Music

Listen to Jon Harris’ “Big” on Spotify »

The debut single release “Big” from New York recording artist, Jon Harris (@officialjholla), from his upcoming album Who Is Jon Harris? captures the motivational essence of the upcoming artist at the beginning of his journey up.

Encapsulating his vision for greatness, Jon Harris drops a manifesto-like vision of big things ahead for him in an anthem-like style. The opening grandeur of a brass section setting up an epic Rocky-like atmosphere, with a beat reminiscent of elements similar to the majestic quality of then-Puff Daddy’s “Victory.” I immediately thought how it’s been a while since I heard a motivational hip hop song, the kind that gives the energy to get through another rep at the gym, the kind that gives that feeling within to push through a state that holds back. This is exactly what Jon Harris’ “Big” does. It’s a motivational hip hop song in what’s become a desert for this style.

That is definitely something unique paying attention to artists right at the beginning of their careers still establishing themselves: the raw hunger for the come up before it becoming satiated and calmed with the money and status that a successful artist encounters.

The production work is a unique pull-away from the maximally compressed and limited loud sounds battling for the top of the volume war food chain today. The bass and drum machine combo takes from an almost late-80s, early-90s electro-dance and hip hop aesthetic, and the brass layering builds intensity throughout the verses toward a major hook climax, the kind of hook made to invigorate the crowd.

The hook of “Big” instantly grabs hold of the brain’s neurons, embedding itself into the memory reserve through a bouncing flow that immediately gives the impression of a stadium full of fans, bopping up and down with their hands in the air, mimicking its every word together with Jon Harris…

I think big, dream big, and I plan big
To make sure everything that I do is big
I try to get the most out of this life that I live
And the only way to do it is to do it big, so what’s up?

The beauty of Jon Harris’ “Big” is in how Jon acts out his desired future state, envisioning his status as an accomplished artist with a dedicated fan following. The song acts as an affirmation. It makes clear what Jon Harris is aiming at, and pieces together a unique ensemble of elements uncommon to the hip hop sounds we’re used to hearing today in order to achieve its motivational impression.

Jon Harris is a Hip Hop recording artist from New York. He grew up in an upper Westchester and start making music with no musical background or formal training. Jon spent his high school career, college career and the years to follow learning all aspects of the music industry until he felt he was ready. On December 14 he released his first official song titled “Big” from Living Life Our Way Entertainment.

Listen to Jon Harris’ “Big” on Spotify »

Follow Jon Harris:

• www.twitter.com/officialjholla
• www.facebook.com/officialjonharrismusic
• www.instagram.com/jonharris119
• www.youtube.com/user/jonharrismusic19
• www.llowentertainment.com
• www.officialjonharrismusic.com

I initially started this blog to sell beats on. I put my very first beats here. Anyone who knows producers knows that the very first beats, while they might show potential, are still very raw in terms of the sound: you’re a beginner, still lacking a lot of knowledge and experience with putting all the parts of the music together. For me, my problem with my first hip hop beats was that, although I understand music a lot, I still lacked an understanding of audio mixing and sound design. I always a much bigger sound than what I could produce.

Here is one of my first beats that I liked more, a trebly boom-bap beat coupled with a Twin Peaks-like synth and monotonic introspective vocals…

I recorded voice for this in my toilet (separate to the bathroom), which was very narrow and high, a sound with a lot of bouncing reverberation.

Since then, I’ve made new beats.

Beats are just one aspect of the complete production, which is not 44faced…

It’s Wystelands.

Wystelands is a complete production of voice and beats that power a message of what the world needs most today: peace, love, unity.

Wystelands is hip hop.

Hip hop was originally created to bridge divides in society, bringing together rival gangs in a spirit of creating a new, positively-connected culture. Instead of the anxiety world of violence, crime and drug abuse, hip hop aimed to elevate music, art, dance, people having fun together.

Now that hip hop has spread across the globe and become the most popular music style, it has also become a commentator of culture. That is, as society has become corrupt and divided, so too have the overriding principles and values of hip hop.

But hip hop, in its essence, is not a commentator on the world. Hip hop, in its essence, is not a passive, negative force that is used only to puppet a competitive self-interest-based value system.

Hip hop in its essence is a creator of a new world.

It is birthed from the unity of rivalries. Hip hop emerged as a creative, unifying force in society.

Therefore, because of its unifying essence, hip hop holds potential to bridge social divides and create a new and improved society.

As the world suffers the consequences—rising fear, anxiety, depression, loneliness, suicide, drug abuse, crime—of becoming increasingly corrupt, exploitative and emotionally detached from each other, hip hop’s roots hold the key to spark a connective impact between those detached nodes in the human network.

Hip hop has the potential to be a major influential force of positive change to a more peaceful, loving and united world.

It can help to raise awareness that it’s better to live peacefully, well connected and be loving to each other, than it is to retreat into our lonely individual worlds, where we try to make the most of it upon a constant gray background. Being emotionally detached from others is like being in a solitary confinement prison. The more we can raise the connected spirit of society, the more we will have happier, more confident and purpose-driven individuals.

That’s what Wystelands is about.

Check out Wystelands:

@Wystelands on SoundCloud

@Wystelands on Twitter

@Wystelands on Genius

WYSTELANDS.com