Outta Sight Muzik is a Virginia, Us-based promotional/marketing company, a record label founded and launched in 2014 and is currently the home of Hip Hop, Metal and Pop artists from NJ, FL, CA, Spain and the UK. We are meeting the owner and founder of Outta Sight Muzik, 28-year old Jah Taylor, to celebrate the upcoming two-year anniversary of this.
1inmusic: Hey Jah, thanks for joining us. Tell us, how did Outta Sight Muzik come about?
Jah Taylor (JT): I was actually a hip hop producer for about six years from 2008 until 2013. I was an aspiring rapper for years before that. As far as the rapping went, like I was serious but not serious, ya know. I started at age 11; I never had access to an actual studio, never had the right tools or right people around me. I pretty much moved on from that because EVERYBODY started wanting to be a rapper. After that, that’s when I got into making beats. Through the years I did that, I was able to sit in studios, learn a little of the business, watch how things go on behind the scenes and better understand everything. I put a lot of time and money into that and eventually decided to step back from that as well and just live life. Music is something I’m very passionate about, so it wasn’t long until I decided I wanted to start a label and I want to help aspiring artists out in this twisted game of lies and backstabbing they call the music business. Not too much longer after that Outta Sight Muzik was born.
1inMusic: What shaped your passion and who supports you?
JT: Music makes my heart beat. Whether it’s me being involved in something musically or just sitting around listening to music. I can stop something, like rapping or making beats, and feel like I NEED to do something still, like, I need to be a part of this business. Someway, somehow. I can’t get away, it’s like an addiction. I have a great supporting cast. My girlfriend Sara, my BFF Richard, family, and anyone who clicks follow on social media or clicks that little LIKE button on Facebook or clicks play on any Outta Sight artist’s videos or songs, without those clickers you really have nothing.
1inMusic: How did you come up with the name Outta Sight Muzik?
JT: I was brainstorming names, Outta Sight Muzik was actually a label name I had thought of back in high school and never did anything with. Just popped in my head. I just have an attraction to some old school trends and whatnot. Old slang brought back to modern day. For those who don’t know, Out of Sight is the same as rad, good, cool. Imagine Mr. Burns from The Simpsons saying “Outta Sight” instead of “Excellent” while doing his finger tenting.
1inmusic: When did you realize you were going to do this professionally?
JT: When I got into writing rhymes at age 11. That’s when I got obsessed with music and wanted to find a way in. I always liked music but that was all, never really thought about wanting to do something musically before that. It all began on that one day I came home from school, turned on BET’s Rap City and they played DMX’s ‘Ruff Ryders Anthem’, Outkast’s ‘Rosa Parks’ and Jay-Z’s ‘Hard Knock Life’ back to back to back and then I really went for it when Eminem first came on the scene.
1inmusic: Congratulations on your two year anniversary! How are you going to celebrate your anniversary?
JT: Get wasted and eat cake! Well, half of that is probably true. I have a great idea for our five year anniversary though. So, a few more years until I do something major to celebrate an anniversary.
1inmusic: Who makes up the current OSM roster?
JT: Currently our roster consists of six acts. We have Neechie Naacal from Trenton, NJ; LilTrap850 from Tallahassee, FL; he.cried.wolf from Fresno, CA. Then you go overseas and there’s Eden Avenue from Leicester, UK; Mia Hayes from Kent, UK and ALL-I-AM from Barcelona, Spain. The level of talent on this roster is ‘Outta Sight’! Get it?
1inmusic: How do you choose who to add to your roster? What qualities make an artist or band stand out and make you want to go after them?
JT: They have to bring something to the table, and I personally have to love the artist and their music and really believe in them if I am going to invest my time into them. If I know that this is something they really want, and they’re willing to put in the time and work hard, then I’m on board. There’s a lot of aspiring emcees, bands and singers, and if there’s nothing that makes you stand out or if you aren’t willing to fight to get to the top, you will become lost in the sea very fast. I’ve had the artists that sit around and take forever to record one song, and sit back and want you to do everything for them, I’ve dealt with the egotistical maniacs as well. Long story short, they’re all gone.
1inmusic: Who, to you, are the most undervalued music artists?
JT: The ones that really care about their craft and put their all into it. You could know plenty of emcees who constantly sit and write well thought out lyrics, tell stories and really put thought into their material. Then, you turn on the radio and you have guys mumbling and you can’t even make out what the hell they’re saying. Same goes for singers, you could know plenty with a great voice, can write their own songs and be the next big thing, and again you turn on the TV, and who’s being pushed? A singer with ‘the look’ but who needs auto tune to make them sound decent. The blue collar citizens in music so to speak are the undervalued ones. Screw the look, if you have a dope voice or sound and lyrics and are willing to work, I’d take that artist over the mumblers and the ‘auto tune required’ ones.
1inmusic: How do you help your artists (in performances, promotion, collaborations?)
JT: The artists have their own connects as far as getting shows booked. What I like to do is always look out for festivals that I can push to get some to be a part of. For example, last year, I was able to get Eden Avenue a spot performing at Folly Fest; which is a three day festival over in the UK. The people planning it were real nice people, so now the plan is to have our other UK artist Mia Hayes take part in it this year. As far as promotion, I stay posting material all over all social media sites. I’ve actually done some research and put together a nice email list of record labels, DJs, people who work for record labels, etc. and am about to start firing out monthly emails. I’ve always had the social media side on lockdown, now I’m ready to start plastering things all over cities for those who are computer/cellphone illiterate.
1inmusic: You yourself (the owner), what type of music did you grow up listening to and who are your music idols?
JT: Pretty much everything. I’m the kid who was always stuck going shopping with his mom on the weekends at a young age. I was trapped in the car listening to what she wanted to listen to on the radio. Wide range. 80’s and 90’s Rock, Hip Hop, R&B and Pop. Now, if I was stuck in the car with my aunt, it was country. That god awful old style country. Man. Some songs were fine but then the majority of it I couldn’t stand. Nowadays, what I listen to is the same as I did then plus newer stuff obviously. Asking Alexandria and Machine Gun Kelly are my favorites for rock and hip hop right now. My girlfriend Sara has me playing The Used’s ‘In Love and Death’ album repeatedly the last couple days. I didn’t listen to them before I met her, she didn’t listen to Asking Alexandria before meeting me. Now, she digs AA and I’m digging The Used. We put each other on to our favorites. As far as idols, for different reasons, Brian ‘Head’ Welch (of KoRn), Kurt Cobain, and Eminem. Outta Sight actually started as a strictly hip hop label, but after a while my love for all genres of music took over and I decided to bring on different genres as well. Now, it’s the home of hip hop, metal, and pop/soul.
1inmusic: Success to you is…
JT: Living a happy life. Simple as that.
1inmusic: What one piece of advice would you give that you wish all artist starting out knew?
JT: It’s not easy. Be prepared to put in a lot of time, money and work. When I started writing in sixth grade, my thought process was, I’m going to write a dope song and labels are going to want me the next day type of thing. Yeah, it doesn’t work like that. What you see in the music videos too isn’t real life. Only after you put it a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Today, it’s REALLY not easy with so many people wanting to get involved in music. Think of something that can make you stand out; whether it’s your sound, live show, whatever.
1inmusic: What can we expect from OSM in 2016 and in years to come? Any upcoming projects?
JT: I’m still looking to launch Outta Sight Sports, a division of Outta Sight where we’d be working with athletes the same way we do with musicians pretty much. We’ve got merch on the way. As far as music goes, everyone is working. he.cried.wolf is putting the final touches on their debut album, they have their first music video in the making and have a few shows lined up that are coming up. I just chatted with Neechie last week and he said he’s sitting on 2 tapes worth of music, may see a new project from him sometime this Summer. LilTrap850 has been working on his ‘Beatjackin Maniacs Part 3’ mixtape as well as his project ‘No Sleep Til Fame’. Eden Avenue recently added a new bassist to their lineup and have been working on new material. Mia Hayes releases music here and there, she’s constantly working as well, and she’ll be opening for the legend Beverley Knight in June in Westenhanger, Hythe, UK. ALL-I-AM recently released their new music video for their single “The Red Light 2.0” and are working. In years to come? We’ll see, big things hopefully. Again, everyone is working.
1inmusic: Thank you very much for joining us today and best wishes with your celebrations! Where can we find out more about your projects?
JT: No, No, thank YOU! Everyone can get at us on social media. Twitter and Intagram are both @OuttaSightMuzik and
