Behind The Artists With OHJD

Welcome to episode #1 of “Behind The Artist”. A brand new article-based series we’ve launched to get a deeper look into the inner world of our talented artists. Today we dive into the world of OHJD, a long-time Musicspace user, and someone with incredible potential. We hope you enjoy his story!

1. What’s your name and where are you from?

My name is John but everybody calls me JD. And I’m from Deltona, Florida. Which is central Florida.

2. What’s your backstory and why did you start making music?

So I was born at the Deland hospital and I’ve lived in Deltona my whole life. I’ve moved around quite a bit throughout my childhood. There are three sides to Deltona, and I’ve live on each side multiple times. I have one sibling and that’s my older brother Devin, we’re about 3 years apart.

Growing up I was a really quiet kid. I was super shy. Not the best in school. I made it all the way to 10th grade but then after failing it 3 times I dropped out and just got my GED. I even got a couple of college credits but I dropped out there too. School just wasn’t for me. I knew I wanted to rap and I knew I wanted to be my own boss so I just went against the odds and started rapping. I taught myself as much as I could. From mixing and mastering to editing music videos and many many other things.

I drowned myself in the music. Now, mind you this all began in 2014 when I started to rap at my homies crib, by 2016 I set up my own home studio and started a whole new journey. It’s way different once you’re alone in the studio haha. That same year my daughter was born and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect, because two months before I found out about her I had landed a full-time job paying like $13 an hour. So from that year on I’ve been grinding It out just living and learning trying to make the best out of what life presents me. Until this day, I remind myself not to stress over things I can’t control and just make the best music I can make and have fun with it. Music is supposed to heal and inspire. Not stress you out and confuse you. That’s the reason I make music.

3. Which musician is your biggest inspiration and why?

Normally I would say J. Cole but this time ima say Russ & Nipsey. The reason I chose two is that they both preach very important topics on owning the rights to your music and how important it is to build a brand. Both have a very strong work ethic, team, and message. Plus the music is fire!! Haha

4. What’s one failure/Struggle you’ve dealt with in your life and how did you get through it?

A struggle I’ve had with myself over the years is finding balance. The only way I have found to overcome this is by doing the best I can. Recognizing that no human is perfect and you are going to make mistakes along the way. Sometimes your priorities can get fucked up and you have to snap yourself back by addressing your actions and taking accountability. It’s all about growth in the end. If you’re anything like me then your life is hectic and all over there place at times but it’s all apart of the game. My life is supposed to be crazy because what I’m doing is crazy and unheard of from my town!

5. What keeps you going even when times are tough?

What keeps me going is my daughter. I have to help her grow as a person and make sure she is healthy so she’s a living reminder that I cannot give up.

6. What’s something (big or small) that you’ve achieved so far that you’re proud of?

One thing I remember telling myself back in like 2016 was that I can’t wait to have my own catalog of songs on iTunes. Now I can load up any streaming platform and find 30+ songs of myself, which I feel is super dope. My 18-year-old self would be proud.

7. What advice would you give to artists looking to start or build their careers?

I would tell them to trust their gut. Be prepared to grind it out for nights on end. Don’t take the easy route by any means, put in the work and time and I promise results will show. You need to have a good work ethic going so build a little bedroom studio and learn as much as you can about the process to make music, and get to creating. Another big thing is to remain a student, keep learning, and keep an open mind. Other than that just have fun and enjoy the journey.

8. Where do you produce your music and what equipment is your GO-TO for music production?

All of my music is created out of my bedroom studio. I have one producer I work with very closely for the most part but I’ll work with anyone as long as its natural, I never force anything. I try my best to keep my production within my network and so far 100% of my catalog is produced by myself, or people I grew up with within my city. All mixing and mastering is done by myself. My go-to equipment is my Rode-NT2A Condenser microphone that powers through my Apollo Twin interface into my MacBook Pro. The bread and butter to this setup is honestly my Apollo, that thing changed everything for me.

9. What DAW do you use?

Currently, I use Logic to record vocals and FL Studio for making beats.

10. What does the future look like for OHJD? What’s your 5-10 year goal?

I’ll be on a big piece of land somewhere in Florida with a beautiful mansion living lavishly with my family. Haha but really I just want to enjoy life. Traveling, learning, Investing, and owning my time. I want to be doing what I love for a living and spending as much time as I can with my kids.

11. A note to your future self (an affirmation or statement that you want to manifest).

Keep doing what you’re doing man. You’re on the right track just stay focused, stay patient, and don’t forget to celebrate your accomplishments. Keep living in the moment and making memories. Love yourself and keep loving the people who are there for you.

12. Where can we find you online?

I’m on all music streaming platforms and It’s very easy to find me. Just type these four letters… OHJD. Here’s the link for all my recent content!
Find Me Here