5 Life Lessons From A Grammy Award-Winning Hip-Hop Legend

What does Dr. Dre, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, and ScHoolboy Q Have in Common? The answer is Dem Jointz.

While the 2019 Grammy-winner’s name may not have been in your top three responses to that question, it really, really should have been. Jointz does not often seek out the spotlight, but when the spotlight inevitably seeks out him, he brings a refreshing and optimistic perspective to the genre’s narrative. Our interview was no exception.

Dem Jointz, born Dwayne Abernathy Jr., is a musician and producer who, growing up surrounded by the violence in Compton, CA, was pushed to pursue his love for music and began his career working with local artists. When one of those artists, Candice Pillay, was picked up by Grammy-winning producer Bangladesh, Dem Jointz was catapulted to the forefront of the Atlanta-based producer’s radar as well.

Dem signed with Bangladesh in 2010, which launched a career that has accrued over forty writing and producing credits and has earned him four Grammys, including the most recent one for his contribution to Anderson Paak’s Bubblin’ which won ‘Best Rap Performance’ in 2019.

In my interview with Dem, I strove to uncover the philosophy behind the simultaneously underground, yet highly mainstream, musical icon. How, despite all odds, did he rise up from working a retail position at AT&T to becoming a critically acclaimed hip-hop legend?

Taking The Leap of Faith Over Making Rent

Chris: Looking back, do you think to make the decision to focus on practicality and “paying the bills”—like you said in your Billboard interview—is one you would make again? Is that advice that you would give to other budding artists?

Dem: Making an honest living doing what you love is definitely a blessing but striving to become a greater force to empower others to achieve their goals through resources and opportunities you've provided, allowing them to pass on the torch, that’s even better! That's my updated advice to a building artist.

Dealing With New Trends in Art & Staying True to Yourself

Chris: What do you think the balance is, or should be, between an artist staying true to him or herself and wanting to appeal to some external standard (may that be from a label, the current trends, etc.)

Dem: You'd always want to be fair and open to ideas especially when it's coming from your teammates in efforts to make you greater. It's just common courtesy and sportsmanship. But you’re not religiously obligated. Creativity has no rules. Be open but at the end of the day do what feels right to you and your brand.

The Lifelong Learner & The Road to Success

Chris: What do you think are some of the things that have made your collaborations with the wide array of artists you’ve worked with so successful?

Dem: Being open and available to learn. You'd be surprised how many great ideas are out there or potentially epic ones [that could become that] with help from collaboration.

Our Collective Fixation on Lifestyle & Status Over Talent

Chris: What have you found to be the most surprising challenges and aspects of not only being a part of the music industry but being in it at the level that you are? How have you seen those challenges/aspects change through your career?

Dem: One of the most surprising and challenging aspects I'm experiencing is the idea of an artist's displayed lifestyle, and status receiving more spotlight then the talent and product. Then I also see it getting back to the talent, skill, and, music.

Finding Your Place in The Future of Hip Hop

Chris: Where do you see the future of both hip hop as a genre going? Where do you see your place in that future?

Dem: The hip-hop genre is evolving into so many new facets of styles and ideas. I want to see more collaborations and resources for producers, like what Forbes8 is doing for entrepreneurs. They have a show called Rap Mentors which gives people that are new to the industry the insight they need.

Personally, I see myself embracing all these new ideas and mixing them with my own to help push The Culture forward. I’m looking forward to what’s to come.

Final Thoughts

After our interview, Dem, I can confidently say that I’m looking forward to that too. Dem Jointz is a musician-producer-superstar and visionary who has definitively cemented his place in the Hip-Hop & Rap world by concerning himself not with celebrity, but with helping—not status, but being true to his art.

In this world ridden with Instagram models, the deification of the rich and famous, otherwise known as stars--celestial bodies we once deemed gods--reality television and so much more, we need more of Dem Jointz. Those people who care less about name recognition and much more about ensuring their craft is perfected and helping those they can along their way.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.