Jaze: “I Don't See Myself Doing Reggaeton. I'm Not Passionate About It, I Want To Be Free"

Juan Carlos Iwasaki la Puente, better known as Jaze, has released his new song “Cantar Inside”, with which he seeks to impose himself on the Peruvian scene. The freestyler, champion of battles in Red Bull and FMS Peru, spoke with us about his other passion: music. The also composer referred to the shortcomings in Peruvian rap and gave details of his path in Argentina. In addition, he gave his opinion on other colleagues who are becoming popular, such as Jota Shoy and Pharaoh Love Shady.

—What do you want to convey with “Cantar Inside”, your new song?

It’s a very personal lyric, “Sing inside” is a hymn that invites people to express what they feel and what they think, and not stay singing inside, what you have stored there. It’s a very eighties song, indie. The influence has been from bands like Virus, Little Jesus and Los Prisioneros.

—What is the most difficult thing when you write the lyrics of your songs?

It depends a lot. I don’t write unless it’s the time, I like to be alone when I write. Sometimes it happens to me that I have a melody with the same ending, but I don’t know how to relate them to the previous lyrics, I usually stop doing it and leave it for another day. I have left songs in the middle.

—What do you think of singers who go viral with shallow compositions, for example the case of Pharaoh Love Shady?

I couldn’t tell you, I haven’t listened. In general, it doesn’t bother me, everyone does what they want.

—Haven’t you heard Pharaoh Love Shady?

I haven’t listened to their songs, I haven’t taken the time to do it, but I know who it is; I have seen that there are people who believe that it is not a serious project. But the recognition he wins is for something, I respect all artists as long as they do it for the love of art.

It doesn’t bother me, I’m looking to grow and let people know me, to be able to live from this little by little. I’ve come out of freestyle and people know me for that. The most beautiful thing is to make a project with passion, beyond how many people listen to it. It’s a matter of patience, I trust myself, there are people who listen to me and I’m grateful. If there are people who are known for x reasons, they earned it in their own way, I don’t have any problem, it doesn’t sting or bother me.

—Have you been tempted to do reggaeton?

I don’t see myself doing reggaeton, I think I don’t fit in. I don’t see anything wrong with it, but if you’re just doing it for the recognition, it’s not a good thing. Eye, it has happened to me, once I showed some demos and they told me to direct it for reggaeton, I stayed the entire meeting, but I knew I was never going to go back there again. I’m not passionate, I want to be free.

—Have you thought about getting away from the battles and dedicating yourself completely to your solo career in Argentina?

I like the competition, it’s different from a concert when you’re with a band. I want to keep competing, keep rapping, I don’t have a retirement date or anything. I’m calm, trying to take things easy in doing both. I know there are people who trust me.

Jaze. Photo: archive

—What do you think Peruvian rap lacks to have an exponent at the level of Canserbero in Venezuela or Residente in Puerto Rico?

We have Norick and Rapper School, but at the Canserbero or Residente level, we don’t have. There is a lot of talent, I think lack of union in the independent scene. I was in Buenos Aires, every day there were concerts and everyone was full, they have a great musical culture; there people feel devotion to the Argentine artist, here it is different. Gian Marco is the only Peruvian artist who can make a stadium, in Argentina there are 20 artists who can fill stadiums. In Peru, people are not used to paying for a musical show, there is still a youth scene that is growing. But now Argentina is dominating the music industry.

—Is this why you are going to Argentina?

That’s not necessarily why. I’m going because I want a change of scenery, I’ve always had that curiosity of going to live in another country. I love Argentina, but I’m going to miss Peru, I’m still going to keep coming here. What happens is that I am working with an Argentine producer, Nicolás Btesh. Yes, I’m going to do my solo career there. I’m going to compose and record there. I also want to study music production professionally.

Jaze. Photo: archive

—Recently, your colleague Jota Shoy premiered a song with reality boy Jota Benz. Would you also be willing to collaborate with a reality boy who is dedicated to the urban genre?

If I make a song with someone it has to be my friend or (I must) admire what they do. If I don’t like his music, I wouldn’t do it. I don’t really know who the reality boys are, I don’t know them.

—Who would you like to do a collaboration with?

From Peru I would like Laguna Pai and Kanaku and El Tigre, and dreaming it would be with Jorge Drexler, a Uruguayan artist.

—What do you want to achieve with your music?

I want to play live everywhere, put out records, express myself and be honest. That I do so well in music that I don’t want to stop doing it. With my fans, that they can escape from reality and enjoy a show of different genres, that makes them happy to listen to me.

—What other projects are coming up for this year?

We’ve been out on a number of Star+, what It’s called “The Heir: The Freestyle Dynasty”It is a strong project, a reality show that is going to be very good. It is not armed. It was a super experience and it’s amazing. In 2021 we recorded the first season and this year we are supposed to record the second.

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