“I use my music to speak on things such as abuse or violence around the world. I just feel like as an artist you use the world to inspire your music and it’s only right to use your music to inspire the world.”

I had the pleasure to interview Only Jame. Only (Darnell Barrett) is originally from the Northwest suburbs of Chicago or also known as the “9”. Jame began making a name for himself late 2013 after he graduated high school and started attending Columbia College in Chicago. After one semester of college and getting overwhelmed with his growing career, Jame dropped out and made music his priority. He went on to make music with Chicago natives like Tayler Bennett , Toni Romiti and Chicago legend Twista. In early 2016 at one of Jame’s sold out shows that included artists like famous Dex and Rich the Kidd, he announced that he will no longer be focusing on hip-hop, his focus will be r&b and pop. He told his fans that he feels like the world needs feel good music and said he feels that he can produce them better outside of hip-hop.

Yitzi: What is your “backstory”

Being born to a young mother (15) and watching us struggle while she raised me. Music was something that made me happy as far as I could remember. I started to performing and making music for my family by the time I was 5 at holiday parties. People use to tell my young mother that because she had me so young that neither of us would ever amount to anything and I just want to be the living proof on how wrong they were.

Yitzi: Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your career?

One of the craziest things that has happen in my career was when I released one of my songs and someone sent me an email and told me that they were going through an abusive relationship and my song has helped them through it.

Yitzi: How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world? Are you working on any meaningful non profit projects?

I use my music to speak on things such as abuse or violence around the world. I just feel like as an artist you use the world to inspire your music and it’s only right to use your music to inspire the world.

Yitzi: Wow! Can you tell me a story about a person who was impacted by your cause?

It’s the same as answer 2.

Yitzi: What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

1. I wish someone told me when I first started that this is bussiness first. I found out the hard way that the music is only like 10% of this.
2. I wish someone would of told me that people are in this bussiness for themselves. I got burned by people making false promises.
3. I wish someone would have told me this will take time. I have been working very hard for the last 3 years and I made a lot of progress but not where I want .
4. I wish someone would have told me that this would take up all of my time. Everyday goes into music there are no times for days off.
5. I wish someone would of told me that your fan base is everything, Without my fans there is nothing and I love them very much.

Yitzi: Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this, or I might be able to introduce you.

I’d love to sit down and chill with Bernie sanders because he’s super inspiring in more ways than politics.