PJ Morton

Q: Mr. PJ Morton, we want to first thank you for interviewing with So FN Dope Magazine. We are definitely glad to have you. How are you doing?

A: I’m doing good, how you doing?

SFND MAG: Doing good.

Q: You know we have a lot of questions for you? [LAUGHS] One of the first questions... I know New Orleans is home for you right?

A: That’s right!

Q: Considering that you have been away for over… how many years have you been gone?

A: I left about twelve years ago… a little over that.

Q: So a little over a decade? That’s a long time.

A: Oh yeah, I was gone.

Q: So, since your back now, how do you feel?

A: I feel so good being back. I mean actually… when I left I really didn’t have any intentions on coming back home.

SFND MAG: Really!

A: No, I didn’t. You know growing up here, for the things I wanted to do, I had to leave. I couldn’t sign to No Limit or Cash Money. I wasn’t a rapper. At the time I didn’t play jazz music, so for my dreams I had to leave New Orleans you know, but the world is so different now. The music industry is so different now and I feel like I can help some artists here with the things I didn’t have so they don’t have to leave I like I did. So, now it feels good to be back home, I was able to put myself in a position where I found some success. Now, being able to bring that back home to New Orleans is a beautiful thing!

Q: You have your own record label right?

A: Yeah. Morton Records.

A: Well, Morton Records… When I moved home, I intended to do a sneaker store when I first came home. Then I really saw that the same thing that was missing when I was growing up here was still missing in the music industry, so that’s when I started to think of really forming a record label and really trying to help out here. Not just artists, not just singers, but also like songwriters and producers and we work on other people’s projects you know. So, it is exciting, it’s still in its baby infant stages but it’s exciting.

Q: Do you have your eye on any particular artists yet that you feel you want to bring on?

A: Yeah, I have my eyes on some artist but I really have my eye on some producers as well, so I’ll be announcing some of those real soon.

Q: So, you don’t have anybody signed just yet?

A: Noooo! Well, the first thing I put out was my Gumbo album. That really solidified it, we were nominated for two Grammys for that, and that really put Morton Records on the map.

Q: So, you just brought up the Grammys. Let us talk about your Grammy nominated album Gumbo: (Applause) Congrats on the nomination by the way! Take our readers through the Grammy process … Who even notifies you that you are Grammy nominated? Don’t tell us you just get a text message or something like that? [LAUGHS]

A: No, they announce it on TV then they put it up online, but I got a text before I saw it on TV and somebody said “Congratulations on your nom” you know! First, the members post it on the website the Grammy website, but they also announce it the same way they announce the Oscars and nominations like that. They did it on CBS in the morning or something like that.

Q: Tell us a little bit more about the album title Gumbo! What does that mean to you? What made you call it that?

A: Well, part of it was me coming back home and making my first album here in New Orleans and making a hit at home but also I really wanted to. Before that, I wrote a lot of love songs. That was the main thing I usually write, but this time I wanted to write about different subjects because I felt like the world was going to go crazy. President Trump coming in and all this stuff… the racial division… so I wanted to speak to a lot of different things like gumbo. It’s a lot of different things mixed in there. I talk about religion. I talk about racial division. I talk about going through phones. I talk about fake friends… all these different things.

"The music industry is so different now and I feel like I can help some artists here with the things I didn't have so they don't have to leave I like I did."

Q: You have encountered a lot of those right?

A: Yeah, I have encountered a lot of it, and I’ve seen it and I wanted to put all these different ingredients in this album to make this beautiful Gumbo!

Q: That makes since. So, do you know how to make gumbo?

A: I don’t. I’ve never made gumbo myself.

Q: Are you serious?

A: I just ate a lot of gumbo, but I have not made my own gumbo.

Q: So, who in the city?

A: Home! Like… you’ve got to eat it at somebody’s house. She is no longer here but my grandmother had my favorite gumbo. My brother-n-law now has my favorite gumbo. My wife just learned how to make gumbo; she’s on her second pot!

Q: How was the first pot?

A: The first pot was good! [LAUGHS] You know what it’s supposed to be you know what I’m saying… [LAUGHS]

Q: It was good… [LAUGHS]

A: It was good. She did all right … (smiling)

Q: So we waiting on that second pot … [LAUGHS]

A: No, we’re waiting on that third pot to see if it’s real... [LAUGHS]

Q: That was a good one ... [LAUGHS]

A: We’ve spoken to other artist from New Orleans and they’ve used the terms “crab in a barrel mentality” when it comes to support in New Orleans. Do you feel like you have to deal with that? How do you escape it? What is your remedy?

Q: I don’t think it is just New Orleans. I think it’s a lot of places. I think as a people sometimes “WE” as a black people we’ve done that to each other we’ve pulled each other back. I think New Orleans at one time ... I feel like Katrina was a cleansing in a lot of ways!

A: Really!

Q: Yeah, I think for all the bad it did, I think it really forced some people out to other places and see other cultures and see other people and then really understand how special New Orleans was and see how other people help people and grow you know…. So, I do think I’ve dealt with that a lot ... I did deal with it less now, I see this wave… that is going on now …that I see of artist and entrepreneurs. I see a lot of people trying to help each other and coming together. I can think of three entrepreneurs right now in my mind that have teamed up and said “Oh you’re doing this over here”... “I’ma support that.” “You doing that. “ Everybody’s trying to help Morton Records. I do think that that’s a part of the culture, but I think that the ideal and the remedy to that is to focus on the positive and focus on the people that are really trying to help and grow because that’s who you want anyway, you know… But yeah, there’s some truth to it.

A: Considering that New Orleans is kind of city where “we either like you or we don’t” ... Do you feel pressure to produce dope music being that this is your hometown?

Q: Well, I use to… you know. That’s why I left for so long. It was hard, not just for me. It even took Maroon 5 years to come to New Orleans because it’s such a unique city and such a special place, so I use to feel that pressure, but I think when you give love in New Orleans you get it back. So, when I came home and showed I was a ‘HOME” boy that made it, but also was ready to show love to everybody. I think I got that love back so I don’t really feel the pressure anymore. It’s just enjoying myself... Really, this is my home so I don’t even look at it as business in that way I’m just home. I am just here with my family.

Q: So, let me ask you this. We know you are both Maroon 5’s band mate and then PJ Morton “the artist”! Is it difficult for you to find a balance between the two, how do you balance everything?

A: I mean, I’m me… you know... I me whether I’m in Maroon 5 or by myself or writing for somebody else or producing for somebody else... I mean I don’t turn into two different people. I am myself all the time, so it is not something I’ve got to keep separated to be happy and I think all of those pieces are a part of me. They make me who I am. The hardest thing is just trying to find time to focus on the solo stuff sometimes and then focus on the Maroon stuff. I try to do the best I can and still try to be home with my family.

Q: That was my next question when do you find time for PJ the artist and daddy and hubby. How does all that work?

A: (Smiling) Well, it’s challenging… you know, because sometimes I would like to be home. Most of the time I’d like to be home more than I am, but also have to be able to provide for my family and give us the life that we have. I have to be gone. It’s just the nature of my job. Some people don’t have to be gone for their job but I’ve got to travel the world and see all these people… you know. I mean, so it’s a blessing, but it’s also a struggle sometimes… I mean, we were gone 6 months basically last year, so I was only home basically half the year broken up in different ways, so it’s challenging but I’m thankful for my family for understanding, and really just being rock star kids and a rock start wife. [LAUGHS]

Q: We have heard you mention that you get really inspired when you’re in London. What is it about London?

A: Well, I guess that British Invasion [LAUGHS] my mom use to always tell me about when the Beatles came to America and the Rolling Stones so I think that Britain in general was a place of creativity and I felt like it was someplace I always wanted to get to... I wouldn’t say it’s my main place now, but when I was younger I was definitely was a place I wanted to go to be inspired and find that; whatever they tapped into.

Q: What does New Orleans do to you? What does your hometown bring out of PJ?

A: Ummm… New Orleans brings out the freedom and the not care attitude. What I like about New Orleans; it’s our blessing and our curse, is that we don’t care what everybody else is doing.

Q: Right!

A: We’re like… “This is what we are doing” so we don’t care what you’re doing and sometimes that’s to a detriment because sometimes you need to care what’s going. But, the good thing about that creativity is you get to focus on what makes you happy and try to find what’s DOPE to you as an artist as oppose to in L.A or New York where there is a lot of noise and a lot going on whereas here you can just lock in and figure it out.

Q: We couldn’t help to notice on your new album...

A: Gumbo Unplugged Yeah

Q: We noticed a heavy dose of PJ in the writing credits on your album. Do you ever have moments where your writing something that was intended for yourself but you are as this would be a fire Maroon 5 hit or vice versa? When is your writing Maroon 5 and when is it PJ?

A: Well, I started in this business as just songwriter before I was an artist. I didn’t want to be an artist at first. I got my start in gospel music at first, but then when I moved… India Arie and Monica and Jagged Edge and Ruben Studdard; so I was songwriter first so I’m use to writing for somebody else and putting myself in someone else’s shoes and writing for them. There’s a time when I say I’m working on PJ stuff. This is what I want to sing… that’s my voice, but when I’m writing for somebody else I put myself in their shoes and I kind of become a different person, you know… I become who they are …I know how to separate it.

Q: One of our favorite songs on the GUMBO album is “Claus-trophobic”...am I saying that right?

A: Yeah, “Claustrophobic”.

" I felt like everybody had their opinions of what I should be and what music I should make , how I should look , what I should sound like and to me it felt like; I felt like all these ideas were making me claustrophobic."

Q: What inspired this song? We feel like it is super relevant to the state the industry is in!

A: Well, I wrote it my last couple years living in California, when I felt like everybody had their opinions of what I should be and what music I should make , how I should look , what I should sound like and to me it felt like… I felt like all these ideas were making me claustrophobic. Like they were all just packing me in and trying to box me in and you know. “Claustrophobic,” I call it like the artist anthem because from a creative standpoint the idea is to be free. Be yourself and not to let other people try to define you and that really what “Claustrophobic” is about.

Q: A couple of our other favorite songs are “Religion” and “Go Thru Your Phone”! “Go Thru Your Phone” sounds personal … [LAUGHS]

A: Ooooo Yesss ... [LAUGHS]

Q: What was that about?

A: Well, it’s really about a man being happy and not wanting to see something that may make him not want to be in the relationship. You know people say you go looking for something …

Q: You’ll find it!

A: You’ll find it right! I think that if your happy and everything is cool and y’all don’t have any issues; I’m not going to go…I mean besides the fact that your personal property, your personal space (smiling) but aside from that even if it is .. I do not even want to go through it because if I am looking for some then, some then something is probably wrong already. I don’t want to see it. I want to find out another way! I don’t want to find out by going and look myself!

Q: If it just surfaces!PJ MORTON: Yeahhhh!

A: You’re hurting your own feeling.

Q: Yeah, like going to look to hurt my feelings…; that are just me. You look like you been through some phones huh? [LAUGHS]

A: I’ve been through my share ….[LAUGHS] I’ve learned , I feel the same way… you know ,I don’t want to hurt my own feelings.

Q: It bit you huh? It bit you! [LAUGHS]

Q: Yeah, then there is this whole process.

A: Yeah, then that’s a whole can of worms.

Q: Some of our readers may not know that you are a PK (Pastor’s Kid). You’re the son of Bishop Paul S. Morton. We hear deep gospel roots in your music, from your piano and organ chord progressions to your melodies. Do you ever feel like maybe you should have been a gospel artist / musician, or do you feel like God has placed where He wanted you to be?

A: I feel like I am doing God’s work doing what I am doing I mean of course as a songwriter I’ve written many gospel songs for people. As an artist, I never felt like I was supposed to be a gospel artist.

Q: Yeah?

A: No, I feel like it would have limited me. I wanted to talk about more than just God. When I was younger of course, there was a lot of pressure about that. First about not being a gospel singer, but then not being a pastor and not following in my dad’s shoes and being a preacher, but I knew that God had a different plan for me and I just stuck to that and I think other people could see that it was God plan.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

A: Well, I really want to grow as a businessman even outside of music. I’m going to continue to make music. I definitely want Morton Records to be much bigger in 5 years and some artist to be as big as I am and out there “repping” New Orleans and “repping” this culture. I definitely want to see a whole wave of this industry in New Orleans on the map in 5 years, but even outside of that; you know… developing New Orleans even New Orleans East where I grew up. I see me building a lot more in this city in 5 years.

Q: So basically, as far as business you want to do property develop-

A: Yeah, property development and anything that can help the culture like really build it up. I grew up in the East when the Plaza was “poppin” and it was a great.

Q: Right! Rubenstein Brothers … [LAUGHS]

A: Yeah, all of that stuff was amazing out there and I’ve seen how it’s gone down even before Katrina but even worse post Katrina. I feel like being a leader in the community and someone who grew up there his whole life I want to definitely do my part to get it back “poppin.”

Q: Ok let me ask you this too, I know you have been gone a lot traveling, being a husband, being a CEO, being a father, in what ways do find time to give back?

A: Well you know I think with the tools I have in music it’s a lot of the ways I want to give back. Like I did the songwriting seminar in New Orleans where I taught some kids how to write songs, how to make songs.

Q: So basically, you’re feeling like you are giving our youth tools to generate revenue…

A: Absolutely!

Q: That’s DOPE!

A: Yeah I mean that’s the ideas... because that was the only thing that was missing when I was growing up. You could learn how to play and instrument in New Orleans that’s like second nature. Everybody can play, you know, but what they weren’t teaching me was how to write songs, and what publishing was, and how to be a producer and an engineer in music. So, those missing pieces are what I want to teach so the next generation is able to bring that here! SFND MAG: PJ, thank you once again for this amazing opportunity to sit down with you. This has truly been an honor. I really enjoyed this interview.

A: Me too!

Q: You really get it! You give your audience exactly what they want to know I really enjoyed today PJ I laughed a lot and it’s great to finally meet you.

A: It is good to meet you, YES!

Q: Ok so we brought you some Gumbo, so let’s see if its better then Kortni’s… [LAUGHS]

A: That second pot… [LAUGHS] Let’s see what we got! Oh, you putting your rice in?

Q: Yeah, do you eat it with rice?

A: Oh yeah! It’s the only way!

Q: You know some people don’t eat it with rice!

A: I don’t respect them. I judge those people!

Q: The people who don’t eat Gumbo with rice?

A: Yeah I judge em… [LAUGHS]

Q: See, now that’s something else we found out about you … [LAUGHS] Is it better then Kortni’s?

A: Whoa… I don’t know what that means… [LAUGHS], but it’s good though, It’s the real deal...yeah!

Q: It’s good but not better then Kortni’s ... [LAUGHS]

A: Uhh uhh (mouth full of Gumbo shaking his head no)

Q: [LAUGHS]

A: No indeed … “No this ain’t better than Kortni’s … it’s good though!”

Q: Thank you for being SoF- NDope PJ!

A: Thank you!

Interviewed by Christy “Ce Ce” Chapman