Neighbors: Jooselord

This installment of NEIGHBORS is republished from Issue 1 of Super Empty magazine, now available at stores across the state and in our online shop. Grab yourself a copy and help make our NC-focused culture journalism possible.

What does it mean to be a pirate? 

Pirates are people who are downtrodden. People who feel like they gotta navigate the world alone. When you on the ship, when you with me, we navigate the ocean together, rather than you being over there by yourself. That's why our mantra is, “We are pirates. Our rules are the rules” — because the rules right now, when you look around, they don't seem too fair, but when you with us, we’re gonna protect you. We protect the weak. We make sure the hungry eat, we make sure the cold get clothes. That's what we do. Our rules are the rules.

What’s the most recent thing you learned about yourself? 

That I’m not angry. I used to think that I was an angry person, but more so I'm an emotional person. I like crying to movies. I like crying to happy parts. I like watching sad movies, and I like the feeling that they give me. Really, I'm just a very emotional person, a person with big emotions.

What does “community” really mean? 

Community is measured when nothing is good, when people feel like they have no place to turn to. Who turns to them, you know what I mean? Who comes to get you when you feel hopeless? That's your community. It's the people who show up when you need them, even if you don't know you do.

Describe your music in just a few words. 

Passionate, primal, raw. 

Who or what comes to mind when you think of NC hip-hop? 

[Lord] Fess. And Deniro [Farrar]. That’s who comes to mind. Before I was rapping, I was going to Fess shows. I never went to go see someone who was signed until I was already rapping. My first concert, I went to The Pinhook to see Fess.

If you had to pursue a form of art that wasn’t music, what would it be?

I danced professionally in college, so I would go back to that. If I had to choose one, and it couldn’t be making the music, I would definitely be dancing to the music. 

Where are people most likely to find you, outside of home? 

[Laughs] Rubies. Rubies At Five Points. I go hang out with the bartenders, I help with bringing the liquor in if they need an extra hand. Last year I helped them put up their Christmas decorations. I just love it. 

What’s one Durham institution you love that doesn’t exist anymore?

RUNAWAY. I’m gonna talk about RUNAWAY a hundred million times out of ten. One of the greatest, homemade, homegrown brands from one of the greatest minds to ever come out of Durham, North Carolina. It just had such a, “Boom, we here! Alright, we out, y’all.” RUNAWAY is like the Calvin Johnson of clothing lines.