Bronx-born producer Jamz Turn Me Up has been creating fire beats for some of rap’s heavy hitters, old and new, including Jim Jones, Tee Grizzley, Juice WRLD, Busta Rhymes, Lil Durk, and more. Additionally, he’s also working the Sie7tr3 crew and rappers Chucky73 and Fetti031 to develop and redefine the NYC drill scene and Latin trap on Chucky and Fetti’s recently released Sie7tr3 EP.
We recently caught up with Jamz to talk about big studios versus smaller studios, working harder than anyone else, and what the Bronx still means to hip-hop for the latest installment of That’s 5.
The following interview has been lightly edited.
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What influences you?
Jamz Turn Me Up
Poverty influences me. It makes me feel like I could make a change and show my people around me a different way of living, a different lifestyle, different from feeling like you’ll always be stuck in poverty. Poverty motivates me to work harder.
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What’s the most overrated?
Jamz
Big, expensive studios are overrated. We can do the same things, make the same quality music, in a small studio with a nice, dope set up. I still love Big studios, don’t get me wrong. I’m just saying for up-and-coming artists and producers that can’t afford those types of studios, and you can still do the same thing in a small studio that has good equipment.
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What’s the most underrated?
Jamz
Small studios are underrated [laughs]. We should give most of these studios a chance, the small studios. If the studio is cool, has a cool set up, and cool equipment, it’s cool with me.
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What are you most excited about right now?
Jamz
I’m excited right now because “Dili,” “Colombiana,” and “Kili” (tracks off of the Sie7tr3 EP) are turning up. Everyone loves those records. Chucky and Fetti have been on fire in the booth, and everyone is hearing that now, too.
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What’s next for you?
Jamz
I’m still working hard; Every day I’m in the studio working. I have more music produced by me coming out real soon: A Boogie dropping; Jay Critch dropping; I also have a new single with Stunna 4 Vegas dropping, too. We’re working on Chucky’s new album right now, it’s almost done, and he’s in the studio focused. I’m also working with a new artist, Salim; He has a great voice, and I know people are going to love this kid. He just dropped his first song ever with a music video, and it’s already doing great.
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Bonus question: What should people know about Bronx and hip-hop that they might not already know?
Jamz
They should know that Jamz Turn Me Up coming out the south Bronx!
