Artist Of The Week - J.O.

In September of 2009 I featured J.Monopoly as an Artist Of The Week. Since then, the group he’s a member of, O.I.S.D. (Operation Industry Shut Down), has made great strides, becoming one of the premier groups in NYC’s underground hip-hop scene. Realizing that I’d only featured one of the five members of O.I.S.D. as an Artist Of The Week, I decided to right that, which is why I want to welcome you to O.I.S.D.uary. For the entire month of February all of my Artists Of The Week will be members of O.I.S.D., and in a break from the way I normally do things here, I’m asking them all the same questions so everyone can see how truly unique each of them are as individuals. First up to bat is J.O., who, interestingly, was the last member to join the group.

Adam Bernard: Start me off with your history in O.I.S.D. How did you land in the group and how do you know the other members?
J.O.: It started in high school. We were all somewhat cool from a distance early on, around freshman / sophomore year, then the more we saw each other the more we got cooler with each other. We would sit at breakfast and oftentimes lunch and chill, talk shit, play spades. This was way before I started rapping at all. Around senior year we would chill at lunch and Jonathan (E.Y.E. Q aka JohnNY Storm), who was known as Crackman and other nicknames at the time, would make beats on the table as J.Monopoly, who was known as James at the time, and Khid 2che would freestyle. I think Johnny had JUST started at that point. I would always be at the table to see them, and enjoyed hanging with the crew, but never really tried or thought about rapping before. I was into basketball and was on the school team at the time. After the school year was through, and after hearing my friends tear shit up at the lunch rooms, and hearing wack shit on the radio, I felt like (rapping) was something I could possibly do. I started recording songs into a small microphone about the size of a earphone and posted those songs on MySpace. After graduation we weren't really in contact with each other, but MySpace brought us back after E.Y.E. Q discovered that I started rapping. He told me him and J.Monop were assembling a super crew called O.I.S.D. that had Showtyme, who went by J-Blue at the time, and Khid 2che. I was first an honorary member, and once in a while we would record songs at my crib. About half a year later they decided I had proved myself and I would be the fifth member to make up the crew.

Adam Bernard:What do you feel makes you five emcees coming together as O.I.S.D. special?
J.O.: We bring all elements of hip-hop together at once; intelligence - everyone, b-boying - Showtyme dances at a professional level, graffiti - me and Khid have bombed a couple of things, emceeing - everyone, and Monopoly DJs his ass off.

Adam Bernard: What has been your favorite moment, either in the studio, or on stage, with the group?
J.O.: When all five of us are in one place at one time. When one or two is missing it’s cool, we still can manage, but when we’re all there we’re unstoppable.

Adam Bernard: Have you had any strange, unexpected, or downright crazy moments yet?
J.O.: We won an E.O.W (End Of the Weak) award last year. That was very unexpected for me. I never thought I would ever be rapping, let alone win anything for it.

Adam Bernard: What makes you unique within the group? How do we know when it’s your verse on a song?
J.O.: I’m a really aggressive, don’t give a fuck type of person, but at the same time I’m kinda nonchalant. I don’t really have deep metaphors, but my delivery has a lot of energy and a lot of times I create SOME of the choruses, so you’ll hear me on that part of the song.

Adam Bernard: Since the groundwork for O.I.S.D. was laid in high school, let’s take it back there for a moment. In yearbooks you have people who are voted “class clown,” “most likely to succeed,” “most likely to love their virginity at a Comic-Con.” OK, maybe not that last one. Create your own high school yearbook descriptions for the other members of the group.
J.O.: Showtyme - Most likely to be the most well rounded entertainer in the group.
E.Y.E. Q - Most likely to write a book(s).
J.Monopoly - Most likely to be in the hip-hop hall of fame, or be qualified as a hip-hop historian.
Khid 2che - Most likely to run a very successful fashion / hip-hop blog / website.

Adam Bernard: Tell me a little bit about your next group project, as well as any other projects you’re currently working on.
J.O.: I don’t have anything solo planned. Every once in a few I’ll throw some freestyles out there. Right now we are workin on a small project called Houston and 1st, which is real jazzy type of feel good music and should be completed February. Our main project is the School’s Out album, and we’re shooting for an early spring release for that.

Adam Bernard: Since I like to have at least a little fun with every interview, close this one out by revealing one album that you’re totally ashamed to have in your collection.
J.O.: Lil’ Bow Wow’s first album.

Related Links

Bandcamp: oisd5.bandcamp.com
Blog: o-fficialblog.tumblr.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/oisd5emcees