20 Questions with J.Pham

Now introducing J.Pham, a young Vietnamese-American artist repping the Dino, ready to break stereotypes amongst Asians. In June 2017, J.Pham’s single with Luumurq, “Thru The Air” was featured on WSHH. To get to know J.Pham better, we decided to play the famous game of 20 Questions. 

Tell us about yourself. Who is Johnny?

Johnny is a Vietnamese-American that was born and raised in San Bernardino, CA. My family came over to the US during the Fall of Saigon. We moved into the Waterman Gardens Projects and stayed there until I graduated from high-school and moved out. I am currently residing in Corona, CA now.

What kind of music did you grow up listening to? 

I grew up listening to Hip Hop, I was a big fan of Q-Tip and Jay-Z. I always had A Tribe Called Quest on my cassette player. 

What is your biggest accomplishment in life?

I joined the US Army back in 2013. I look back and still can't believe I actually joined. I had some great experiences and got to visit many different states. I served for 4 years until my contract ended. 

What do you hope to accomplish in life or in music? 

Of course music is my passion, but it's good to always be open minded. I always wanted to open my own bar and nightclub.

Who are you the most thankful for and why? 

I am the most thankful for my grandmother. Growing up, my mom and dad weren't around. I was raised by my grandma so she is like my mother to me. When I was in juvie, she came and visited me and kept me smiling. She always kept me in check and had my back.

Negative thoughts will never give you a positive life.

Where do you hope to see yourself 5 years from now? 

Five years is a long time, a lot of things can happen in 5 years, but to be honest I would love to own my own business, could be a music studio, a bar, hell even a barbershop. Get settled in a house and take care of my family and daughter. 

How would you define your music (Genre: Trap, R&B, etc.)? 

I'm in the middle of Rap and R&B. I do a combination of both.

What are your goals as an artist?

I want to set a platform for more Asian-American artists. I feel like Asian-American musicians are slept on. 

How long have you been making music for?

I've been doing music for about 11 years now, but I didn't take it seriously until about 5 years ago.

At the end of the day, I just want to make my family proud.  

What made you want to start? 

True story, I went to an underground music concert and the hype was real. I got to experience some dope MCs and see Dumbfoundead and Year of the Ox. I've been passionate about music for a while but that night lit off a fuse in me.

Who or what is your motivation?

My motivation is my daughter. Everything I do is for her, the will to succeed and being the best that I can. At the end of the day, I just want to make my family proud.  

Do you have any mottos that you live by? 

Negative thoughts will never give you a positive life. 

Are any of your songs based on real life experiences or a true story? 

Every song I have written has been the truth. I don't fake it. That's the sad thing about today's music. People tend to fake it to fit in. 

What advice would you give to other Asian artists that want to start in the music game, but are too afraid to?

I would tell them that music is universal. It doesn't have a skin color or ethnicity. Music is for everyone. If you truly want to do music go for it 1,000 percent. 

Do you want to break any stereotypes of what people think of Asians in music?

People tend to think Asians are sweet. They think Asians are rich and have everything set. I grew up in the Waterman Garden Projects in San Bernardino,CA and lived there for 19 years. My family wasn't rich, we did what we did to get by. I blame the media for all these stereotypes. 

The only way for everyone to climb up is if we all have our hand out and help one another.

Are there any shoutouts that you’d like to give?

I definitely want to give a shout out to my brother Marq Roque, I look up to him, he's kind of my mentor, he's always making moves and he keeps me motivated. He dropped a clothing line about 2 years ago and is still going strong! 

Anything that you want to say to people who come across your music?

I would just tell them, every lyric that I'm rapping or singing is the truth. Every lyric was a joyful moment and painful moment. 

What can we expect from you in the future?

2021 Is about to go crazy, got many more videos and projects that me and my team will be dropping. Be on the lookout. 

Where can we find your music? 

I do this as a passion, I don't charge people to listen to my music, I have all my music free on SoundCloud under J.pham. Also I have a YouTube channel with all my videos just search up J.pham.

Any last words for today’s interview? 

I just wanna say thank you for giving artists a platform to introduce themselves and get some kind of recognition. The music game these days are all about competition. The only way for everyone to climb up is if we all have our hand out and help one another. That's the only way everyone in this music game will be heard. ✌ 

J.Pham just released his single titled after his daughter, “Luna Mae.” You can check out his music on YouTube and SoundCloud!