Hip-hop and rap gives artists a platform for self-expression through rhythms, beats and poetry. One UNC student has taken on the world of rap by dropping a unique and fresh album that speaks to his personal life, as well relating to the life of college students.
Senior Jemal Abdulhadi, better known as J Dasani, released an album that he said is a representation of his past and everything he has gone through. With the help of producer and mixer Nicho Stevens, also a senior, and the Student Hip Hop Organization, Abdulhadi has been able to record a seven-track album called “Noor” that is now available on most music streaming services.
“I think it’s an embodiment of my personality," Abdulhadi said. "I think all the songs are very original and true to me. I try to incorporate as much of my personality as I can in my music and hope that it resonates with people.”
Abdulhadi draws inspiration from multiple rap artists and incorporates a versatile range of genres and styles including Electronic Dance Music, pop and alternative along with rap. He said this inclusion of multiple sources, as well as his content, makes his sound unique.
“In one song, you can’t strictly just hear hip-hop, trap or rap," Abdulhadi said. “There’s a lot of EDM influences and a lot of Caribbean influences. I think I’m unique in the fact that there’s so many influences in each song that you can hear that it differentiates me.”
Stevens and Abdulhadi said that being student musicians can be difficult with having to balance class and work alongside their music, but that the time and energy is worth the final result.
“Sometimes we’ll be in the studio until 2, 3 a.m," Stevens said. “One day we spent like six hours on one verse, so I can start getting impatient. But we know that we can’t just stop because we want it done. We keep going until it’s exactly what we want.”
According to Soundcloud, J Dasani's first EP "Offseason" was streamed over 3,000 times and Spotify shows that most of his monthly listeners live in Chapel Hill.
Stevens said that the UNC community has always been supportive of local artists and that getting a degree while making music is beneficial, despite wanting to be in the studio 24/7. He said being on a college campus makes promotions and scheduling shows easier and makes him more motivated.
