Photo: J. Lock
J. Lock has been on go mode for the past year and he refuses to fall off.
The Atlanta-based artist fueled his momentum when he shared the visuals for his latest song "Why Me? Part 2" featuring Domani and Ryan Trey. In the video directed by Jacob Rink, all three artists spend some quality time with some gorgeous models.
"Shooting the Why Me video was the dopest experience," Lock tells iHeartRadio. "This was one of the tracks I looking forward to bringing to life. We was like 'how could we go with this and compliment the song more? That's when Jacob came in. Shout out to Jacob. He did his thing."
When we caught up with the 21-year-old rapper, he had just returned from the BET Awards 2024. During his time in L.A., the rising rapper stood in circles with podcasters Gillie da King and Wallo, chopped it up with Tank, and connected with newer artists like Ray Vaughn and Honey Bxby. While he enjoyed linking up with fresh acts like 4batz and Skilla Baby, his stand-out moment was soaking up some knowledge from LL COOL J.
"It was dope meeting him because he made one of the first lyrics I learned by heart from 'I Need Love,'" Lock told iHeartRadio. "It was a pleasure meeting him and everything. Just listening to him and actually meeting him in person... It was dope."
J. Lock's passion for music took over when he started recording himself at 14. Four years later, the rapper, born Jayden Lockett, started dropping music professionally under the independent label Stoner Road Music Empire. In 2023, J. Lock was signed to a management deal with Russell "Block" Spencer's Block Entertainment and debuted his collaboration with Finesse2x "Money." The song was the lead single for his debut project Lock In featuring his collaboration with T.I.'s son "Why Me?" Earlier this year, Lock followed up with his recent EP Anything, which contains four new songs including a new version of "Why Me?"
"We wanted something for the ladies," Lock said. "That's what that whole project was about. Even 'Why Me Pt. 2,' which is the lead song, we wanted something for the girls to vibe, to ride to, just feel confident and everything. The music video was a spontaneous night. That was a dope visual."
Watch the official music video for "Why Me? Part 2" and catch our full conversation with J. Lock below.
iHR: I've been following your movements for while now and you've been booked and busy. How does it feel to have come this far in your career?
J. Lock: Man, I feel like it's just I got to go even harder, grind even harder to reach more just to see the process. I don't look at what I've done, but I appreciate it. I'm grateful, but there's always more and that's what I'm trying to get. I'm trying to get more.
Well you've surrounded yourself with a lot of dope people and you've been making smart moves lately. You were just at the BET Awards. Talk about your BET Experience. What was it like for you out there?
The BET experience, it was dope. I got to meet a lot of great people. Shout out Wallo and Gillie, LL Cool J and Tank. I got chance to meet J Valentine. A lot of upcoming artists, like 4Batz, Skilla Baby, and we chopped it up.
Y'all are the new generation. You gotta get to know those people because those are the people you're going to be coming up with. You all have entered this space at around the same time and you're blowing up at the same time, which is something y'all got to remember in the future. You never know. Y'all could collaborate one day. You also said you met LL COOL J. How do you feel about meeting other legends that have impacted you?
Yeah I met a lot of people besides LL COOL J. That definitely impacted me though. Just even asking for advice, them giving me game and everything. I have to take that accountability, take it all in and just listen to 'em because they've been through the game. They've done this before me and they succeeded in so it's only right that I asked about the game like 'How did you do it? Give me the sauce.' That's all I need.
You got to soak up all the knowledge now while you're young and you're just getting started. So let's take it back a little bit. What got you into rapping?
First it was just a way to express myself. Being a young kid with stutter problems who was quiet and timid. So writing on a piece of paper, writing rhymes and poetry —— That was my way of expressing myself. As I got older, I'm like 'Aight lemme get in the booth.' I go in the booth, now let me rap. The next day, the people love it. I love the way it made me feel and it was on since then.
Where does your stage name J. Lock come from?
There's two things. My real name is Jayden Lockett. I just wanted to shorten it. The second one is one of the rappers who inspired me when I was younger, J. Cole. I wanted something similar to his name.
You were recently signed to Block Entertainment. How did you meet Russell "Block" Spencer and how has he helped you throughout your career so far?
Yeah, shout out Block Big Block Entertainment, Stone World Music, the independent label. I met Block a few months ago, maybe even a year. My CEO Huey, they had a meeting and everything. I got a chance to meet him. Just even being around, like I said, another legend doing the work he'd done. The artists he worked with Ciara, Jeezy, I keep going. So it made me more like it's time to grind.
Since then you've dropped a few records like "Money" with Finesse2x off your last EP Lock In. Talk about how that collaboration happened.
Shout out Finesse2x, man. I met Finesse for the first time at Patchwork Studios. We just happened to be at the studio recording. The "Money" joint because this was around the summer and I was like we need something for the summer. We need a banger for the club. So he just happened to walk past and he was like, 'Who's that? Who's that on that track right there?' Isaid, 'That's me.' He said, 'I got to hop on that right there.' Next thing you know he laid a verse down and his work process is dope too.
You've got another big collaboration that you just came out "Why Me Pt. 2" with Domani and Ryan Trey. Why did you title it "Why Me?"
So the title, why me? You spoil your girl, take her out and everything. You give her this, you give her that. But you want to hear her say 'Why you choose me after all of this? You got options. I got options. Why you choose me, why me?'
With all those collaborations already under your belt, who else do you want to work with in the future?
That's a good question. It's a lot, man. I want to work with whoever want to work with me. So it's a lot of artists. Shout out Summer Walker, 4batz. I was on tour with Jacquees. We might have something.
I like your range man. It's dope to see that you're very diverse. What are your plans for the rest of the year? What are you trying to do by the end of 2024?
By the end of 2024, definitely getting back on that road, man. Being back on tour. Definitely more music dropping. I'm actually working on this project called Dirty South Playboy. That's coming soon. It's in the works right now. I've been outside and I've been working and I'm ready for more. I'm ready to get out there more. I'm ready to show my face more. I'm just ready to grind.
You've done several performances over the past couple of months. What would you say is your most hype performance?
That's how I feel every time, but if I had to choose, I just performed at The Apollo. Shout out New York. Shout out Harlem. I'm going to give you three: The Apollo, Birthday Bash and I'm going to say on tour when I was opening up for Jacquees.
The Apollo is pretty historic. How was the crowd's reception over there?
The crowd was dope. It ain't like the old crowd where they just throwing tomatoes and man going out there. They definitely f**k with me. Heavy. Gravitate towards the music and everything. I wish I could have gave them more though. It was a dope experience. Shout out Shaheem for being there with me.
What's your dream performance?
That's a good question. It's a couple. I got to be at the BET Awards. It's times when I was young we just waited until 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM to watch the BET Awards. So it's only right. One day it's going to happen. The Grammys —— I gotta win an award there. Ther's another one. Jimmy Fallon with The Roots.
We'll put that in the atmosphere right now! J. Lock performing live at the BET Awards, the Grammys and Jimmy Fallon with The Roots.
I'm already liking the sound of that.