Cornelus Postell
If you’re a fan of lyrical talent meeting fresh beats, “Who is Jean D’eau” is the debut album you need to listen to. Hailing from Atlanta, GA, Jean D’eau has been recently tearing up the music circuit. “By the Code” and “Don’t Ask D’eau” are two singles that are quickly propelling his music to high demand. In fact, MyMixtapez.com received over 20,000 hits the first week the album was released on the site.
“Who is Jean D’eau” is a collection of tracks featuring fellow label mate Ralo, Swift, Louieyski, and Daytona. The production was done courtesy of The Colleagues, 808 Mafia, Ace Taylor, Track Makaz Beatz, YB, & Whiteboy. Yet the stories within the beats are unique. Maybe it’s because he was influenced at an early age by fellow Atlanta artists Outkast and Goodie Mobb; and later gravitated towards listening to Tupac, Biggie, and Jay-Z.
When asked about his future goals, he responded, “I want to be in a conversation where people are arguing and debating about who’s the best rapper, Top 5 Dead or Alive and all that.” In addition, he’s also looking to speak to younger kids about avoiding the mistakes he’s made earlier in his life. Fever Magazine’s writer, Cornelus Postell, recently sat down with Jean D’eau for this exclusive interview.
What was life like in Atlanta growing up while you were young?
There were four of us. We moved around a lot when I was younger on the east side of Atlanta. I always did good in school. In middle school, I was in the streets more doing stuff I ain’t had no business doing. Freshman year in high school, I got caught with a weapon at school and got expelled. I got sent to alternative school, got in trouble and ended up going to night school. In my sophomore year, I ended up doing ten years in the big boy school.
In your words, can you describe your unique sound and style?
I best categorize my style and sound as real rap. It’s real authentic subject matter. I’m real lyrical. I grew up in the real hip hop era where you had to know how to rap to actually be successful. Some people say I sound like T.I. I can understand that because we both from Atlanta. So, the slang is basically the same. The areas where we grew up in is almost the same. I do harmonies and stuff like Drake. I’m kinda well-rounded. I pretty much got a song for everybody.
Tell us more about the making of your debut album, Who Is Jean D’eau.
That’s my baby. My recording process was four years long. I didn’t want to release any music until I was properly equipped to put it back the right way. I wanted to make sure I had the budget for marketing and promotion and have a quality sound… and just put my best foot forward since it was basically my introduction to the game.
Tell us more about the subject matters you choose for your songs. Are they based upon the experiences you’ve encountered while you were incarcerated?
I kinda keep my music tailored towards what I actually lived or been through. Everything I talk about on my music is real life. Even if it might not be my actual life, it’s a storyline based on those experiences.
For example, 1158011 talks about how I just want to make my momma proud. I went to prison at a young age and kind of disappointed my mom growing up. I just wanted to show her that I [could] be successful without reentering the criminal element.
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Currently, Jean D’eau is on tour promoting his album alongside fellow labelmate Ralo. You can learn more about Jean by visiting his website at www.whoisjeandeau.com. You can also connect with him on Twitter @iamjeandeau, on Instagram @famerica_jeandeau, and on YouTube at JeanDeauTV. For booking considerations, he can be reached at Jeandeaubooking@gmail.com.
