Artist Spotlight: RLS J.Dot (January 2022)

RLS J.Dot is a 20 year old artist from the Chicago suburbs. J.Dot lived on the west side of Chicago for a few years, before moving to Maywood. He says that he was surrounded by violence, but when it came to academics, the private school he attended showed him the contrast between the atmospheres he was in. J.Dot remembers being a quiet person in school, usually keeping to himself, or with a close-knit group. Music was something that brought him out of his shell.

“I damn near got bullied into making music,” he says. “Everyone around me was making music, and it got to a point where if I didn’t start making music, they were going to make me make music.” After recording his first song, J.Dot received a lot of positive feedback, and he decided to keep it going. One thing that he prides himself in is his versatility, noting how he can easily switch the styles and moods of his songs. He finds that his greatest advantage as an artist in such a big community is having a unique sound.

J.Dot accredits his ability to switch up his sound so easily to the wide variety of music he listened to growing up. He says that his top genres were pop, hip-hop, and r&b, but he was interested in many different styles. “My favorite artist use

d to be Soulja Boy. I feel like a lot of people are scared to admit that,” he laughs. He also references Drake, Youngboy, and Chief Keef as artists that he took inspiration from. J.Dot’s creative process usually starts with finding a beat online. He says, “If I can put my ad libs on the beat, I know I can rap on it.” He then starts writing lyrics, mentioning that nothing goes to waste, even if it takes years for him to use it in a song.

Though his career is just starting, J.Dot admits that he sometimes has negative thoughts about the longevity of the path he’s chosen. Despite this, it is a barrier that is easily overcome, as he knows that with his flexibility, he will always have new material coming. He also has a focus outside of music - creating a clothing brand. J.Dot explains that he loved unique fashion growing up, and starting to create his own pieces so that he could see his own ideas come to life. He says that there is always more to push for, you just have to keep working for what you love.

*find his music @ RLS J.Dot on all platforms*