‘I’m Having The Time Of My Life Right Now’ – JL Of B. Hood On Working With Tech N9ne And Facing The Pressure [Interview]

It’s no secret that when Tech N9ne gets excited over a particular act, he gets REALLY excited. The Strange Music general is certainly not shy about the elite emcees he cosigns, but perhaps no recent stamp of approval has brought more attention than that of Kansas City’s own JL of B. Hood.

Just before the release of Tech N9ne’s E.B.A.H., we caught up with JL of B. Hood to discuss his appearance on E.B.A.H.’s emotional finale, “A Real One” as well as what it’s like to get heavy praise from someone like Tech N9ne.

How does an up and coming talent handle the pressure?

Check out what JL had to say!

Let’s talk about E.B.A.H. What do you think of the EP?

Man, I love it. That shit is crazy. It’s hella dope. The style this dude comes with and the songs he creates are unnatural man. I love it.

You’re on “A Real One”. It’s a very emotional track, especially for Tech. How did he come at you with the concept and what can you tell us about your verse?

I came to the studio and he told me he was finishing up the EP and he had one last beat that Seven was sending over. He was like, “Yeah, me and you are gonna do it, but my shit gotta be done tomorrow.” So, Seven sent it over and we went over into a room at Chapman Studios and put it in the little radio – he just came up with the concept. He rocked to it for a couple of minutes and was like, “Yo, this is what I’m getting.” That’s the direction he took. Kali sat there, wrote the hook, and then dropped it. We left the studio at one in the morning and as soon as I woke up in the morning, I went to the studio and dropped it.

When you write a song like this – you know, this is like some epic style type of shit. I was going with the concept, but it wasn’t aimed at anybody directly. I was just speaking in general. I was a little excited man. When it got to the second eight bars, I was just talking about how I felt at the time. All the people who are envious of what I’m doing, being around Tech so much and doing so much music with him.

You know, one good thing at the end of my verse that a lot of people aren’t going to get is at the end of it I say, “That’s word to Jesse Deuce Howard”. Jesse Deuce Howard is one of my niggas that lost his life early when we were living on 56th and Highland, back when I first met Tech N9ne. Tech knew him too, so it just came up when I wrote the song. Just a shout out and a rest in peace to Jesse Deuce Howard.

You didn’t just get one verse, you actually got two on this track. That’s a lot of shine.

That’s a big thing to share sixteen with Tech, that’s a huge thing to me. Just where I’m at and how I view Tech N9ne – a big brother to me and a major influence to what I do and why I do what I do. That’s an amazing experience to do that. I think that’s why that verse went that way. I’m having the time of my life right now. Writing this verse, doing music with this man.

Im proud of @jlbhood becoming this incredible MC from the young kid with his bros askin can they come hear the new rdv shit on 5616 highland — Tech N9ne (@TechN9ne) September 8, 2012

IF! @techn9ne & the 57th st RDV’s had any hand in motivating @jlbhood to be an MC, I would say, WE CREATED A MUTHA FUCKIN MONSTER! — Tech N9ne (@TechN9ne) September 8, 2012

He’s been giving you a lot of praise lately, how do you take that?

That’s a little scary. He’s one of the dopest dudes to it and no one matches his lyricism in my opinion. For him to say that about me, that’s a lot of pressure, but I love it. I love it, I want that. I’m using that as fuel right now. I think the pressure is turning that coal into diamonds.

You also cut a track with him for your project, Brain Scatter. Why should every Tech N9ne fan check out “Say You Love Me”?

Smart Alec for Subliminal beats did the whole project. He came with the beat, it was one of the last beats for the project. He sent it over like, “Man, I just think this is all you.”

As soon as I played the beat, I didn’t turn it off. I wrote the whole song in that one sitting. Soon as I was finished, I was like, “This is it. This is the one for Tech.” I wanted to get him on a lot of different shit, but I was like,” I don’t know if this is the one for him. I know I’m gonna find the right one and some point and time.” When I wrote this one, it was just it.

He came through and just MURDERED it. Absolutely murdered it and that’s why every Tech fan should check it out.

Click here to download Brain Scatter from JL of B. Hood!

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE E.B.A.H.

What do you think about the work JL of B. Hood has done with Tech N9ne?

Would you like to hear more?

Let us know in the comments section below!