Just Will is a cool ass kat! We started to chat here and there as Twitter homies. I just vibe well with the creative people. Silly Willy … as I like to refer to him is on his way up. I appreciate the go getters, because nothing is gonna just fall in your lap, so make moves on your own behalf. Just Will is one of those respected people, watch out for him …

Just Will’s Bio:

William Heard AKA “Just Will” 26 began writing and recording songs at an early age. By the time Heard was 16 had had already written, recorded, and performed at a number of local spots in town. Upon completing high school, Heard began to take his craft more seriously. After multiple failed group ventures, Just Will along with John Dough started the independent company Get Fresh Entertainment. Just Will began writing his debut album in the summer of 2004 while working with Christian Hip Hop label Frontline Records. Heard learned the music industry’s ins and outs through friend and mentor Amp Hutchins. “He really showed me how shady this music industry is. He really opened my eyes to a lot through his experience as a signed recording artists. This places me in a unique position not to make the same mistakes.” Known for his personal lyrics and unique fashion sense, Just Will has been quietly creating a buzz in northeast Florida, and plans to finally release his EP entitled “Dope. Boy. Daylight”. “This project …” – he explains, “… is a mixture of things. The “DOPE” symbolizes being dope period, the “BOY” represents growth (musically, artistically, and spiritually), while “DAYLIGHT” symbolizes the future and opportunity. The project will encompass all that’s occurred between when I started writing “Nothing More Nothing Less,” which is my full album (till now). It’s an obvious play on the whole from the south Dope Boy thing too.

Lainie: Who is the most influential music artist to you?
JW: My most influential artist, as cliché as it sounds would have to be Jay-Z. From the business to the emceeing, I feel like he has embodied what every emcee aspires to be. I was also influenced by a lot of NY Hip-Hop from the mid to late 90s, such as Wu-Tang, Black Moon, Mob Deep, etc.

Lainie: Where are you from and do you plan on staying there?
JW: I am originally from Jacksonville, FL aka DUVAL COUNTY! I’ve been here all my life. I’m planning to move to a major city within this year, either LA, ATL, or maybe even Seattle (P Smoov what up)?!

Lainie: East or West Coast music?
JW: ALL COAST MUSIC!

Lainie: How did you get into the music industry?
JW: I’ve been writing/recording songs since I was about 16-17 years old. It all started with the Southside Mafia (haha) – a group started by some neighborhood kids when I was in middle school. At the time everyone in the neighborhood wanted to rap, and as one of the founders of the group I kept a notebook, and I let everyone hold it between classes to submit their entry verses to be in the SSM. I remember we had that notebook, everyone had a page w/ a rhyme on it anxiously wanting to it be read and approved haha. About 2 months after everyone got over being a “rapper” I found it was something I was naturally good at, and I kept doing it.

Lainie: What genre of music would be torture for you to listen to for an hour?
JW: I know this sounds like the PC answer, but I enjoy all forms of music. I don’t think there is one genre that I can’t listen to. With that said, Hip Hop is actually my least favorite.

Lainie: Is there any type of music that you don’t appreciate?
JW: I enjoy all music and I appreciate where it comes from, and the cultures it derives from. Music is an expression of an individual(s), and I appreciate all forms of expression through all media or mediums.

Lainie: Where do you see the music Industry going?
JW: Well, I’m not exactly sure. I can’t tell you this though, the “industry” is going to go wherever the quickest buck is. The artists … well, that solely depends on each artist.

Lainie: What are you doing that is different than other artists trying to make it?
JW: Honestly, it’s not that I’m doing anything different … I simply am different. I don’t mean that in some stuck up artsy way, I mean … Just Will is just that … Will. The same dude through and through and my experiences, thoughts, ideas, likes, and dislikes, are all unique to me. Music is our audio fingerprint, so although some may be similar, we are all truly unique and we all have voices and different things to say or different ways to say the same things. If rappers realized that they themselves are the “difference” and they nurture that, and channel that into their songs, I think the diversity of Hip-Hop would benefit greatly. People are often times too insecure to just, as Common put it, “Be”. That’s what makes me different. Aside from the rap shit, I’m just me, and no one is like “me”.

Lainie: We are in a digital age now, how will an artist make any money off sales?
JW: Artists will continue to make money off live performances. We have seemingly lost that concept of “MC’ing” as in move the crowd. I’m getting back to making my live show, something people cant wait to see, something they cant get from the CD. I think the more people put into giving people a show, an experience, an event, the more money we’ll make off said shows. The rest will take care of itself.

Lainie: Do you have any regular gigs going on?
JW: Yes and No. I may have a month where I’m booked every weekend, and through out the weeks, then I have months where I’m just in the studio working. It really depends.

Lainie: Describe your fans to us?
JW: My fans? They range from dope boys, anime nerds, hipsters, prepsters, hopsters, mobsters, gob stoppers … haha I have the flyest fans in the world and some of the most diverse. It amazes me every day I log into Myspace or Twitter, or whatever social networking tool, and see the different people who genuinely dig my music. It’s a truly humbling and motivating experience. My fans are typically people who enjoy sincere, genuine, and honest music.

Lainie: What do you think of AutoTune? Overused? Or not used right?
JW: It all depends man. When I wrote “Day Glo” I wrote it normal, then in the studio w/ Illdot, I was like “Man, I’m going to do auto tune” just because I felt like it. Everyone laughed, but it came out pretty cool. The whack part is I recorded that song shortly before I even knew Kanye was doing his 808 project, so I KNEW when I released the song, I’d get that “Ah man, you’re biting,” or “Ah man, you sound like Ye,” which is cool, because dude is in my opinion brilliant, but the feed back I’ve gotten from that song has been overwhelming, so auto tune is cool with me. I’d use it again, who cares? Haha!

Lainie: Has rap music replaced rock music?
JW: It’s replaced it as one of the youngest forms of musical expression. It’s replaced it in the sense that it sells out huge arenas all over the planet. It’s the one genre of music everyone likes, wants to be like, dresses like, talks like, and acts like. Versus back in the day, even when rap was just poppin off, you had rappers in the tights/boots/beads in their hair, looking like funky rock stars and such. Now we’re the rock stars.

Lainie: What’s your opinion on Sampled music?
JW: Sampled music is dope. It’s my favorite actually. I think it has to do with wanting to be a part of something timeless and classic, or putting your own spin on a classic.

Lainie: Would you rather be true to your art and originality, or sell out to get on the radio and make money?
JW: I like to fit right between that “?” and the “O” haha. Honestly, by being who I am, and staying true to who I am, and living it, rather than trying to live up to a rep, or a “rap name” I have no choice but to do both and succeed. Meaning, I’m true to my art, because Just Will is my true self, but I feel I also appeal to a wide variety of people who cant “rap” but want to hear their thoughts/opinions/ideas expressed, so they’ll support me, and I’ll make the monnnaaay … haha!

Lainie: Underground or mainstream?
JW: How about, understream?

JW: Be sure to visit me @ http://www.myspace.com/justwillrules, http://www.twitter.com/itsjustwill, http://youtube.com/itsjustwill join me, follow me, add me, all that good stuff!! Shout out Lainie @ Sociallyit.com!! The Freshmen! And the whole Freshidence!