Dae Jones is an empowered artist. In 2020 Dae was signed to Island Records then they parted ways. She has since created her own label AhFIRMative and she is releasing her own music. Rolling out spoke to Jones about her challenges and the hyper-sexualization of the industry.
Talk about the moment you knew you wanted to be an artist.
I knew I wanted to be an artist since I was a kid. It was always an escape away from the pain and the trauma that I was dealing with. Singing was the one thing that made me happy.
How was the process of starting your own label? What has been the most challenging aspect of it?
Starting my own label has been exciting. It has been adventurous. It’s also very challenging. I would say my challenges are just having the resources that I need to grow. I’m doing a lot of the footwork on my own, while still remaining an active musician myself. As a new label getting people to see the bigger picture can sometimes be a huge challenge.
What would you say is the responsibility of the artist?
I think the responsibility of the artist is to connect with people, create topics that are relatable. Music usually sets the mood, sets the tone in the room. So our job as artists is to set the tone. We have a really important job.
What has been the most challenging moment of your career?
I would say the most challenging moment of my career is getting the support that I need. When I got my deal I won it, and that was through a contest of which I had to travel outside of my city to win. It took place in LA and I had to bring it home in hopes that my city finds a way to support me. After the win, I started to get some support, but you know all isn’t real support.
What are your thoughts on hyper-sexualization in the industry?
Honestly it doesn’t bother me. As an artist there should be an open platform for us to discuss whatever we want to discuss. However, I dislike the fact that if you are a female rapper and your music or your look isn’t overtly sexually explicit, you don’t get the play that you deserve.
What words do you have for those looking to follow their dreams?
For those looking to follow their dreams, I would say first figure out exactly what you want to do. It’s about understanding what the dream really is and going hard in the paint. Don’t give up. Nothing has a time limit on it. Don’t rush yourself based off of what you see on social media.
Take a listen to Dae Jones music below.
