Recently, South African hip hop artist Ross Jack debuted his second UK single “Fear The Rush” off his 2015 debut album Self Medicated, which he released with Sony South Africa. The song feels like a more intense Mike Posner track, exuding feel good, “don’t fear” vibes aplenty.
In honor of his release, we got to ask the up-and-coming artist a few questions.
What’s your origin story?
Born in Johannesburg South Africa, Mom is South African and my Dad is from Leeds.
What are some of the earliest albums you remember listening to? Who introduced them to you?
Probably Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Otis Redding. The first album I ever bought for myself was The Marshall Mathers LP. My parents introduced them to me, they always played great music when I was a kid.
How have creative influences from past projects impacted your current direction, if at all?
I guess mostly just experience and the fact that I’ve worked with many different feels and sounds in the past, so hopefully all of that has help me craft a sound which I hope is unique to me.
Where do you draw the most inspiration from, in your creation of a work like “Fear The Rush”?
I draw most of my inspiration from what I love to listen to and my heroes in music, fear the rush Is my version of all my heroes and inspirations.
Is there a best frame of mind for someone to have, to best connect with the message your music carries?
I try write and create real life everyday stories or slightly exaggerated versions of adventures I’ve been on in life. So I guess if your a similar person to me you’ll feel it on a deeper level. Some people will be turned off by the references to drugs and other things but I consider a lot of it a metaphor and open ended for interpretation. However I do live my life a certain way and that does come across. I call my sound stoner pop if that helps haha and if not lyrically I hope the majority enjoy it sonically because for me it’s as important.
What sort of chemistry has been developed through the collaborations that has led to “Fear The Rush”?
I feel we have a great team. I have collaborated with people that get what the vibe is and I think working and collaborating is also a skill that you develop the more you do it, fear the rush is the for me a proud moment because I’m happy with it being an indicator of we we are all at as a team.
You get to introduce yourself to an audience in the most imaginative way possible- how do you do it?
I truly just love making sounds and music and writing lyrics and delivering on the mic, so I don’t really think about or know how I do it. I just hope I do it as well as I think I do really. But that remains to be seen.
What’s your dream collaboration?
There’s so many, right now probably between Frank Ocean or Sam Smith.
Any fun anecdotes from past performances?
Theres been a couple, one time at a festival we lit a Spliff on in between songs then I dropped it while I was doing my thing a guy in the crowd picked it up and let’s just say I didn’t see him again after he proudly took a few puffs I hope he was cool.
Anything else you’d like to let our readers know?
Just hope everyone who hears the music enjoys it thanks for having me. ??
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