By Deanna Mitchell
While many have tried to follow in the steps of hip hop pioneers such as Lauryn Hill, Jeary Sylves not only marches down the path of original MC-ing, but is leaving his own set of footprints in the road.
Jeary Sylvester Payne, an underground lyricist residing in Sierra Vista, Arizona, is bringing the spirit of soulful hip hop back from the early 90s, and putting his own contemporary twist on the sound. Combining the vibe and smooth melodies of such artist as Black Star or The Roots with a flow that reminds listeners of Common or Lupe Fiasco puts Payne in a category of versatility that hasn’t been seen since the age of Lauryn Hill. Because of this, he is not only identified as an MC, but also as a poet and singer with a voice just as soulful and moving as the infamous lyricist herself.
“Lauren hill album changed his life. I tell people all the time and I mean it…she represents all the things I want to represent as an artist, as a musician,” said Payne.
Along with this musical influence, Payne draws his unique style from his up-bringing. Growing up in a city Payne describes as “devoid of any musical culture”, he found it easier to shape and mold a sound that fit his style without too much outside influence. His older sister, an artistic individual herself, also opened his eyes to the many aspects of music, feeding him bits and pieces of individuality.
“I contribute the majority of my love, respect & passion for Hip-Hop, Soul and music in general to my older sister,“ Payne said in his biography on his website. “I would sneak into her room when she was gone and stare at the posters on the wall, and read her magazines like Word Up! It was from these rare moments that I found myself…”
Payne describes his music to be relatable, something that any person can connect with when listening. Unlike many artist today whose music is directed towards a younger audience, Payne reaches out to both younger and older generations with subject matters that range from the death of a loved one, or lost love, to his many experiences as a college student.
While in pursuit of a higher education, Payne struggled with finding a perfect balance between his school work, his job at the airport and getting his first mixtape, Midnight Mauraders: Late Night Thoughts together. This in itself was a major challenge for Payne who didn’t want to simply throw something together. The majority of the time he had to dedicate to his sound was late in the night after completing his homework.
“The first few tracks that came out were in my room between midnight and three, describing what goes on in the middle of the night,” said Payne. “It was difficult. I’m the kind of person where if I’m doing one thing, I want to give my attention 100% to that right there…a lot of the times, one or the other would get neglected.”
"special thanks to Usoulmag.com & Deanna Mitchell"
-- Rebel Activist of Sound
