FRED JONES
Growing up in Newham, Fred Jones has always set his sights on being in the spotlight from early on. After graduating from university, he went on to pursue his modelling and music career, navigating through the trap punk scene, voicing his own personal experiences and realities through his music.
His latest Ep “Wake Up Freddy” sucks you into the world of Fred Jones as he explores spirituality and anthropology whist experimenting and merging his raw Newham grime patterns with cloud rap melodies, playfully arranged on top of heavy-hitting punk, futuristic trap, and nostalgic bedroom pop fusions.
We sat down with the rising artist to chat about lessons learnt in being in the music industry and what else we can expect from him.
Listen to Fred Jones EP below
So How are you today?
I’m great, the suns out, I can’t complain about anything.
You’ve just finished a shoot, how was that?
Those images, too Peng!
Is modelling something you do as well as being an artist?
I’ve been trying to do modelling for about 8 years and only in the last 2 years have I succeeded in that.
What genre is the music you make and where do you get your inspiration from?
I make hip hop music but right now it’s a sub-genre mainly of trap-punk. Its all under the bracket of hip hop.
How have you found being a new upcoming artist during a pandemic and not being able to perform at shows?
It’s like being in boot camp. As an artist in the normal world, you don’t get time to just take a couple weeks off and take in your environment, so I got time to reflect and dive deep into my art. There’re a couple albums.
When is the next release for you?
Summertime! I’ll drop a sick single, a song that everybody will be banging in their speakers. But let’s wait till summer.
In terms of music artists, who would you say your inspirations are?
I’m defiantly inspired by Kanye. I’m defiantly inspired by 50cent, but my top top is Skepta.
What’s one thing you’ve learnt so far being an artist?
It doesn’t matter if the art is good, it doesn’t matter if the songs are bad just keep working, just keep doing your services that’s it.
I know you have a performance later today, how are you feeling about that? Does it feel good to get back into the groove of things after a year of not being able to do much?
In general, yeah. I thrive off of people’s energy so being away from that just meant that I had to build up my own energy this time, I had to entertain myself. I get bored very easily so going back to being out is just sick. It’s been good just tip toeing back into the world opening again, just seeing people to have conversations, to dance and laugh and smile with people again is sick.
What can people expect from you for the rest of the year?
Another tape, more videos, some clothes because I’m freddy2swaggy. I even hope to do a short film soon, people will see the other side of what I am and what I came to do.
What one of the best advice you’ve heard or given that has stuck with you throughout your life?
Nobody lives your life, when you go to sleep and close your eyes you are by yourself. Do you!
