Founder of the rap group, Wreck The System, CreateLadyJ is consistently breaking the mould of what can be done by a female MC.
Her new album, Vessels of Light, which will be out in October, is a glorious awakening that you need to experience.
Her style which is often described as a “punch in the face” by fans and a wakeup call by newcomers, is prevalent in this album.
CreateLadyJ’s ultimate goal is to motivate the masses with her motto, “Be Who You Are Without Fear”, overcoming all obstacles to stand for what they believe in. A lifelong fan of Anime and Video Games, she has performed at over 100 conventions including MAGfest, Dragoncon and many others across Ohio, Texas, Florida, DC, Atlanta, Boston, and California. Never to be underestimated, CreateLadyJ rules from her Rap throne. 
In this interview, we go into the depths of her Rap music and the new album, Vessels of Light.
I love, love, love rap, so listening to Vessels of Light was an invigorating moment! Tell me about what creating rap music does for you and to you.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!! We put a lot of passion into this.. and I’m usually very passionate about my music, but this project reaches levels beyond what I thought I could achieve! When I make music, rap music specifically, I want the listeners to take the lyrics into their own life experiences and fill in the blanks of the interpretation of each message. Even in songs with a direct message, the meaning of the entire song can completely change based on the person’s perspective. For me, it’s so satisfying to know I can bring joy, clarity, enlightenment or just add to experience in someone else’s life in this manner.
Does your childhood & experiences influence your ideas about creativity and music?
Well, first and foremost, I’ve been playing video games since I was 5 years old. And never stopped! I tend to draw from a “character” for my most in-depth creative pieces. Whether that character is an exaggerated part of myself or a fictional character that I see myself in. 
Vessels of Light explores the human condition through references. How does this tie into your “Be Who You Are Without Fear” motto?
So the motto “Be Who You Are Without Fear” was inspired by the mere struggle of being yourself despite society’s pressure on a proper image, and really struggling to find yourself to begin with. Within the Kingdom Hearts franchise, they also have a strong emphasis on striving to be your best self, finding inner light, and their struggles to do just that. So the tie-in was perfect for my own image, the series, and to inspire people, which is the reason why I started to rap in the first place.
I love how there’s a mix-match of boom bap, trap, R&B, EDM, dubstep, power metal in Vessels of Light. Can you talk about the process of making these come alive in the album?
Haha! So, Cam3, another member of Wreck The System and long time friend, produced the ENTIRE album along with small contributions from 3 others. He has told me countless times how happy he is to experiment and make the most-off the-wall blends of beats and genres.. and nothing he gives me ever intimidates me. When it comes to the sound of the project, he led that all the way. Cam3 has this godly gifted knack for hearing something and breaking it completely apart, then building it back up into a completely different genre. He has a strong background as a remixer, so this all just ties together within our creative collaborations
Your musical journey has had a deliberate direction. Will you continue to push towards a specific/deliberate direction? Or simply gradually evolve in whatever direction you find yourself?
Great question! So I believe it will be a mix of both. I personally found myself pretty early in life, and have been consistent with the message, goals and aspirations I strive for in my music. But…5 years ago, when I released a similar project in content and theme, “Our Fantasy” (a Final Fantasy-themed tribute project), I would have never guessed I’d rap the way I do over a trap beat, let alone be interested in making trap music at all! So, I feel like my consistent push and direction will stay very similar, but the way I execute can and will evolve.
What does a typical day in your life look like? Walk us through your daily process.
Goodness, gracious! I do so MUCH daily! But I can give a brief snippet: I own a recording studio, WTS Recordings. Osiris (another member of Wreck The System) owns and runs it with me. So some days, I’ll run sessions all day; other times I’m doing administrative things, hosting meetings, out networking (before COVID), paying engineers, going over things with the legal team, etc. Then there’s the record label and band, Wreck The System. We constantly have shows, which are now livestreams, new music, content to create, helping our members create for their own artistry, just seeing each other to catch up, etc. Then I have my own artistry to do…yep, a lot. My best personal days are hitting the gym with my personal trainer, running with Osiris, travelling somewhere for fun, being out in nature and more than likely getting together with friends to play video games, watch anime or catch up with each other.
And what does making new music look/feel like for you?
Maaaan… I turn into a very hyper yellow ball of energy, jumping around and talking about ideas with Wreck The System till they’re sick of me (which hasn’t happened yet so it’s like…literally nonstop excitement) and a very large portion of lost sleep for days at a time until I pass out somewhere. Haha.
On the business of Music, how have you been able to structure your music into a thriving livelihood?
So, a very long time ago. I discovered my love for audio engineering. It honestly stemmed from the lack of good, caring engineers in the DC area. But I loved working on my own music and having full control. The moment I had the chance to work on someone else’s music and see how happy and appreciative they were with my efforts, it felt 10 times more satisfying than working on just my own dreams. So I have successfully made a studio in an area where the passion for making others’ dreams come to life is lacking, and now I want to do that on a grand scale; whether it’s helping someone record, mix or master their music in the recording studio, or managing and marketing the music once it’s completed through the record label. I’ve been able to work on music full time due to these passions, and it is absolutely amazing to see this grow so successfully.
Tell us about 3 women songwriters and musicians that inspire you.
I can easily do that. The first one being a woman named JaQuan Knox. I met her within the past two years and she’s a theatre actress that has an INCREDIBLE voice, amazing aspirations and takes on challenges beyond what most know to strive for her dreams.
Second would be an artist named Sammus. I had the pleasure of meeting and befriending her after viewing her music video “Games & Cartoons” and speaking to Cam3 about making her my best friend one day. She writes, raps, produces and performs. And she maintains a great rap career all while getting and obtaining her doctorate. Meeting her was a very long and interesting story that we can save for another day, haha.
Last but not least, Rihanna. I’ve liked her music since I was a teenager, but growing up and seeing her owning multiple businesses, being dubbed as the richest women in the world, and seeing how she carries herself proudly has inspired me since my teenage years.
What imprint do you want your music to make and leave?
I just want people to be their best selves… stop giving up on happiness, stop doubting that their version of happiness is invalid or wrong (unless you’re doing the most obvious of wrongdoings; killing, stealing, hurting others in any way) when people listen to my music, I want them to know that there’s still a chance for them, or they can already be happy and don’t have to settle. The life you live is yours to live, and they deserve to live it to the fullest!
Interview by Gbemi Lolade.
Gbemi Lolade Adekanmbi is the cultivator of For Creative Girls. She is a firm believer in the fact that there is no division between the ability for science and the ability for Art. Her goal is to cultivate this ability with as many people as possible and make creatives a living, breathing part of how the world, organisations, and societies run.
