Who is J Don?
J Don is a hip hop artist from the Eastside of Portland, Oregon. J Don hails from the neighborhood of 112th Ave & Division as he commonly states in his music. I got the opportunity to interview J Don and I was able to get an insight on the experiences, influences, and lifestyle that made him into the man and the artist he is today. I asked him a series of questions and in this article, we’ll be diving into the upbringing, personality, and more about J Don.
Growing up in the Rose City
When it comes to living in the city of Portland it seems that everybody has a different experience, perspective, and understanding of the town. J Don experienced Portland through a lens that most wouldn’t expect when thinking about the “City of Roses.” I asked him how life was growing up in his area and he said “Ghetto. But it was cool, it felt like home. It was all normal to me, I didn’t know anything else.” At seven years old he started getting into trouble and as he got older the trouble started to get more serious. By the time J Don was in middle school he was heavily involved in the life around him, which was the street life.
At the age of 13, J Don made his first song which was recorded on a cassette tape over Zapp & Roger music (If that’s not an old soul, I don’t know what is.) J Don went to David Douglas, Fir Ridge, and Reynolds High School. I asked J Don what kind of a student he was, and he said “To be honest, at first I tried to do the damn thing, but I felt like the school didn’t care so I just did my own shit.” Ultimately, He had to switch schools due to fighting and getting in trouble.
“Got time to give, not time to waste, that’s why the clock in my hood still tick tock away.” J Don – PHG (Ft. Ese Goofs)
Music has always been a key part of J Don’s life. Growing up he was exposed to all kinds of music. His father and uncles dabbled in rapping and his mother used to play all genres of music ranging from punk, jazz, orchestra, and country. J Don said “Music is just a part of me bro, it’s not to look cool for Instagram or anything. It’s a part of my life.” Artists that influenced J Don are Conejo, 2Pac, The Jacka, Mac Dre, and of course local legends such as Maniak Lok, Cool Nutz, and G-ism. I even told him all of those artists perfectly personify his style with elements of all of them sprinkled throughout his discography. J Don also listed Larry June, Curren$y, and Jay Worthy as his top 3 of the new generation. While the influences are evident, J Don is undoubtedly his own artist with a unique sound that’s never been heard before in the Portland music scene.
J Don is a Portland native through and through but he lived in Los Angeles from 2017 to 2018. People in LA didn’t know how to perceive J Don. This unfamiliarity led to a number of arguments and altercations, but they ended in respect and understanding, especially once they heard J Don rap. During this time J Don wanted to get his name out there so he started selling CD’s. He frequently sold tapes in the Slauson-Crenshaw neighborhood outside of the late Nipsey Hussle’s store, The Marathon. One day, J Don sparked Nipsey’s curiosity, so Nipsey walked up to him and asked what he was doing. After explaining he’s an artist trying to get his music some exposure, Nipsey told J Don to bust a freestyle on the spot. Nipsey liked it so in return he spit an unreleased verse for J Don.
J Don is the head of The Cruisers Entertainment (T.C.E) and The Cruisers Clothing. Recently J Don joined forces with Hu$tleHeads Records while still pushing T.C.E. The Hu$tleHeads is a collective of artists such as Pe$$o-LL, DkJayWill, RudeBoyDame, Dami, and of course J Don. Being from the Eastside of Portland, J Don joining forces with Hu$tleHeads helped bridge the gap while having the same mission: Putting Portland on the map while distinguishing themselves from your typical “Portland Rappers.” J Don has his own style that he brings to the table, and he brings a totally new dynamic to the Hu$tleHeads and as a fan I look forward to what will come from that matchup in the future.
J Don is also the founder of Las Rosas Car Club so it’s needless to say he has a passion for cars like no other. His love for old school cars goes back to as far as he can remember. His first old school whip was a Buick Regal, currently he rides around in his Chevrolet Malibu but prior to that he had a Cutlass Supreme.
J Don recently became a father to a baby boy and said he’s been loving every minute of it, which is always a great thing to see and hear. In due time, J Don will be moving to Hawaii and in the future, he plans to connect with the lowrider culture out in Japan. The ultimate goal for him is to be able to continue to make music because the passion he has for it is so strong. He doesn’t care if he “makes it” by industry standards. J Don wants people to know that he’s a cool, authentic, and funny dude. People are often hesitant to approach him but he wants the people to know he’s a people person and is always appreciative of people who support him.
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