MITL MAG caught up with J. Mardaei. Read below as we discuss his top favorite rappers, moving to Atlanta, what it's like being an independent artist, how the pandemic affected him, and more!

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Let's hit the ground running. Tell us who are your top 3 favorite rappers?

That's too easy. Rakim, Kendrick, and Eminem. I rock with them hella hard.

Rakim is "Your favorite rapper's favorite rapper.", and an overall rapping beast. Kendrick has amazing versatility and with Eminem, besides Twista, he has an unmatched flow.

We think that you are a "Disruptor" in the rap game. Do you agree with that observation and title?

Wow! Thank you for that. That's cool. I've never been called a disruptor before, but I'll take the title. I can see how you'd make that observation. I'm always thinking of ways to evolve as an artist and rapper. I like to go against that status quo and shake some stuff up. I'm a very curious person and I'm definitely a creative person. I think both; along with other things, are required to be a disruptor.

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“I'm always thinking of ways to evolve as an artist and rapper.”

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How do you like Atlanta?

Atlanta's cool. It's a vibe. The food is good here and it's always something to do. I like it.
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How’s the independent artist life going?

Let's just say the blessing is in the struggle. I mean the thing for me is that, when it's good it's good and when it's bad it's bad but at the end of the day I don't owe anybody anything. I don't have a partner or label that I have to split stuff with. I get full creative control. I get to be the director and producer of my career and that's invaluable.

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What was the pandemic like for you?

It sucked. I'm not even sure if we're out of it. Being home, locked up was not fun but, like everybody else, I made it work. It gave me a chance to work on more music so I can't complain that. I should actually be dropping new music later this year.