chere.”
That was such an Asheville in
stitution.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 20