Just Wulf-More Than 'Just' Another Rapper

Just (Justin) Wulf is an emerging musician in the Twin Cities, for a good reason.  If you ever want to hear music that not only makes you think, but also makes you feel better.  I advise playing one of his amazing tracks as loud as you can.  His music has way of capturing your senses and teleporting them to a new world, one you are the master of and you can explore until the end of the track, then hit repeat and your free to roam.  Like his song Take Me Away, you can’t help but getting involved in the beats first, then captured by the lyrics.

Just Wulf got his start as a kid watching Dragon Ball Z and listening to Christian rap and other positive hip-hop, which has helped style his music into uplifting music.  "I don't use profanity in my music, so it's all ages all ears.  So you can pop it into a car, and nobody has to say turn that down it has too much swearing on it."  Wulf went on to say, "I want listeners to be able to connect with my music."  A task he personally achieves very well in his music.  Fitting of the label 'down to earth' and 'uplifting' music

Just Wulf likes to use a "kick drum" style of music, creating a beat first then rhyming over the track making the most powerful words drop just before the beat hits adding empathies to his words making us dive deeper into them.  Most of his songs are written in a sitting allowing him to capture a complete feeling and express it in the lyrics, also in recording he insists on doing the verses in their entirety so as that they will flow better and mesh smoother together in the studio and are more appealing to hear.  If I had to compare Just Wulf to any groups I would say a mixture of Heiruspecs and the original pioneers of hip-hop, but only because of the style of beats he uses and how they very percussion oriented but still counter balanced with guitar or keys.

One year, when Just Wulf was more of ‘Just Cub’, his parents gave him Pro Tools (sound studio editing program) for his birthday/Christmas present.  After a period of messing around and teaching himself how this complex program worked, he started to record and mix his vocals.  "Every aspect of music has me really interested and digging into them more." His first "show" was at a talent show at his middle school (Capital Hill Magnet School), at that time he used recording of himself beat boxing (an art in and of itself) and then rapped over them.  After that talent show he was met with a lot of positive feedback, feedback he used to motivate himself to explore the art of hip-hop.  When I asked him about music and its influence on his life he said, "It built my self esteem, it’s gotten me through a lot.  I can sit down and vent, sit down and just write lyrics, so that you know how to get through that situation next time."

(Normally I would make a list of other artists someone has worked with, but this time if I even tried that I'm sure this page would double in length.  Just Wulf is a prime example of 'Minnesota Nice' and artist co-operation.  He plans on setting up a studio in his home for artists to be able to come in and record their art, because as he said, 'twin cities hip-hop isn't a competition it is co-op.’ He is one of the most genuinely kind artists I know of.  After the interview he asked me what I did, i mentioned the book, and without a moment’s hesitation he said, "I would like to buy a copy when you are done with it, and if you ever want to record it or your spoken word, just hit me up."  Now that is an artist that deserves some good old fashion 'Minnesota fan love', a true uplifting artist.)

After the interview was finished he said something really interesting, "It is (hip-hop) something i can see myself doing for a long time, even if no one is listening, because my music is for me.  In my old age mixing tracks and enjoying it."  Music is self motivation, you have to know to make music for yourself first and others second, because when you change your music to become what someone else wants it to be you lose some of yourself, and isn't music just a way to express yourself?

(Check out Justin Time Monthly, new free song the last day of every month at http://justwulf.bandcamp.com/, also check out Peace By Piece produced by Prime Cut, great album)

The Nomad Poet-Buddy Wakefield

Buddy Wakefield was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, but grew up in Texas.  In 2001 he quit his job as an Executive Assistant at a biomedical firm and either sold or gave away everything he owned, except for the necessities.  He moved into his Honda Civic and began touring North America and going to various poetry venues.

Buddy Wakefield is the first person to win two back to back World Poetry Slam Championship (2004-2005).

Wakefield makes his poems very personal, touching on human emotions from different perspectives.  For example in Convenience Stores (my personal favorite), he touches on the struggle, frustration, and pain of being lonely from the perspective of a trucker/traveler and a woman behind the counter of a convenience store.  It is a sad poem but has a oddly uplifting presence to it, like a bitter sweet ending where all that matters is how you handle your life not what you achieve, "Live for your living". (You may agree or disagree with this interpretation if so i would love to hear your interpretation, because we all have different takes on meaning.)

Wakefield is the author of two books, So They Can't Contain (2004) and Live For a Living (2007).  He has also has released three spoken word records, A Stretch of Presence (1999), Run On Anything (2007), and Live at the Typer Cannon Grand (2009).

Buddy Wakefield has been featured on NPR, HBO's Def Poetry Jam, and the BBC.  If you ever are lucky enough to catch a performance of Wakefield you will realize you are not only there for the spoken word, but also he even has mild comedy, like in his piece Arizona Summers, a reflection on the blood boiling heat of there scorching summers.