Janga credits his music upbringing with a non-traditional style

By Max Bowen

Following the release of his singles, including “Next Level” and “Gyalcation,” Janga has been hard at work crafting new songs in his blended style.

It was in 2019 that Janga took what had been a hobby and decided to make it his next career. In 2020 he released “Next Level” followed soon after by “We Don’t Play,” “Never Enough,” and “Gyalcation,” which has been featured in a previous Blackout Collection playlist. In this interview, Janga shares his music upbringing, his unique musical style and what we can expect down the road.


What got you into music in the first place?
I’ve been interested in music for as long as I can remember because it was always being played in my house. The person who specifically got me into wanting to make music was Usher, because I wanted to be like him, so I started writing R&B songs from the age of 9/10 and singing, not rapping. I don’t remember the exact moment when I decided I would start singing, but looking back at it now, it just felt natural.

I read that you were exposed to a lot of different music at a young age. How would you say this shaped your style?
This has shaped my style because I am open to making songs that would not be classed as traditional hip-hop, like my song “Gyalcation,” which is an Afrobeats song, or “Go With The Tempo” which is a Grime song. When I hear a beat for the first time I don’t automatically dismiss it if it doesn’t sound a certain way, instead I’ll think about how I could make it sound authentic to the genre while still keeping the essence of Janga.

Your debut single, “Next Level,” was released in 2020. What was the reception and how did it feel to make this entry into the music world?
It felt great, after so many years of hesitation it felt like the right time and the right song to introduce myself to the music world. I always knew that I would eventually release my music but I was focused on other things at the time like university, traveling, learning languages, work etc. The reception from the song was really good, a lot of people that knew me were surprised because they’d never heard me rap before. I received very little negative feedback.

Is there a singular element to your music?
I wouldn’t say that there’s one specific element in my music that is always there above the others, but I would say that rapping, beats and rhythm, and lyricism are the three which are consistent in each of my songs.

What’s next for you?
I’ve just released my new song called “Back To Back” with French rapper Price BDK, so I’m working on promoting that. I also have some upcoming performances like at BOXPARK Wembley next week. I plan on releasing more music and performing at more shows so that I can grow my fanbase as much as possible.