Tanya M. Fowlow from HHNLive.com spends some time talking with emcee Jonny Roxx as he talks about his entrance on the music scene, working with artists like Camillionaire and Kardinal, and his soon to be released mixtape “The Bully.”


Tanya M. Fowlow: Alright Mr. Roxx! If I gave you 15 to 30 seconds of radio airtime to do a live announcement about yourself or a prepared “This is Jonny Roxx” commercial what would you say to the listeners to let them know who you are?

Jonny Roxx: I am creativity and innovation in music. I’m raw; I pretty much say what everyone else is not gunna say. Just real all-around relatable music: that’s just what I’m about as far as the music business goes. I would probably tell em’ pick it up, relate to it, sit back, kick to it, jam to it whatever you gotta do!

TMF: So, you’ve got our attention! When and how did you first get involved with music?

JR: I’ve been involved with music pretty much my whole life just ‘cause my family has a musical background. My dad played in band with his brothers and sisters, that’s where I kinda first started recording my stuff with my uncle but it wasn’t really serious. I mean high school you kinda freestyle with your friends and stuff like that and it’s kinda what I got into. From there, about two years ago I started taking it a little bit seriously just from doin’ shows and stuff like that. Music was always in my blood; I just started with it.

TMF: Alright. I was reading that you’ve worked with some pretty big hip-hop names so far. Do you mind listing a few?

JR: As far as opening for artists…I’ve opened for Camillionaire, The Clipse, …umm Canadian – I’ve opened for Kardi, I did mini tour with Choclair, …umm George and I guess that’s about it.

TMF: Who would you like to work with in the future? It doesn’t have to be just local.

JR: I would like to work with Jadakiss or Beanie Segal, artists like that. Just ‘cause…well not necessarily they’re good or they’re upper echelon artists; but as far as lyrically, with their personas, and their stories and their struggles I’d just like to really work with them on a level ‘cause I kinda relate to their music. Not necessarily fully as far as their lifestyle goes ‘cause we do have two different lifestyles but still along the same lines…so workin’ with those artist would be something good. If you wanna talk commercial, I’d definitely like to work with T-Pain or Usher or bring SWV back – sh*t I’d work with them! [Laughing]

TMF: [Laughing] Ok, so I’ve listened to some of your stuff and what you’ve said has given me a bit of a feel for your vibe. Give me three words that you think describe your sound.

JR: Raw. Real. Rude. [Laughing]

TMF: [Laughing] The new 3 R’s! So you’re a fairly new artist and I assume you must be working on getting something out soon…are we going to see full album or do you have something else planned?

JR: Right now we’re workin’ on the free for download mixtape entitled “The Bully” that’s gunna be comin’ out August 1st. It’s gunna be available free for download on pretty much any outlet you can find. You know there’s a lot of people involved with it just tryin’ to get my music out there and just getting’ people to listen to it. The next year we’re plannin’ to work on an album and see what we can do from there.

TMF: Drop some names and share who’s going to be working with you on the mixtape project?

JR: As far as features go I got Rochester on there, I have Kim Davis on there, I have Anaya Hayes on there, I have JD Era on there, Tona, Malicious from Montreal, …umm a little click that I’m workin’ with right now: Ricky Rude and A-Game who are both out of Canada that are doin’ their thing right now and that’s about it as far as features. Producers: there’s Spins, there’s Beat Merchant, mum there’s J-Stafs, there’s Arion who’s the youngest outta Black Market and now he’s doin’ big things – he produced the Love Me record with me and Anaya.

TMF: What topics or themes can we expect to surface on this piece of work?

JR: Anything that relates to my life. I have songs that talk about money and just the way I feel about it or they way I would react if money was taken from me and what not; stuff that describes my situation as far as my case goes, like the case that I had pending last year, situations with friends and family, whatever it is – it’s just me in a nutshell. Jonny Roxx uncut is The Bully! [Laughing]

TMF: [Laughing] Ok bully, for the readers who want to hear some of your stuff right now is there anything out that they can get their hands on? Where or how can they get it?

JR: You can hit me up on my MySpace which is www.myspace.com/jonnyroxmusic and that’s where you can check music out at. Sites you can download from…cancon.com, hiphopcanada.com you’re bound to find some stuff there. If you’re really, really pressed for it Google me! You know Google me on Google – you’ll find a bunch of stuff.

TMF: Ok, so you are coming out of Toronto. If you had the power to change any one thing about hip-hop in your city what would it be and why?

JR: Umm…ahh I would lessen the amount of artists that are out there. I feel like everybody in the city is an artist; whether they’re takin’ it seriously or they’re not takin’ it seriously they’re an artist. When you’re at shows there are people that are there to support you, at the same time they’re an artist as well. The problem we have in Canada is that everyone who’s an artist is too gassed up on themselves to wanna show support. I mean you’ll catch me at any show like a Rochester show or anybody’s show and I’ll be in the front row puttin’ my hands up or whatever the case may be and I’m an artist; I just show support and give respect where respect is due. I feel that if this city had less artists and more supporters we’d have more of a chance on global scale. So…that’s just something I would change.

TMF: Interesting! So in general, share with the readers what’s it’s like to be an emcee from Toronto and paint a bit of a picture of the hip-hop scene you are involved in and the things you have to face. Be it good or bad what’s it like for you in Toronto?

JR: For me in Toronto…well like I said, it’s hard to find that support system. I mean once you have a couple people supportin’ you, a couple people behind you, the rest will follow suit. The obstacles that you do face is just tryin’ to find that space where you’re comfortable with the music you make, you’re comfortable with the stuff you’re playin’ and regardless just hopin’ that people follow it and that people support it.

TMF: Any artists that you don’t like from your city? I mean, it can be on a personal level if you want but are they’re any artists that you feel are just misrepresenting the city or they’re just not doin’ it?

JR: Your question sorta answers itself; if they’re not really doin’ it I don’t really see them – I don’t really know them. As far as any other artists that may be doin’ their thing, I’m not really too concerned with anybody that’s out there and makin’ a fool of themselves or whatever the case may be. I recognize real, and any artist that’s real out there that supports me – I support them…other than that I just kinda have my shades on.

TMF: In addition to yourself, give me five other artists that are doing it from your city.

JR: That are really doin’ it…Drake is one off the top that’s doin’ it right now! I know a lot of things he’s involved in right now. Umm JD Era, definitely, is one on top! Rochester is doin’ it. Kim Davis is doin’ it for sure. Umm and another artist that’s doin’ it, I’d say Kardi – he’s doin’ on a super scale right now. Those are my 5!

TMF: Are these artists your rivals or are they part of your crew?

JR: I respect all of them equally; we’re all fam and we all support each other whether it be at shows or getting features done, so I would just say they’re all good friends.

TMF: Let’s think outside of Toronto. What’s your plan to go beyond Toronto and outside of Canada? How are you going to hit the US and foreign music markets?

JR: My plan right now as an artist is really just to make good music. It took me a while to get to a point where I found myself in the industry and find myself as a rapper. Right now I kinda have my image set on what I want it to be; I know exactly what I want to talk about and what message I wanna get across. From there me and Hudson (my manager) we’re gunna formulate a plan for world domination: take over the States, take over the UK, … take over wherever it has to be!

TMF: Let’s look a bit into the future say about 5 years from now. What are you seeing?

JR: 5 years in the future…ahhhh. I see success…in everything! Whether it be through music or through my real life endeavors I just see success. I know within 5 years I’m gunna attain that.

TMF: Ok, so we’re about to end this thing. You have any shout-outs?

JR: Shout out to anybody who respects my movement – I respect your movement. I’m not gunna start namin’ name or it’s gunna get long for us. Black Market is definitely one of my teams; Get A Gang is my team too – shout out to both of those squads and to everybody in the city doin’ their thing.

TMF: And finally this is your last chance to say anything you want…famous last words if you will…speak! [Laughing]

JR: Support good music! That’s all I’m gunna say!