Backstage Pass Radio

S1: E12: Matt U Johnson - Jamerican Made

September 01, 2021 Backstage Pass Radio Season 1 Episode 12
Backstage Pass Radio
S1: E12: Matt U Johnson - Jamerican Made
Show Notes Transcript

With roots in the Caribbean nation of Jamaica and his birthright in Staten Island, New York, Matt U brings a new and improved flavor to the music industry. His lyrical singing style is unique, blending solid elements of Pop, R&B, Hip Hop, and Reggae along with EDM. The sounds are dynamically irresistible, creating an atmosphere of get up jump, move your body and feet or sit back and relax, allowing the conscious lyrics to transcend and take you to another place. Matt U’s eclectic and extensive musical background with experience, combined with his overwhelming determination for performing, has led to his up-and-coming career as an artist that can’t and won’t be stopped.

Matt U has done both musical and modeling shows in New York City, the South West, United States, Canada, and various countries in Europe; He has walked down the runways for the legendary Wilhelmina modeling agency at the Mercedes-Benz fashion show on Fashion Week. He has had an interview with R&B singer Ashanti. Also being interviewed by New York 1 News channel, New York Rocks television, ABC News, Channel 9 News, Fox News, Univision, Televisa, and many more. Matt U has made appearances at such venues as the Madison square garden film festival, the Apollo Theater in Harlem and MTV’s total request live show, and the world-famous Sugar bar.

He has opened up for Reggae Super Stars Buju Banton, I-Wayne, Hip Hop artist’s Mann, Cash Out, Jazz Cartier, EDM legend Kshmr & Latin grammy nominee Christina Eustace at minerpalooza in front of 35k of people. He appeared in the Grammy Award Winning band Steel Pulse music video “The Door of No Return” in a cameo scene. Matt U also dabbled in the acting genre. He has acted in The Sophomore, which starred motion picture star Bruce Willis, the movie “Fighting,” the W.B.’s TV show “Gossip Girl,” daytime televisions “One Life to Live,” and the film “Nights of Prosperity” doing minor roles. Matt U has done recruitment commercials for the United States Army that aired nationwide. Currently, Matt has released an international single called Gwan Get It featuring Canadian hip hop legend Choclair & Latin Grammy nominee Sito Rocks.

 

Matt U Johnson Master

Thu, 1/6 6:37AM • 42:19

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

el paso, people, music, texas, song, bit, backstage pass, big, staten island, listeners, EDM, tied, artists, modeling, rocks, new york, claire, liu, snoop dogg, new york city, Hip-Hop, Snoop Dogg, Backstage Pass Radio, Backstage Pass Radio Podcast, Randy Hulsey, Hulsey, Randy Hulsey Music, Randy Hulsey Podcast

SPEAKERS

Randy Hulsey, Matt Johnson, Adam Gordon

 

Randy Hulsey  00:00

Yo people what's going on? I hope everyone is well thank you all for tuning in with me today because I'm shifting gears a little bit and I'm really excited about it. My guest this evening brings a melting pot of different genres to his fan base, which include r&b, hip hop, reggae, and electronic dance music. He is a musician, a model and his work with some of the best in the business. You guys stay with me because I'm going to be chatting it up with my man Matthew Johnson right after this.

 

Adam Gordon  00:29

This is backstage pass radio, the podcast that's designed for the music junkie with a thirst for musical knowledge. Hi, this is Adam Gordon. And I want to thank you all for joining us today. Make sure you like subscribe and turn alerts on for this and all upcoming podcasts. And now here's your host of backstage pass radio, Randy Halsey.

 

Randy Hulsey  00:59

My dude, what's going down Matthew Johnson in the house. How are you?

 

Matt Johnson  01:03

Doing? Well, man, how about yourself?

 

Randy Hulsey  01:04

I'm doing great. Thanks so much for hanging out and chatting it up with me for a few minutes this evening. So first of all, you come to Texas, from Staten Island, New York. Correct? Correct. Now is Staten Island. Is that the birthplace?

 

Matt Johnson  01:20

Yeah, I'm Jamaican American, but I'm born and raised in New York City in my home borough and hometown and Staten Island, New York City. Correct.

 

Randy Hulsey  01:28

How long were you in Staten Island.

 

Matt Johnson  01:31

So I was in Staten Island basically my whole life man. I'm in my later 20s now but I came here to Texas when I was around 21 years old turning 22 to El Paso basically. And prior to that I was it was all in Staten Island. But I did go to university overseas in London, UK for a few years and then came back to New York City. And after that I came here to El Paso, Texas. And this has been my like second home, you know,

 

Randy Hulsey  01:59

so you got here as quick as you could then right is what they always say in Texas. I'm not from Texas, but I got here as quick as I could. That's what the saying isn't thanks.

 

Matt Johnson  02:08

I guess you could say that. I mean, my dad did. His residency is as a physician down here, in this area right here on the borderline area, right? Yep. And that's why I got down here because I was the youngest. So I came with my parents at first and then I got my own place and what have you. So that's what brought me to El Paso a lot of people that come to El Paso come through either the border from Mexico or from the military. Yep, Fort Bliss and have you know, but that wasn't my case. So that's why I'm so unique to this area. And then also me being Jamaican American and doing the John rrah of music that I do. That's always unique to this area.

 

Randy Hulsey  02:46

Yeah, because there's I mean, El Paso, Texas is not known as the reggae capital or the the hip hop, I mean, probably more so hip hop, but maybe not so much the reggae part of the world. So you do probably bring a very unique, you know, a bit of genre if you will, to that area.

 

Matt Johnson  03:04

Exactly. Like I call myself rich American in a 915

 

Randy Hulsey  03:08

There you go. It's interesting that your dad that the health care industry brought him here a lot of times when you talk about people transplanting to Texas, it's usually either like you said they're either come in, you know south of the border or they're coming from oil and gas background. You know, a lot of people are transplanted from up north down down to Texas because of the the huge oil and gas presence, especially in the Houston areas what we see. But now so you're in El Paso now, how would you say things are different in El Paso than they were in Staten Island, just from maybe a living perspective. I know that New York is kind of known is very culturally diverse. You know, a lot of the boroughs are very, you know, you have Puerto Rican ones and Jamaican, you know, Hispanic, you have a lot of different cultures there. Right. How would you say the living changed once you got to El Paso versus what it was like in Staten Island?

 

Matt Johnson  04:08

Well, I think you hit it right on. You talked about diversity, because diversity is not something El Paso has, is very little of that. And then being from New York City and a town like New York City, it's it's all diverse. You know, I'm saying you got so many different people me being from Staten Island. You know, Staten Island has a lot of Irish, a lot of Talion a lot of Albanian Russians. But if you go more towards the North Shore like Wu Tang Clan and come from and stuff then you get more of the African American Puerto Rican Dominican people there. Yeah, but it's still more of a melting pot then per se that's borderline area here like Las Cruces, New Mexico, El Paso, Texas, Anthony, you know, so that was the major difference because it wasn't as diverse as New York City or other major cities you film Yeah, for sure that I would say I was different. And then just the cultural difference of being on the border and right next to Mexico and it being a desert as well, because New York has a lot of water and shutdowns Island, you know, like this place is landlocked. And that's a whole bunch of, but the thing is like they have sections up here that do have water because it's high desert. So in the area I live here, like in town in west El Paso that there is water here, or Rio Grande goes through here. We've been getting a lot of rain lately. So

 

Randy Hulsey  05:33

that's a good thing. Well, you know, we had our share of it here in Houston to where it rain. Too much. It either rains too much or not enough. That's usually what we get in Texas. Yeah, it was like, when it's raining too much. We wish we didn't it wasn't raining. And then when it's not raining, we're in a drought and everything's burning up and we wish we had rain. So you always wish for kind of what you don't have is what they say. But what about from a you know, from a music career perspective? It's it's kind of probably not many people think about El Paso as the melting pot for artists to flock to right. You you think of launching a career. We think of Los Angeles we think of course, New York City, we think of Nashville. We think of these types of places. How has the music piece changed for you as you've gone from Staten Island to El Paso? Do you feel like it's been beneficial for you has it has it hurt you in any way? Talk a little bit about that? Well,

 

Matt Johnson  06:33

it's been beneficial in a way because I stick out down here because of the genre and lane and then when they see a big city guy come to a smaller town they they tend to give you more opportunity. And I've gotten more media presence down here. It was easier to kind of infiltrate the media easier than being in LA or New York City because Brick City there's so it's so saturated, there's so many people doing music. And so that's what, that's one way it benefited me as an artist that makes good news, pitch and all those kinds of things and do the bigger concerts that have bigger artists such as I opened up for the guy that played the cataracts His name is cashmere is a huge EDM guy. And I that was my biggest show ever. It was like 25 to 30,000 people there at UTEP actually minor Palooza so that helped me and I did Fiesta Dallas, Florida, I was able to integrate with the Mexican acts here. The Latino rap bands, I was able to do Don Haskins center and some of these other bigger acts from LA would come through here. And it would be a bigger opportunity for me to open up for them here then in LA because in LA there's all these other huge acts sure that I be first preference.

 

Randy Hulsey  07:51

Well, they say you're probably you're probably in New York or LA you're one in a million and in El Paso the odds are a little bit better and a smaller in a smaller setting, I guess.

 

Matt Johnson  08:03

Exactly. And there's not a lot of stars here in El Paso because you know, being in Houston, Dallas, those are the biggest cities in Texas. This is not a small town but it has a small town mentality.

 

Randy Hulsey  08:13

Absolutely. And I've never you know, I'm a native Texan. I've been here all my life and I've never been to El Paso. I really not spent much time out on in in western Texas, you know, like Lubbock and Midland Odessa and El Paso I've just nothing's ever taken me out west. But I've spent a lot of time over, you know, on the east side of Texas, you know, I went to school in Louisiana to university in Louisiana and Lafayette and so I was constantly driving from Houston the Lafayette so I've seen the roads there but I haven't seen them out out your way yet. Maybe one day I'll try to get out there and see what the West Texas life is all about.

 

Matt Johnson  08:54

Well, one thing I'm gonna tell you El Paso was nice for the homes the whole markets is really nice here. It's cheap you get that's another reason why we moved down here because we got more bang for our buck. You got beautiful homes here. It's very modern. No, the cost of living is a lot cheaper. Sure, then and other probably major Texas cities absolute. So you know, you're not going to get as much shows as if you were in Austin or, or Houston or Dallas. So that's the only other issue. That's the downside of El Paso unless you just catch the ball rolling because you know, COVID times have taken down a little bit. Yes, I have. Oh, that's another thing. So that's probably when you're going to have to want to go into the bigger cities again.

 

Randy Hulsey  09:44

Yep, yep. Well, what do you think the future kind of looks like for El Paso for you? Do you feel like you're content there for a little bit? Do you think that El Paso you're getting towards the end of the rope and you've got to go somewhere else to you know, get more exposure? Like what what does the future look like for for Matt in El Paso, Texas?

 

Matt Johnson  10:05

Well, I think I've been here for around eight to nine years going on nine years now. But I've been going to different places while living here. But I've done mostly everything here now. But where my career is going in, is I'm also branding. So I'm becoming an influencer for different brands, such like Blackwater. You know, I have these jobs here. And like I get, I'm sponsored by them every month, okay. And I'm expanding my brand into branding with other different major businesses. So I'm feeling that I'm probably going to be dealing with local brands here. But I'm definitely going to have to branch out back to Toronto and London and back to New York and LA again, because not to say that you can't make it from here, but like, this is a small town, compared to these other places. Once you've done everything and you conquered one city, you always have to move on.

 

Randy Hulsey  10:58

Yeah, yeah. No, I mean, you're there's there's a limit there for sure. Not to downplay El Paso because it's a wonderful place. But I mean, it is what it is, right? I mean, El Paso is gonna take you so far. And then you've got to go to another level. But that's good that you're, you seem to be very diverse in the things that you're doing. You know, you got the modeling thing, you got the music thing, the endorsement that you know, the stuff that you're talking about, that's great that you're dabbling in a little bit of everything, but your music is it's a very eclectic music style. It's a mix of everything like I mentioned earlier, from hip hop to reggae to r&b, you know, there's a little bit of everything in there. A definitely some EDM influence in there. For sure. I was let my wife listened to it the other day, and she was like grooving to it. So So kudos there. Usually when I'm listening to stuff in here, she's like, oh, gosh, what are you listening to now? And I put your stuff on, and she's like, Hey, I like that. But how would you classify? Thank you? Yeah, how would you classify your music? Not that music has to be it doesn't have to be classified. I'm a musician too. And I don't I don't think music has to be in a genre. But if you had to put it in a box, where would you say that your stuff lands.

 

Matt Johnson  12:22

So I'm basically a pop artists that blends other genres, bro. So I'm like, if you want to, like put it into two genres will be pop reggae or pop dance? Or

 

Randy Hulsey  12:32

would you say that? You know, you have a culturally diverse taste in music? I think because your your mom was Jamaican? Correct. And then your, your dad was from New York? Correct? Yeah, he's

 

Matt Johnson  12:46

from New York. Gotcha.

 

Randy Hulsey  12:47

So hence, the where what you said earlier, generic. And that's where that came from the Exactly. So you talked also a little bit about you have a music degree as well. Yeah. Okay. And is that from? Where's that from? From Liu? Okay, Long Island University. Yeah. Okay. And how would you say that, you know, the university studies? And the degree have they have they helped you by way of the music? Or, you know, because you hear a lot of people say, Well, I went to school for psychology, but I never use my degree and you are in the music business. But I'm just wondering, like, how much of the studies that you went and learned at Liu have? Have you been able to apply back to the making of your music? Well, I

 

Matt Johnson  13:37

mean, I was more of a voice, student and Liu. So the theory, and the technicalities of the vocal ability helped me in my future, like dealings in studios working with musicians working with bands backing in on how to do certain things. So I think that education there from the classical side, because I was classically trained and Liu, okay, when I started there, and I had to kind of switch up my singing style to more of a Speech Level Singing because I'm doing more popular music. But I feel that theory helped me from the Liu days till now, because I know how to use those things. And I know how to voice plan stuff and listen for note notes, keys, and what have you. dachas?

 

Randy Hulsey  14:27

Yeah, yep, I follow that. So music is one aspect of your brand. The other part is there was a modeling side, too, right. And I think that you had ties to the Willamina modeling agency. Yeah. Can you talk a little bit here? Oh, did it. Okay. Yeah. Can you talk a little bit about that the tide of them and kind of what you've done by the way of modeling.

 

Matt Johnson  14:54

So I did the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week here. When I first got here in El Paso So when I did that, and it kind of tied in to my acting stuff, and then I met the person and then I got involved with them and they said, Hey, you should do like the Fashion Week Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. So we did the hanger show here in El Paso and then we did another show at the Mercedes Benz on airway here, like where the airport road here is in El Paso, Texas. So we did that. And it was it was a good thing. And and because me being from New York City, and that's the home of fashion show. That's another thing in the future that I'm going to be getting into what my marriage and my co branding, what fashion sunglasses and what have you. So that's where that kind of came together from my love of fashion, you know?

 

Randy Hulsey  15:43

Yep. Now, did you have family that did the modeling thing, or is this like you're the trendsetter.

 

Matt Johnson  15:50

My mom was always into, like interior decorating modeling fashion. And, you know, we were always people that like clothes and like different things. Because we're in New York, I would always go down to Delancey Street or go over the jersey garden, like different like eggs, Zeos Armani, and like I'm wearing Calvin Klein right now. A nice cake. So you can see that a fast where it derives from

 

Randy Hulsey  16:17

Sure. Always got to look fresh, right? Yeah. So yeah, for those that are not familiar with the Willamina modeling agency, it's, I think, if I remember correctly, they they've done work with such artists as like Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas. And I think Nicki Minaj was probably tied into that agency for a while, but not only had you worked as a model stateside, but I think the modeling took you it. Was it the modeling that took you to Europe as well? Or was that something else that took you to your wife?

 

Matt Johnson  16:57

What took me to Europe is my studies because I was I transferred from Liu Brooklyn campus overseas to London. So I did friend's World College was just tied to Liu. So I was over there living for three years going through like London, England, and Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Ireland, in all those places over there. And then that just opened like my horizon, two different things of fashion and music, different Afrobeat styles. And that's what took me over there. And my dad actually met my mom in Jamaica. And Billy's two friends who are college too, because he was a former student, you know that.

 

Randy Hulsey  17:39

Okay. And so, I think I think some while back, you had done an interview with Ashanti. Is that correct?

 

Matt Johnson  17:49

Long time ago? Yeah.

 

Randy Hulsey  17:51

Was it a long time ago?

 

Matt Johnson  17:52

Yeah. That's when I was still living in New York. And it was at the MTV beach house at the Hamptons, we could use Okay, I think his mom was managing her at the time. And I got to ask her about like her acting career. And what else did I asked? Yeah, her acting career and for music, and she said she was never going to act again. And then she ended up going into acting. So crazy.

 

Randy Hulsey  18:16

Think that so she was also your home girl. She was a New York born person to write.

 

Matt Johnson  18:22

Yeah, I never knew her. I knew her music, but I never knew I just got the opportunity to interview her. Hamptons house. But yeah, she was a nice person. And sure, like her mom was very protective.

 

Randy Hulsey  18:35

Yeah. Well, I think that she was I think she was signed at a very early age with was at Murder Inc. Records, I think and then she later went to, to Def Jam. I think she was doing some stuff with with Def Jam for a while as well. Yeah, I

 

Matt Johnson  18:50

think she opened her own label right now.

 

Randy Hulsey  18:52

Oh, is that what it is? I haven't really paid that close of attention to her lately, but I knew that she was tied in with with Murder Inc. and Def Jam for a while. I think you also had you had done something with? Was it TRL on MTV, as well? Or was that the beach house thing?

 

Matt Johnson  19:11

ERL MTV beach house was TRL but it was just the Hamptons beach house.

 

Randy Hulsey  19:16

Ah, gotcha.

 

Matt Johnson  19:17

I was years ago. Talk about

 

Randy Hulsey  19:19

the I think there was some time or you did something at Live at the Apollo. Is that Is that correct?

 

Matt Johnson  19:26

I did that years ago too. And I remember Kathy Sharpton which is Al Sharpton. Why? Because we knew I was shocked and my dad knows him personally and stuff. She was the one that was coordinating the things there so I did that as well. I got experience there. I did the sugar bar which aspirants owned Oh yeah, we asked for it and I got to sing with his wife as well. I swung no woman no cry. So I had a lot of great our early history stuff and I got to also be a cameo In the reggae bands still post Grammy winning reggae bands Yeah, video door, and it's on YouTube for people to see. I played like the bad guy band guy kind of trying to get the kids to, to do some like bad things on there. Sure. I had that opportunity. So New York, you know, gave me a lot of opportunity as well, but I needed to branch out. Last, you know,

 

Randy Hulsey  20:25

gotcha. You were also I think tied a little bit or somehow to Paul Hinton right. Music producer Paul Hinton.

 

Matt Johnson  20:33

Computer Paul hunt, and yeah, people were like what sly and Robbie like the great reggae grades. Yeah. Bobby produced for Sean Paul he produced for a lot of big people man like

 

Randy Hulsey  20:47

a con a con i think he was tied with a con

 

Matt Johnson  20:50

a con yeah he did mama Africa Yeah.

 

Randy Hulsey  20:53

And I think also inner circle and then if it for the people that don't that name inner circle doesn't pop right out at you. Their big hit was the cops thing. The the thing from Bad Boys Bad Boys, right?

 

Matt Johnson  21:08

And no sweat. Girl. You wanna make you sweat? Yes, yes, yes. Wait. Oh, that one too?

 

Randy Hulsey  21:15

Yes, I remember that one as well. I wanted to give the listeners a taste of your music. I'm going to cut a clip here of a song called Guan and get it and we're going to listen to that and then we'll come back and chat briefly about the song

 

21:38

to her house making the place or whatever place the lifestyle music the song but it's come in like a giant house he asked him for my dance or her dance I'm gonna try recording people dancing in this way and rubbing bodies that everybody in the lobby will number switching and now they taken in the status for the makeup is going down the music so I'm in the aura all around show scrubs and gowns on informatic town lights the flashing gods and girls dance in one meeting this girl just inspected for me

 

Randy Hulsey  22:35

that's a great jam there. Now I know that you worked with several you had several people on this effort with you talk the listeners through who you featured on the song and how they're tied into that that production.

 

Matt Johnson  22:50

Well that particular there was three people on that myself shot Claire who's a Canadian Hip Hop icon and cedar rocks who's a Latin Grammy nominee from Miami. And he grew up with like people down there in Dade County but shot Claire, that particular section that you just played that's a four time Juno Award winning Canadian icon from Toronto Chocolatier choc Claire is like one of the pioneers of Canadian hip hop.

 

Randy Hulsey  23:21

That's that self Ontario. It's right across the border from Detroit.

 

Matt Johnson  23:26

So yeah, choc Claire's actually opening up a clothing line store right there. The guy that just played on the record, okay. He's a nice guy, man. He's, he's good. Like, he welcomed me with open arms. And we were in the studio together there in Toronto when he dropped out first, and it was an awesome experience. And he was just very welcoming to their music community there.

 

Randy Hulsey  23:48

How do you get to collaborate with these artists? Is there? Do you know them from some point in time or somewhere? Or does one you know does your team of people reach out to them and say, hey, we'd like to collaborate with you walk the listeners through that how you how you came to work with chalk, Claire and Sita rocks.

 

Matt Johnson  24:09

Well, chalk Claire was introduced to me by an active manager of mines out there in Toronto, and she knew him through like other bookings and stuff. And then she introduced me to him at a show that he did at a free play Toronto. And at that same night, I was I ended up meeting in person. Another Canadian legend, masala tea from much music. Okay, so yes, I met him then he actually was the emcee for choc Claire's show that night. So I met them at the same time. And that's when we spoke on hey, maybe we should do a collaboration. I said, Hey, I got this new track with cedar rocks and cedar rocks. I met to a former basketball player guy that was living in San Antonio. And he hit me up from Instagram. He says hey, you know I have these kinds of tax in the Latin world. And he says, I want to introduce you to see it all rocks. So he gave me his number we spoke and he was like, yeah, man, I'm down to do a verse. And that's how I met him.

 

Randy Hulsey  25:09

I think that that adds a really cool flair to that music when you go from you know, English speak in and then you throw in some, some Spanish, you know, I think is really cool. And it adds some cool diversity to the songs for you. Is being a lyricist difficult to you? Do you write your songs really quickly? Or do you have to think a long time about your lyrics? Tell us a little bit about the songwriting for you if it comes easy, hard? Are some of your songs written in 10 minutes, like a lot of the hit songs, are they? You know, do they take months speak to us a little bit about that,

 

Matt Johnson  25:44

why first, when I start writing a song, like because I'm not a producer, and I don't produce my own music, I actually get the song production from the producer, or I build it with the producer. And then I write the hope first. And sometimes it might take 10 minutes, sometimes it might take me a day to keep on going back to listening to the production and going back forth to it. But uh, that's normally how I create my music and my songs that way, because it always has to be a catchy hook first, and then the verses come later.

 

Randy Hulsey  26:16

Yeah, I think that people will say that they've got to have a melody line, or that that little hook in their head. And then the song revolves around that a lot of times.

 

Matt Johnson  26:26

Yeah, yeah. Especially nowadays, man, because you got to catch all these kids attach a short attention span. Like Michael Jackson songs for five minutes long anymore, you know?

 

Randy Hulsey  26:36

Exactly, exactly. And I was just talking to a friend of mine about that. I was playing a show here in Houston. And he's like, man, and he's an older guy, you know, he did his time in the business and the performing. And he's like, man, Randy, I don't I don't envy you musicians these days at all, because so many people are, you know, in their phones and so distracted by TVs and restaurants and cell phones. And but you know, 1520 years ago that he you know, musicians didn't have to contend with that distraction. So, you and I have our work cut out for us these days, right to try to, we have to work extra hard to get that attention, I think,

 

Matt Johnson  27:16

well, that's where branding comes along. And that's where social media actually like social media actually helps us musicians, because now we don't only have to keep it music is like a tool for musicians to use to brand ourselves Sure, alongside of products, merch, TV, reality shows and all that as a female. That's what's going on now. Because all these people buy Snoop Dogg or even Ozzy Osbourne, look what they're doing. They're selling more TV ads, they're selling more like merch this other more TV, infomercials and more than music. Yes, they're touring still. But that's what's really creating the buzz and keeping the money flow coming in.

 

Randy Hulsey  28:04

Absolutely. And guys like that, that you just mentioned, you know, as you know, Ozzy Osborne, for example. You know, he's been a mega star forever back from the Black Sabbath days, till till now, and has certainly secured this place and rock and roll. Right. But, you know, when he took that family on a reality TV show, I mean, his his popularity went through the roof, and it's much like Steven Tyler and American Idol, you know, everybody loved Aerosmith coming up. But like Steven said, when he went on American Idol, the sales of Aerosmith records went up over 200%, just by him being on that show. It's so there's advantages of that, for sure.

 

Matt Johnson  28:47

It's the change of the times. Yep. It's even the old timers are catching up, because they're hiring their people don't say, hey, what's gonna work for this time period? Yeah. And then when I mean, if you have the money to hire those people you can like, or an average person to do that as well. But if you don't, you have to have to know how you got to do your own research, because it can be done. That's why it's the time of the independent artists now, because that access is there for you on the web?

 

Randy Hulsey  29:15

Absolutely. And, you know, like the same buddy of mine that was saying, you know, I don't envy you with the distractions of cell phones. This is the same person that when he booked shows for himself 20 years ago, you had to put a mean, God only knows what he had to do. You had to put a cassette tape and an envelope, you know, lick the envelope and mail it to wherever the hell you are going to email it to, or not email it, but just send it by regular mail. It may get there, it may not you know, and now we're doing everything just like just instantaneous. You know, I reach out to places all the time and say, Hey, I'm Randy Hulsey. I'm a you know, a solo artist, and this is my stuff and within minutes, you know, a lot of times these people either come back favorably or unfavorably and say you know, we'd love to hire you or or go kick rocks we don't want anything to do with you. But it's you know, it's a tool now that it's a curse but yet it's a great tool all in all in the same breath, I guess you will,

 

Matt Johnson  30:15

it just takes time and you got to like take time like just like everything else just takes time and patience to build up your social media presence and you don't have to have a million followers or whatever you just have to have a good amount of fan base that's active thing you know, constructive to what you're doing exactly have to be in like anybody can utilize that you could be a fitness person, a model person that takes photography and not even half people. This is something I do in my pastime. I like to watch travel. I like YouTubers yep you know so like that's one thing so I this this tons of things you could do with buy online man for sure

 

Randy Hulsey  30:59

for sure. Well I wanted to highlight another song that you had and give the listeners a little taste of it this is a song called Get up so we'll take a quick listen to that and come back and chat about that one

 

Adam Gordon  31:14

go Sweden can we get can we get can we get we get how we get away let me see can you read it let me see it it's not a weekend weekend weekend weekend

 

Randy Hulsey  32:46

so that's a jam for me dude. I really enjoy that song and my listeners are going to listen to the show and you pointed it out we talked you know before you know we started recording we've been chatting for days now right and, and like you you pointed out, Hey, I might be way out of your comfort zone and this is but here's the beauty of the show. This is what I love about the show is for me, I love all kinds of music. I was down with the Motown sound for a lot of years. I love Motown. I love r&b I love funk. I love reggae. I love country. I love raw I love it all. I think we all gravitate to certain genres right? That's that's what we fit just much like you do. But I love hearing this kind of stuff because it turns me on to new stuff in it opens my mind up to hear other things besides what I'm comfortable listening to all the time.

 

Matt Johnson  33:43

I feel the same way bro. I don't know if you realize this, but like, I like John's dad like I don't really seem all the time in my music. I like rock music as well. Like one of my favorite rock bands was creed. Sure. Linkin Park, Incubus I like all those people. I like even saliva. Chester Bennington. I was a big fan of Chester Bennington and Compartes face off hands and yeah, but Scott stop I even like his like solo stuff and he came here to El Paso to Star City Studios and did his last album review there and unfortunately I missed it. I was trying to get there on down but I've been a big fan of Scott's for years Yeah, so I do but my specialty is more pop Dancehall music but I love rock music man like you know,

 

Randy Hulsey  34:32

you can't deny that beat though. I mean, you know I think we get stuck in our little our little world so to speak but the the beat and you know you can't help but sit there and you know tap your foot and you know bang on the desk a little bit and, and I love that and I know that you did cite, you know, Linkin Park and creed as some influences and really I think that that's what makes so many people's music. It opens up your thought process and you're mind to explore different genres. Saturday mornings, I sit in the studio that you see here, and I'll put on some stuff like stuff that people have never heard of. And it's just nice to hear something other than what I listened to day in and day out. I just like opening my mind to that stuff.

 

Matt Johnson  35:17

I'm an eclectic supplements, I love all different types of music. I listen to Scott Stapp, almost every day, man. It's like new album that he put out that he went down to Brazil and do all that stuff. And like, his story inspires me even though I didn't have a lot of the same troubles he has, but like, the things that he was over to be able to overcome his alcoholism. Sure. It is like drug use, and him going crazy with a bipolar disorder and stuff like that, like, guy don't like ice. My story is not as like colorful as that. But like, you know, that inspires me to keep on going like no matter what, you know?

 

Randy Hulsey  35:52

Absolutely. Absolutely. Now in that song that we listened to get up, you feature Trey G in the song, tell the listeners a little bit about Trey G and how you came to be, you know, how did you get hooked up with with him and talk to us a little bit about that.

 

Matt Johnson  36:10

So that song Get up there. Like that's one of my favorite songs I put out there. Trade G got introduced to me by one of my fans that was actually a fan of his. And he was from St. Louis, Missouri, or I think it was polar bluff, Missouri, his name was Jordan. But trade G is actually like a platinum selling EDM producer and hip hop artists but he's more known for EDM hit Trumpster Yeah, that came Ultra Music. So if you look at on YouTube as millions of views on there, I think he got signed when he was like 18 years old. He's from Colorado. Yes. And I went up there and recorded the song and then he came down here to shoot the music video. But yeah, man, he was awesome guy to, to kind of collab with because he's also an eclectic guy as well. And he's a very good producer. Yes, he produced that song. I don't know, if

 

Randy Hulsey  37:04

you didn't know I did. I did not know that.

 

Matt Johnson  37:07

The beat was produced by Trey G. Okay, just featured on it as well.

 

Randy Hulsey  37:11

And I think that, you know, like you said, he was like an eight time platinum producer. And I think that was like, in sweet like Sweden and Denmark in Norway, right. I mean, he he's, he had a big following, or he was big in that part of the world, I believe.

 

Matt Johnson  37:30

I think he's big here too, because he was signed by Ultra Music, which is in Brooklyn, New York. Yep. But yeah, his main following right now and where he continues to toys, and he's still young man. He's like, I think Trey's like 27 years old, and

 

Randy Hulsey  37:44

that's just a baby. Y'all are babies.

 

Matt Johnson  37:47

Because he was with Sony, this coax after Ultra and all that, but we still we're still in contact, I'm gonna be going up there to do like, different things.

 

Randy Hulsey  37:57

That's awesome. How about any, any plans on anything full length, full length effort coming out that that you can share with the listeners are? Are you working on singles that will drop talk to us a little bit about something future that we can look forward to, or whatever you can share, right? I know, sometimes we keep these things under the hat a little bit until release. But I didn't know if there was anything that you could share for the people that are interested in your music.

 

Matt Johnson  38:24

So right now, I'm probably working on one of the biggest projects by so far in my musical career. And that's going to be coming out probably early September. And it's going to be featuring another Canadian icon and he's he's arrow buddies. He's called Canada home for a long time he's from I think he's from somewhere over there. For this. I can't believe I'm forgetting but I know he's he grew up in Dubai. And I know he's from over there and the Middle East, but he's Canadians name's Karl Wolff. And then the other guy's out another guy, but Snoop Dogg. So he got Snoop Dogg on there as well. And singles can be called upon fire. So everybody look out for that.

 

Randy Hulsey  39:07

Snoop Dogg. Nobody's heard of that guy, right. I love I love Snoop Dogg now. I told you I'm a rock guy, but I do love my Snoop Dogg. Yeah, that's great. That's that's exciting news for you. I look forward to to hearing that when it drops and how would the listeners find you if they need to find you on the internet, your music can you share with us a little bit about social media presence and where they can find you?

 

Matt Johnson  39:37

So I'm like a big Instagram guys so you can find me at night DJ music on Instagram and you can find me on Facebook at Matt uj music and on Spotify. You can find me at Matthew Johnston. And on my Are you guys you know if you go on Google and you look me up is how Matthew Johnson and everything else is at Matthew J music. So thank you Find me they're like everywhere. Yeah, right. I got all my first you know,

 

Randy Hulsey  40:06

right, right No, I that's usually the easiest way certainly to, to find people is just Google them. But sometimes it's easier to just go directly to to a site. But thank you for sharing that. I want to thank you, Matt, for joining me on the show today. I know that we worked a little bit on getting the schedules to coincide. I know you're busy guy, I'm a busy guy, but I'm glad that I had the opportunity to chat with you. I look forward to the release that you're going to you're working on. I encourage my listeners of course, to go out and, and indulge in your music, listen to new things maybe that you haven't heard. And think you'll love the music that Matthew puts out. And I also ask the listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the podcast. Also, don't forget to follow Matt on all of his social media platforms. I know that he would appreciate that. And as a reminder, you guys can find backstage pass radio on Facebook at backstage pass radio podcast, on Instagram at backstage pass radio, on Twitter at backstage pass PC, and on the website at backstage pass radio.com. Again, I want to thank the listeners for tuning in. And Matt, thanks again for being a gracious guest and sharing your story with my listeners. And you guys stay healthy. And thank you again for tuning in to Backstage Pass radio. Thanks for having me. You got it.

 

Adam Gordon  41:42

Thanks so much for joining us. We hope you enjoy today's episode of backstage pass radio. Make sure to follow Randy on Facebook and Instagram at Randy Hulsey music and on Twitter at our Halsey music. Also make sure to like, subscribe and turn on alerts for upcoming podcasts. If you enjoyed the podcast, make sure to share the link with a friend and tell them backstage pass radio is the best show on the web for everything music. We'll see you next time right here on backstage pass radio