Toronto emcee ChrisJay took an unorthodox path to hip-hop. She splashed on the scene in 2011 and then fell back to handle life. Five years later, she's back and has brought with her The Day She Ran Away, her debut EP that mixes life experiences, hip-hop music and spoken word. I was able to sit down and talk with ChrisJay about her reentrance into hip-hop, what #TDSRA means to her and what's next.

Blavity: For those who are new to your music and style, who is ChrisJay?

ChrisJay: I love music, I write a lot and rap a little but am en route to balancing out the scale on that one. Underground Hip-Hop, that's what were calling the art still, right? Staying true to the foundation. I'm a boom bap soul — lyrical and hopefully not your average. I'm into words and depth, an unadulterated hip-hop type.

B: I first heard you back in 2011 on a lot of Die-Rek’s stuff, what was it like building with him during that time and the music you made then?

ChrisJay: Building was easy. He's a highly relatable dude. Being a producer, I'm sure in the whole creative process he envisioned a certain flow or style or even person on production. He let me into his catalogue and I hand-picked a couple and he suggested two and we went from there. He respects creators and an individual's creative process and uniqueness. If you ask for feedback, he'll give it. If you don't, he's like "just do you and were good with it."

I know like myself he's entirely pleased with The Day She Ran Away and what it is growing up into. I haven't asked, but I'm sure that specifically on "Do It For," he anticipated a bit more grime, but the lady still did him justice on what she brought.

The music hasn't changed since then. It's still what you need.

B: Unfortunately for myself, it’s been five years since we heard a verse from you. What happened and what motivated you to get back into the studio and record again?

ChrisJay: It has been undoubtedly five. During that time there has been a lot of transition. I had some health issues that came up, my family is really young…we can say life happened. While I wish I could say I've been entirely active and continuously writing, I can't. But during those five years, The Day She Ran Away was born.

In pain, darkness, sincerity and hope, it found life. This project has a lot to do with my recovery, which is still a work in progress, but hopefully this work is a great indicator of things to come.

I mentioned to a friend a couple weeks ago when they asked similarly about the project, I said "This is selfish hip-hop!" Not the kind that seeks or builds on itself, but the kind that says anything and stops at nothing with the main purpose for that of the delivererer and and the hearer to get free, breathe and reflect light.

B: Alright let’s get into the music, The Day She Ran Away is out and it’s your first project as a solo artist, but in my eyes and maybe others you’re a veteran in this. Why now to drop your first project?

ChrisJay: Veteran? That's heavy.

I can say that I loved and have been in love with hip-hop since I got a hold of my father's copy of Power. If I come off veteran-like or highly seasoned, I appreciate the compliment. I'd attribute that to the people and crafts I get around often.

I've always had music in my books, mind, soul and hard drives, but it's always been personal and wrapped in a lot of feelings and then blanketed in a ton of excuses as to why not now, and why not me.

It's a tough, frustrating and even depressing place to be. In our selves, we have great potential to be our greatest encourager or discourager. I feel like I've experienced this on the both ends of the spectrum to the highest degree.

Then there is the idea of waiting for the perfect time to drop something. So all of those reasons could be why not sooner. But as for why now? I just decided to let it all go. The feelings, sensitivities, hurt and transparency are all still there. I've just decided to let it all go.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://chrisjayonline.bandcamp.com/album/the-day-she-ran-away”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;The Day She Ran Away by ChrisJay&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

B: Spoken word to me is one of the more intimate forms of art, however to some, Spoken Word is dated. On the intro and even an interlude on your EP, you confidently and poetically speak, how long have you been doing spoken word and why choose that for this project?

ChrisJay: I've been doing poetry and spoken word at the risk of sounding token, since the fifth grade. Sometimes it's an acapella other times it's in a class full of kids.

It's good practice and good medicine.

In my experience it teaches you not to mix words and to proclaim instead of just passively saying.

It was important to include this art as a manifesto and a foreshadow of things to come for the project.

If we imagine The Day She Ran Away as a giant note to self I need this particular piece and diction in my life to cast definite vision to why I do what I do and what I need to keep at my core to get it done.

B: As my own personal question how do you determine how you approach your expression, how do you say “here I want to spoken word” and “here it’d be better to rap”?

The Day She Ran Away in the final presentation is an EP but it started at a place of "this may be too heavy and I need to cut some tracks!"

So, the answer for deciding on track and craft placement is, timing and feeling. A lot of effort on my part went into track selection and order. It all sincerely filtered through my heart, and what you hear now is the end result. This project is exactly what my heart and mind was cool with sharing in this season of life.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://chrisjayonline.bandcamp.com/album/the-day-she-ran-away”&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;The Day She Ran Away by ChrisJay&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

On your bandcamp you say ‘The Day She Ran Away’ “Is a story about your story” what do you mean when you say that?

The theme of The Day She Ran Away is universal. It transcends sex, space and time. I know people hesitate before they grab for it because of preconceived notions. I've had people mention this to me.

I say "It's a story about your story" because when you sit and take in this project, you can relate. You can relate to failure, you can relate to triumph. You're moved by injustice and if you possess even an ounce of emotion or appreciation for lyricism and the art of storytelling you will hear or see yourself at least once throughout the duration of the recording. Life isn't a journey that has been reserved for a select few. As humans we all have a story worth telling and if you listen to #TDSRA and can only take from it that it was "alright" and now you have some of your own music to move or some heat to drop…you've related and you've been compelled. That's the power of the human experience igniting others for the greater good, like it or not we can call it The Day She Ran Away Effect.

B: In my listenings to the EP I felt we were on a journey, the first half of the EP it seemed like you were unpacking your experiences and the effects they had and then on the second it was taking those experiences and carrying on with your life’s purpose. What were you trying to accomplish with this project?

ChrisJay: Exactly.

The Day She Ran Away is a melting pot for awkward and unfavorable conversations. It deals with issues, of loss, abandonment, injustice and hurt feelings. It puts all the stuff I find no enjoyment in confronting right in my face.

#TDSRA also puts a spotlight on high times and serves a challenge to savour them.

MY hope is to inspire action. I can honestly say, there was no motive behind starting or completing this work besides the overwhelming necessity I had to just be able to breathe on and into something and really find a safe place and an outlet for my life.

We all need to deal with stuff and I hope this triggers the process in people. I had a moment (which translated into about a year) when I was creating this of aggressively forgiving, myself, others and God… a mass letting go. It was a time of reconciliation. In that moment, the moment you realize the universe has ultimately and underminingly betrayed you and instead of letting it paralyze, you pull it's card, get better and move forward. This is that.

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For those who might be looking to pursue, art or any form of expression what advice would you give them?

I'd let them know they were absolutely born to create. You were born to create. Creation is at the core and is part of the very fibre your being.

Whether you are writing, sculpting for the masses, designing clothes in your parents basement, teaching preschoolers how to glue sticks, GET YOURS! I am a believer. I believe that ones physical, mental and emotional wellness relies heavily on their outflow of the creative gifts that have been placed inside of them.

If you were indebted to society it would be by this one thing, your creative contribution. Whether it is on an open stage or behind closed doors, release your creative flow. Don't be defined by others nor jaded when they try to swoop on your flavour. Do You, authentically…the future needs you!

I have to ask, what’s coming up next for ChrisJay, will we ever get a full-length out of you?

You will. I have a few good things in the works right now. I have plans to push the life out of The Day She Ran Away over the next few months. Some visuals and shows coming sooner than later. A few pit stops before the album but I promise to make it good for you.

ChrisJay

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