Can't Knock the Hustle: PJ3 Interview

By Philip Reid

Whether you know him from PJ3 & Da' Groove Kings, or simply as PJ3, this singer/songwriter/producer is one of the hardest-working artists in Japan's underground gaijin music scene. Knowing how to hustle in the music game is damn near instinctual to P, who works his business like butter on hot toast. Carrying his learned swagger from the great state of New York, PJ3 was kind enough to share with me a few key insights on how to succeed as a gaijin musician in J-land. But first, a little history:

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, PJ began his musical journey as a five-year-old wunderkind of the ivories. Heavily influenced by his uncle's passion for music, PJ started out by playing songs on the piano by ear. After witnessing such raw talent, P's parents decided to invest in his musical future and have him formally trained to become a classical pianist. By the time he was 15, PJ had already developed a strong foundation for reading and writing music theory, enabling him to confidently produce his first rap CD while he was still in high school. Within the same year of him dropping his first album, P was accepted into the Berklee College of Music's Summer Course in Massachusetts, where he was introduced to various styles of jazz, fusion, and electronic music. A few years later, PJ attended Berklee and started performing and singing with the gospel choir under the direction of Dennis Montgomery. At this time, PJ had the chance to work with big acts such as Maurice Starr, New Kids on the Block (remember them?!), and Marky Mark. After stepping his production game up, P started his own recording label and worked on projects with legends Robbie Nevil, Joe Sample, and the Blessid Union of Souls.

Now based in Kansai, PJ is currently in the process of starting his own record label here, and it's dedicated to representing gaijin talent. I was able to catch up with Mr. P in his personal music lab and get some input on how to make it as a professional musician.

Philip Reid: In a world of piracy and economic woes, how can artists make a living off their work?

PJ3: As for piracy, I don't think it will ever be totally eliminated, especially since we're living right next to China, the BOOTLEG CAPITAL of the free world! But things are getting better. As a matter of fact, the RIAA just recently developed an encoding system that allows artist to encode any audio that they post to the web. So now, musicians are able to track downloads/sales of their music. Also, I think artists should learn how to take advantage of online community networks like Facebook, MySpace, etc. This way, you can create your own buzz. Look at Soulja Boy - he's a prime example of what I'm talking about. It doesn't matter if you like him or dislike him, I give him kudos for creating his own beats, making his own buzz, and developing a situation where he got people to come to him. Then the industry was like, "Who is this kid that has 10 million people downloading his music?!" After that, people in the industry started coming to him. So, it's important to use the net as a tool and let your real fanbase grow and support you.

PR: No doubt! Speaking of growing your fanbase, how do you intend to migrate your business to other parts of Japan?

PJ3: Actually, the migration has already begun. Me and my band, The Groove Kings, are currently performing both inside and outside of Kansai. Pretty much, the industry is in Tokyo. So I've been taking baby steps to get there, using Kansai as my foundation. When I finally move to Tokyo, I want to go there with some heat! I want them to understand that I'm not just a performer, but that I'm songwriter and producer as well. In fact, I've personally got my hands involved in some production that's possibly going to jump off in China and Australia. So it looks like I'll probably be using Kansai as launching point to go to these places and come back here. In the end, I think it really doesn't matter where you are. If you have something that people want, they'll come to you. A primary example of this is a drummer from Detroit by the name of Larenzo Braceful, who plays for Exile, and he lives in Nara! I think he pays for the commute to Tokyo and the group's tour spots. But if you're doing 50 cities and you're getting a nice little piece of cheese at the end of the day, you're not going to worry about that commute!

PR: Already on point! So how do you overcome language/culture barriers? Do you hire a personal assistant?

PJ3: Sometimes my buddy Mark, who runs Key of Life, a guy I've known since I've been here, helps me out with big business projects and what-not. He's helped me translate a few of my production outlines for potential clients that may want my services. On the business side of things, it's worth hiring someone like Mark because it'll save you a lot of trouble in the end. Other than Key of Life, there's BR here in Kansai, a company by the name of Excess in Nagoya, and the Rui company out of Tokyo. I really can't think of any others because frankly, the other companies that I've seen just don't have their shit together! Whatever you do, you want to make sure there's no confusion at the end of the day. Even if you're doing things on a small scale at nightclubs, always get a contract that stipulates basic things such as how much you're getting paid, how many stages you're supposed to do, show times, etc. That's important because at the end of the night, you don't want to be saying "Well, where's my money?" Trust me! I've been burnt a few times back home and here in Japan as well, but I learned quickly! Having this basic foundation lets people know that you're about business.

Check PJ3 at www.reverbnation.com/pj3dagroovekings and feel free to email him.

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