It’s Monday and we’ve got Jadakiss’ son Jae’won on the newsletter! Not only that, he’s taking his father’s seat on this week’s episode, when we review Out of Sight. So, today’s a full takeover by the young gun. And it’s capping an active couple of weeks for him, as he just dropped his debut project, The North Star! Make sure to check that out. For today, I talk to Jae’won about how Shrek 2 is his go-to comedy, how he wanted to be a cowboy and — yes — about Johnson Family Vacation.
What’s a movie that reminds you of home?
In what sense?
There’s a few different directions you could take it: maybe it’s your physical home, and it reminds you of your family? Or it’s something you watched with your parents and sister. Or it could remind you of Yonkers and Westchester, and your friends and surroundings.
[long pause] Hm…I’ve gotta think about that one.
What’s your go-to comedy?
Shrek 2.
Shrek 2???
That’s my shit.
What’s something that makes it better than the original Shrek?
The colors! And it’s a better storyline. Everything about it is better than the first one.
Were you raised a Disney kid? Because you sorta missed the era of Little Mermaid, Aladdin…
I was getting Lizzie Maguire and Luck of the Irish and all that. But there was some real Disney stuff: Lion King, Tarzan. That hit right when I was born. I seen all of them, 1, 2 and 3.
Are you excited for the new Toy Story?
Oooh, that’s one that reminds me of home! As a little kid, I used to want to be a cowboy, so I had mad Woody stuff — Woody and Rex. Matter fact, I know what movie reminds me of home, for real for real: Wild Wild West with Will Smith.
Oh, you really wanted to be a cowboy!
[long pause to emphasize the obviousness of this] Yes.
Was it Woody that made you want to be a cowboy?
No! It was my man Jim West!
Does that still exist within you or have you grown out of it?
Definitely in me. I still watch the old western shits like Marshal and The Yellow Ranch and all that. I’m watching the Mayor of Kingstown right now, and it’s like season of 2 of The Wire. You’ve gotta really pay attention.
Who’s the best rapper/actor?
I’m inclined to say Will Smith, but I’m gonna say Queen Latifah. Last Holiday’s my favorite role of hers, but she can do comedy, drama, she can do it all. She’s versatile.
Who’s someone who’s really good at their job in a movie?
Brian O’Connor — Paul Walker in Fast & Furious.
Funny. I’m thinking that might be my next pick for a movie, I’m unsure. The first one.
[mulls it over] You might gotta go with Tokyo Drift or the 4th one.
My hope is that, if I choose the first one, we’ll start watching all of them. The problem is that it’ll take up the next like, two months of movies.
You know there’s a correct way to watch it, right? Cause you’ll have it where Letty’s supposed to be dead in the first one but not the others — so you’ve gotta jump around. I’ll send you the list.
What’s a great bad movie?
[Jadakiss yells, “Johnson Family Vacation” in the background.]
OH HO HO. Look who’s got something to say! Jae’Won, your dad said he was inspired by you to make that pick — can you make an argument why Johnson Family Vacation is better than we said it was?
They went through some fucked up shit, you’ve gotta see that! He picked up a random stranger on the highway, they had an alligator…
[Jadakiss starts talking about how I needed to come to his uncle’s funeral with his family to understand all the similarities.]
Yea, if you’d have came with us to my uncle’s repast — [laughs] Next time we do a family reunion down south, you’ve gotta come with us, then you’ll get it.
In putting together your album, how did you pick these 15 songs? Are you someone who over-records?
Putting together the album, I went off feeling. But like, I over-do it. For every song that’s on there, there’s a twin record to it — I just chose the better version.
But did you finish those songs, or are they half ideas?
Nah, I try to finish everything at least in a day or two days apart.
What’s your favorite hook on the project?
Knots & Ps. There’s just something about that one — that’s my favorite one.
Yea, that gives me the feeling of like, Mase.
Did you record all this at the D Block studios?
Nah, I was all over. In the Bronx, on Dyckman, in Jersey.
Do you like that they all have different vibes? Is it hard to maintain an energy?
You’ve gotta switch it up sometimes. Where I finish it up at, at Prime in the Bronx, that’s my go-to, cause it ain’t a busy studio. And I like the engineer there — his whole family is trained in music. They’re Spanish, and the Pops is a pianist. Him and all his siblings, they’re just trained in sounds and everything.
Are you planning on performing anywhere?
We’re working it out with venues and shit, but first that I know, you’ll know.
Cool, because you know I’ll pull up. I saw you and Iman Nunez somewhere on the LES, and I don’t go outside for nobody these days.
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That’s all for this week! Make sure to check out our new episode about Out of Sight, the will they/won’t they thriller when George Clooney and J. Lo were verging on superstardom and super-sex appeal. And — if you’re in Brooklyn this Thursday night — make sure to say hi, take pictures with us, laugh, ask questions and scream BOOM during our Breakfast Club live episode.
Jadakiss out the dryer 😂🤣