Recklessly Eclectic: Jacob DeRusha

RE interviews Jacob DeRusha

Jacob is a 20 yr old Hip Hop rapper who's made it his

mission and purpose to give people hope through his music.

This is where my interview with Jacob led.....

RE: So where are you from Jacob?

J: I am from a small village called Corrales. We have like one of everything!

One gas station, one school, one mart & so on.
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RE: Where do you attend school?

J: I go to Loyola in New Orleans to study music industry. After moving out here my eyes were open to so much great music. Since moving out here I have been listening to a lot of Lecrae and Andy Mineo, which I think influence what I put into my music lyrically.

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RE: So what genre would you put your music in?

J: I would say, it’s a mix of Poppy Funk Hip Hop

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RE: How did you get into doing music?

J: Story is I was always freestyling with my buddies just for fun. We were probably awful at the time but we thought we were really good. We would record ourselves on the Imac with the built in mic on garage band, [Jacob laughs] I remember my junior year I heard one of my classmates freestyling and I thought to myself "I could do that...I can do better". I was really quiet and shy at the time so I would just practice on my own, whenever I had the chance to show what I had I remember I would always get really nervous and choke. What changed my perspective was Logic because he was such a positive influence rather than most if not all of the music I listened to at the time.

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RE: When did you first start rapping?

J: I think it was in the 7^th grade, I actually still have the 1^st rap I ever wrote. It’s titled “Jacobio’s First Rap Ever” [he laughs] I remember writing it in class and I got some friends to rap in between my lines.

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RE: Who or what inspires your music?

J: I was cruising around with my cousin and heard “This is how we do” by The Game and 50 Cent, that was the song that got me into Hip Hop.

My influences were Mac Miller, Logic, Eminem & 50 Cent. Nowadays I listen to dudes like Andy Mineo, Lecrae, KJ-52 & NF. Along with some old school stuff for inspiration, like Ray Charles, James Brown and Frank Sinatra

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RE: Where would you like your music to take you?

J: On a small individual scale I want to touch and impact people’s lives. On a large scale I want to impact the culture as a whole and change the way people think. I want to create something timeless and memorable for people to
enjoy and look to for hope.

RE: So in the long run?

J: I would like to start a charity and maybe even a record company, with artists

who wants to change people’s way of thinking and give them hope.

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RE: What about touring?

J: I went on my first tour in the beginning of last summer. I went through Texas on the way to New Mexico and OKC. I also have a tour planned in about 2 weeks, going to Houston on the 18th and San Antonio on the 19th. My mother is always selling my merch at my shows, she's my number one fan. [he laughs]