The Journey of Jaeo DraftPick: ‘Nice Try Wrong Guy’ | HHV On The Rise News

By Minnee |

Nov 2, 2023

Jaeo DraftPick is not afraid to be different. His music is a combination of hip hop, R&B, and pop, which makes him stand out in the music industry. But how did he get to where he is right now? From his humble beginnings to his latest project Nice Try Wrong Guy, the trailblazing talent is leaving his legacy for us all to witness!

Jaeo DraftPick’s interest in music began when his mother bought him a karaoke machine. Although he started by just fooling around with it, he soon realized that music was his passion and began pursuing it. Especially following a high school trip with his music class to visit Violator Records, he started taking music more seriously. This trip opened his eyes to the possibilities of the music industry, and he knew that he wanted to be a part of it! Through his trailblazing career, Jaeo DraftPick seeks to take life experiences or things that people can relate to when creating his trendy tracks. In doing so, he always tries to have a message within his music, which makes his music not only uplifting but also timeless.

Nonetheless, his latest project, Nice Try Wrong Guy, is a combination of his life in the last couple of years. The album’s apparent message is of that feeling of “yep, try that again with somebody else’s time”. From his own relationships to seeing how other people navigate relationships, all of these experiences assisted Jaeo tremendously in the creative process of the album. Overall, the project’s success has cemented his place in the industry! In addition to getting him and fans geared up for his raved release regarding a new project in 2024. High off the hype of his highlighted hits, Hip-HopVibe.com had the opportunity to chop it up with the rising rhymer and trendy talent! Check out our conversation below! Also, be sure to add his latest offerings to your preferred DSP. Lastly, let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Jaeo DraftPick drops in to chat with Hip-HopVibe.com

Hey Jaeo Draftpick! Happy November! How are you? Let’s get into all things Jaeo, your artistry, and more! Bringing it back to the beginning, who is Jaeo Draftpick and where did it all begin?

Jaeo Draftpick is a fan of hip hop, like, I would hope most artists are. It kind of all started because I always liked music. Whether it was different kinds of music from Michael Jackson, you know, my parents had me listening to different music, you know, older kind of music. As you know, my brother kind of introduced me to hip-hop and things like that, you know, Wu Tang Biggie, Nas, Jay Z, early Camron, and Mobb Deep. I mean, all that, you know, 90s, nostalgic, music. But as far as me, I think it was about maybe high school that I took an interest in music, when we took class trips in my music class to places like Violated Records. And I got to meet Chris Lightning, who I didn’t even know at the time would be the person that he was when he passed away. So just from that conversation, I knew I wanted to do something in music. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make music, but it wasn’t till later on, after high school. I knew Mims that had “This Is Why I’m Hot”. He’s a couple years older than me, he might have left high school when I got in there. But you know, to see him kind of come to his own, somebody that I knew, I’m like, this is something that’s real tangible. Something that you know, I could achieve.

So, I used to be in a group called “Draft Picks”. And we used to tour with him in New York, Connecticut runs all through Long Island. That was like the MySpace era. And then, you know, as you get older, the person I was in a group with said he didn’t want to do music anymore. So that’s where the Jaeo DraftPick came from. Everybody always calls me Jaeo, so we just kept the DraftPick, and kind of kept that. But yeah, you know, running around the city doing showcases and all that. And it wasn’t till 2017 I got to deal with Tommy Boy. I had a song called 51631 like the merch we got on right now, chains and all of that. That song kind of took off in Long Island. It was a Long Island song from where I’m from in Long Island. Nassau is the area I’m from, 516, 631 is Suffolk County. Those are the two counties that Long Island is made up of. So I kind of put both of the area codes together. One ends with a 6, the other starts with a 6. That’s where we get the 51631 from. So since 2017 it’s been a long journey, from doing the group thing to doing this by myself with parties and showcases so that’s, you know, that’s where we are right now and I’m excited.

I love to hear that, congratulations! Because you’ve been moving and like you said it’s not easy to come from being with a group to then going solo. So with that being said, since we touched on that, how would you say that transition has been for you and how are you handling it?

Oh, it was the toughest part because you know, what we were accustomed to. I mean, at that point, at that time, we were making music where the songs were a lot longer than they are now. A lot of songs are super short now. You know, so I’m used to making a song with three verses, three hooks. But now by myself and not in the group so I had to pick up a lot of that slack. It kind of started just doing a bunch of freestyles, but it was a tough transition. But now you know, with the songs – I don’t even remember the last time I heard a four minute song. So thankfully now it kind of worked out in my favor.

The Artistry

What’s your creative process like? Could you walk us through a studio session with you?

Well I gotta definitely stop at the store get you know my lil papers you know, I’m saying my fonto. You know, we already got the loud. I just like a couple snacks. I mean sometimes I’ll buy a bunch of shit for the studio but probably won’t even eat it. I just like to have it there. I’ll get that, but I probably won’t smoke until I get into it. Because even depending on what type of song it is, I might have to save my voice for a melody or something like that. So I try not to smoke a lot in the studio as much as one would think. Maybe I’ll have a cameraman in it, but I’m not one of those people that I like a lot of people in my session. I like peace and I like it mellow for the most part.

But I’ll vibe out. I usually have an idea of what I’m going to do in the studio. It’s not like iight let’s just pick through beats, I like to take my time and use it wisely. I know what I’m coming to the studio to do and to lay it down. That’s one of the main reasons why I’m building my studio. Because I sit in the studio maybe like 10 hours and might only have you know four songs out of that 10 hours just because I like to take my time.

As a rapidly rising rhymer, who would you credit as your musical influences?

Honestly, I guess it would have to be Jay Z, like, you know, you get the J o from Jay Z, and like the play on that. I’m inspired by how he came into the game, being the only one really doing it kind of, in a sense his way, obviously. The world kind of shaped and shifted for him, like New York. Of course there’s Biggie, he’s pretty much the next one. Him and NAS had their own little things. Jay always, you know, he had the clothes Yeah, the liquor, he kind of sold that lifestyle. He’s probably one of the first rappers to kind of sell that lifestyle. And you know, somebody that’s actually doing it, you know, rather than somebody that’s just talking about it.

I just always contributed that even getting in, you know, involved with liquor brands and sponsorship with Long Island Iced Tea and other sponsorships I had. And creating my own business, you know, wanting to get my own label and things like that. So, putting other artists on. Even though that’s always a tough deal trying to put other people to where you are, and you’re at. That always could kind of create issues sometimes. That’s the life of an entrepreneurial rapper lol.

As we celebrate 50 years of Hip-Hop, who are your Top 5 DOA?

Top Five dead or alive? Oh, I mean, definitely Jay Z’s in there. Um, I would definitely put Drake. I like Drake. I like what he’s done ever since he’s kind of came into the game on. Um, damn put me on the spot. lol Top five J Drake. I mean, we’ll throw Cam in there. Biggie. And you know what I’ll say? I would say Nas. “If I Rule The World” was probably one of the first records I remember fully memorizing. So i’d say Jay, Drake, Biggie, Nas, and Cam. I mean, I could go so many different directions. I feel like I’m shitting on some West Coast artists like Snoop, Dre. I mean, even though Dre is more of a producer, but you know. There’s a couple. But 5 was hard. But that was my 5.

Many may not know but you’re working on a record label… could you tell us more about it?

Well, my record label 51631, that’s just the company I have now. Tentatively, I don’t know if that’ll actually be the name. Maybe it’d be something along that. But yes, you know, me, even my relatives, everybody that’s younger than me in my family – all of them rap. If it’s not my son, my nephew, my cousins, their cousins, like all of them are rappers lol. I also know that music changes, and somebody might have something that I might not have. But also signing artists is tough though, because most people want that instant gratification. A lot of people are not really willing to work for it, but it’s definitely something we’ve been talking about forever. I think maybe once a quarter, I’ll probably use all my socials, telling people to let me know of what artists are hot that I’m looking to sign, but I just get overwhelmed looking at 50,000 messages whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or whatever.

So, yeah, that’s usually the tough part, but the label we are hoping to open and put together 2024. We already have artists that we work with, not per se signed. But you know, artists that I work with, but I want it to make sense if I’m going to be taking my time to work with somebody like that, to use my resources and things. I’ve accumulated a lot of resources that I feel like I can always help myself with, but now I’m in a position to help others, if that makes sense.

For those who are getting familiar with you and your music, which released record of yours would you tell them to press play on to get a better understanding of you as an artist?

Yeah, I’d like to say where we are right now might be tricky because a lot of records and even the last few projects that I produced, that’s probably not the Jaeo DraftPick sound. It’s just the sound of right now. Even though I feel like I’ve always been a singer type, upbeat type rapper. But, I’d say honestly, it would be “51631”. Like if I had to put them on to one.I would say “Oxtail Gravy” too but that’s only like one verse because somebody else is on it. So it wouldn’t be the song I would say like this is me as an artist, even though “51631” has someone on it as well, but that one for sure. Because it’s just me. It’s Long Island – it’s Jaeo. In the versus, everything I say that’s who I am

Additionally, which release of yours is a personal favorite and why?

You know what? One of my favorite records that’s probably like, six years old, is called “To the Left”. The only reason that hasn’t been released yet, is because there was an issue with the producers. We were trying to find the right beat to get that out. But I’d say that one would be an unreleased one, but a released song that is my favorite… This is kind of tough. Something that when I hit it I get hype, will be “Same Gang”. That was a song we put out with Tommy Boy. It’s probably one of my favorites because that’s an old one, but that’s still a goodie. I hear that and I definitely get turned up. And another song called “BMW” which was one of the oldest songs. That was one of my first records that was actually released on YouTube. It was like a freestyle beat. That’s kind of what got me poppin. I used to perform at a bunch of clubs and that record was just a vibe every time. And I think now honestly, that song would still be lit if it came out today. Word, “BMW” you got to check that out, it’s on YouTube.

Maintaining momentum in music, as we close out 2023, what’s next for Jaeo?

We’re definitely dropping two songs before the year is out! I’m not sure it was gonna be “All I Know” first or “Addiction”. That I’m just waiting on. And 2024, I just signed a contract to perform again at the in Long Island with the Brooklyn Nets in January. I’m gonna be doing the halftime. I did it last year and I just did the opening performance for the New York Liberty at the Barclays. But this year, I’m definitely dropping another two projects for sure. The Brooklyn Nets, we’re in talk to do something with them, whether it be to opening or halftime performance. It’s just really performances this year. That’s what I’m really trying to focus on.

In addition to putting out a lot more music. I think I took a lot of time to make the project just because for the most part, we were just dropping singles every month. So I wanted to just give people a body of work. But now we’re gonna get crazy. Like I said, we’re gonna throw out two more tracks, probably both of them would be on a newer project that we’re dropping in 2024. But definitely, at minimum, you know, two projects, but I’d like to say at least four projects in the year. Probably like two EPs and two albums.

Lastly, is there a message that you’d like to leave with fans?

I always tell people, man, you know, time has a funny way of working. Just make sure you never stop working. That’s it. Never give up. Never get discouraged. Never let your losses be so bad that it makes you want to stop doing what you’re doing. Just use your losses and make wins out of the losses. That’s it, never give up. Resilience.

CONNECT WITH JAEO DRAFTPICK ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram | Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube

The Journey of Jaeo DraftPick: ‘Nice Try Wrong Guy’ | HHV On The Rise News