Juice Potter to Release ‘Project Potter’ on Wednesday October 21, 2020

by: Ace Woe

1. So, right off the bat, I was curious about your stage name. Where did you get your moniker from?

I got the name Juice Potter from two separate occasions. Honestly, I think it was 2012 or it could have been 2013but I want to say 2012. It was my cousin’s birthday and he asked me to bring some lean to his party. I pulled up with 2 liters of juice. When he saw me, he was like, “Oh shit, cuzyou really brought the juice, you know what? I’ma be calling you ‘Juice’ from here on out.” So, that’s how I got the name Juice. Now, Potter, he was born in Miami.

I was chilling with a different set of cousins and we were out celebrating. I had some  round frames on, you know, the round glasses that Harry Potter would wear but mine were gold. When they saw me, they were like, “Damn, son, who you? Harry Potter?” and we all started laughing. But I was like, “nah, I’m Juice Potter, nigga, that shit fly.” “JuiceJuice Potterthat’s me; fuck you talkin’ bout?” And ever since then I been rockin’ with the name.

2. And  how long have you been in the music game so far?

So far, I would say I’ve been doing music for about three years. I started making music in 2016 but I wasn’t really serious, I was kind of just fucking around. But when 2017 hit, that’s when I kind of started seeing that I had some potential. I felt that I could really grow and I started falling in love with this shit.

3. Was there any specific moment or occurrence that you can remember where you knew this was what you wanted to do?

That’s actually a pretty hard question. Honestly, there’s been multiple moments where I realized, damn, this really is for me. As a matter of fact, here go a story right here; this is my favorite story by the way. I hadn’t dropped music in a while after I dropped my EP Potterville. I was laying low and kinda chillin’, you know, just riding off the little buzz I was getting. I wasn’t promoting the project like I was supposed to, I felt like I rushed it. I didn’t get a chance to really do what I wanted to do with the project so I just lost interest in it. I didn’t know what I was going to do and I gotta admit, I lost motivation. But one day, I was walking out of my house like literally walking out of my house and it’s crazy but I see this little girl. 

As she’s walking down the street, she walks past me then she stops and turns around. She was like, “You … you Juice Potter?” I said, ‘yeah’ but in my head I’m like, ‘What the fuck?’ She’s like, “Yeah, I see your stickers everywhere. I also saw your music on YouTube and everything.” I forgot I had plastered #Potterville stickers all over Orange, that’s where I’m from Orange, New Jersey. I said to the girl, “Well, since you’ve seen me everywhere, did you listen to the music?” She was like “Yeah, I did and I liked it! I like ‘WAV-E,’ the most.” I was just like damn and I told her I’ll have some more music coming soon and to stay tuned and keep in touch.

After that encounter, I knew I had to keep doing music. I also realized that kids were listening and I can’t be no slouch out here if the youth was on-board with my music. I can’t just put anything out. I gotta give them something to get them going, to feed their brains at least. So, yeah, that was definitely a big moment for me.

4. Wow, sounds like a classic story. Now, I also heard you opened for A Boogie. What was that experience like and where did the event take place?

Opening for A Boogie! I mean, the personal experience was amazing; the people who joined me made it even more lit. The whole drive there was turnt up, then the actual performance itself was crazy. I honestly got up on that stage and just zoned the fuck out. I don’t even know, I couldn’t even tell you how I really felt ‘cause it was so out of body. I just remember we had the crowd going crazy. I can’t wait to get back onstage, like, I’m yearning to get back on stage. We were in front of thousands of people, shutting shit down. I still keep in touch with some of them fans, to this day. That shit was such a great experience and it was mad love out in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. We had the Sherman Theater Shakin’.

5. I bet, bro. That’s the perfect kind of gig right there. So, on question #5 I think it’s appropriate to drop the big one: Can you give us your Top Five greatest emcees of all time?

Damn, this another hard one! I would really need to think about this question a lot… So, my Top Five, no specific order, isand these guys are like the legends of this hip-hop shit; they most definitely laid the foundationI’ma start with Pac and Big, of course, then I’m gonna go with with LL Cool J, because he added a different flavor to the game. I feel like he just changed the game and he don’t get enough credit. Then I’m gonna go with Lil Wayne and DMX. I would say JAY-Z, too, because he rightfully should be on the list. So, yeah, my Top Five is: Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Lil Wayne, DMX and JAY-Z. 

6. That explains a lot because I can hear some of those artists in your sound. How do you regulate pulling from other influences while remaining original?

Um, I regulate pretty fine because those aren’t the only artists I listen to. I listen to a very wide range of different musicians and I challenge myself to listen to different genres at least two times a week. One minute I’m listening to country, the next minute I’m listening to reggae or pop. My music taste fluctuates so I try to get influences from everywhere. I really don’t get stuck up on one sound or one person because I don’t listen to, like, one specific sound or one specific artist. I listen to everything and if it’s good enough, it’ll get stuck in my head. I get my inspiration from everywhere and that’s how I’m able to keep my sound versatile and balanced. 

7. Another angle on this: Who would be your dream collab? And you can give us variations on the theme; like, whose track would you wanna feature on versus who you would wanna have featured on your next project…

I’ve actually been asked this question a couple times and I don’t think I got a chance to answer it to its full capacity. But I’d wanna collab with Drake, Future, G Herbo and Lil Durk. I’d also like to collab with Jay and Wayne but I’d want to work with them in their prime. I won’t really get the “Big Pimpin” Jay. I’d get the millionaire talk and credit Jay and I can’t relate ‘cause I’m not a millionaire yet (chuckles). But yeah, I also wouldn’t mind working with Fab. I think that would be a dope sound too. Actually, now that I think about it… my dream collab was to do a song with Juice WRLD. A Juice-and-Juice project would’ve been fire! I really would’ve wanted to do a joint tape, that shit would go crazy!

8. I dig it. I dig it. And speaking of blending sounds… I heard your remix of J. Cole’s “Middle Child”—I thought it was pretty clever that you re-titled it “First Born.” What inspired you to dive in on that instrumental?

A: “Firstborn” was inspired, of course by Cole’s “Middle Child” track, but my homeboy Dougie F. actually rapped on the beat and, when I heard him rap on it, I was like, ‘Wow, that was tough.’ I wanted to see what I could do and I was already thinking about it, but I was like, ‘Nah, I don’t think anybody really checking for this song,” but then I heard Doug’s version and was like, ‘Hmm, fuck that, I’m doing it.’ I already knew I wanted to remix the song and call it “First Born,” and I wanted it to be like a letter to my little brothers. The inspiration behind it was familygrowing up in my family. I’m a unique  piece in the family, you know, likeI’m right in the middle, because I could relate to the younger kidsbut I was also in tune with all of the older people around me. So I was right in the middle in my family, but in my immediate family I’m the oldest child. 

9. Okay, I see now; yeah, that’s always an interesting dynamic. So, we’ve talked a bit about your east coast upbringing. Of course, you rep New Jersey, but I also noticed in your “No Cap’n” video you guys were in Cleveland, Ohio. What’s the significance behind both of those regions?

Ha! I see you were paying attention! Yeah, we went out to Cleveland for that one. Actually, my family, he was playing for the Browns at the time and I was just going out to Cleveland to visit. I would name drop, but I’m not, if you were really paying attention to the video, you’ll figure out who. You can see it clear as day. Shout out to my boy, though! But yeah, I was out in Cleveland and me and my other cousin decided to shoot “No Cap’N.” So, that’s why I was in Cleveland for real and I just thought that it would be dope because of the scenery difference. Nobody really knows what’s behind me. Until you see something that indicates I’m in Cleveland, so I thought that was pretty dope.

10. It also seems that you draw inspiration from outside of hip-hop. For example, with the “Harry Potter” wordplay, or when you rocked a KISS T-shirt in your “Wav-E” video. Are these more fashion statements on pop culture? Or would you consider yourself to be a fan of these different mediums?

I guess a little mix of both, but I gotta admit I’ve never listened to a KISS song. Their music is not really my genre of music. you know what I mean? Then again, I might’ve heard a KISS song and didn’t even notice. But I do know I’m a fan of their movement and their originality. They were different and in being different they managed to impact the industry and the culture. They made sure that they stood out from everyone else. As for Harry Potter, I’ve always been a fan really. I watched every movie from “Sorcerer’s Stone,” to “Order of the Phoenix,” to “Half-Blood Prince.” It’s not something I really broadcast, but, yeah, I like Harry Potter. It was just a little something to watch on the side. I’m Gryffindor House by the way, I don’t know if anybody was wondering but I’m team Gryffindor. Shout out to all my Slytherin fans though. (chuckles) 

11. No, I feel it man. I remember reading the books. Fell off with the later movies, but hey, that’s what quarantine and chill is for. So, before we wrap this up, give us the rundown on your next moves… What can we expect from Juice Potter to close out 2020 and heading into 2021?

To close out 2020, I’m gonna drop this tape. I’m definitely gonna keep my foot on their necks with the promotion. I’m gonna do some videos, so y’all could expect some videos and some merch coming soon. I actually need you to send me your info, Ace, so I can send you some merch after this interview. More music, I’ll be dropping some more music after I drop Project Potter, probably closer to 2021. I also got a big project and it involves a motion picture, but I don’t wanna drop that bomb yet, so y’all stay tuned. 

12. Nice. Cliff-hanger. And, lastly, where can One West readers find you online?

Everybody from One West, first! I want to say shout out to everybody who’s reading this. Shout out out to my boy, Ace, appreciate you for having me bro. Shoutout to O.H.T.F. and to Marvianna I appreciate you. To all the supporters: y’all can go on Instagram and follow me @jugopotter and you can follow me on Twitter @JuicePotter_; and anything else, you can Google me; just Google me and you can find everything right there. Appreciate y’all for having me, Potter Out!

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About Aaron C. Williams 24 Articles
Senior Editor — Aaron Williams is an artist, writer, and producer from Southern California.

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