LOS ANGELES, CA — On a partly cloudy day in Southern California, one veteran artist, entrepreneur, and culture creator is preparing to drop his latest project “I Owe Myself” independently while making his press wait around nationwide.
Jason Martin (formerly known as Problem) has entered a new dimension and elevated his reality beyond being a music artist and mogul allowing himself to extend his talent into the business world of ‘Coffee And Kush.’ Martin has shown that anything is possible with dedication, diligence and seeing a need.
“I’ve been blessed to have worked with some of the greatest people on earth,” Martin explained. “I have done business with some great people, I’ve been an assist man for a lot of different movements. I feel like this is the first time…I’m in full full control.
“As far as what it’s going to sound sonically, what it’s going to look like, who I choose to empower, who I choose to do business with, the whole nine yards…and I feel like I owe myself this moment.”
Martin gathered several of his closest friends and confidants in an intimate North Hollywood studio for a private listening session of his latest project to gain feedback of those he trusts. Many were in attendance including former artist and friend Good Lucc (formerly known as Bad Lucc), The Melodiks (a collective of gifted producers and musicians) that produced the “I Owe Myself” album, and Rance1500 (1500 or Nothin’), to name a few.
An excited yet relaxed Martin began to play the album from the intro to the last track, explaining the meaning behind each track from the vocals to the production mindset. He said sonically he felt this album and its process was different, but visually it had to be authentic with him to match.
The album opened up with an extremely talented vocalist, Alexandria, that truly captivates your ears and attention to the masterpiece being played before you’re on the title track I Owe Myself.
1200 (Holding Onto Your Hand) is Martin rhyming over a celebratory melodic track with his commanding voice, and will have you feeling like an early morning, ‘let’s get the day started off right vibe.’ He said he wrote the track during the COVID pandemic due to the friends he lost and still wanted to maintain an aura of gratitude and triumph. He also spoke about people having winners remorse and how it’s ok to set up boundaries with people in life.
“Frequency” featuring Rei The Imperial is a certified radio banger, and important for hip-hop and the West Coast with an elevated sound. Other songs that include FU Pay Me has a classic live band soulful sound that reminds you of Cee-Lo Green’s F**k You track, hits you in the city of your soul.
One track that didn’t really hit home was No Agendas, it was like a bridge that didn’t really need to be there. The rest of the tracks include Enter The Dark, Weekend Dad, Rugged Roads and Dying To Live along with the track mentioned before are the reasons this album is truly clean air to a smoggy filled hip-hop environment.
Anyone listening to “I Owe Myself,” can clearly hear the reason why this project is a must-have in the collection, and the team that helped Martin finish construction on the project, which included Terrance Martin and the legendary musician and producer DJ Quik.
The creative nature of Martin doesn’t stop with music or aiding other creatives in the right direction, he continues to show his business is strong, brilliant, and resilient with his Coffee and Kush brand and Compton Coffee.
Between music and creating companies, the father of six children (five daughters and one son) is also looking forward to one of his daughters running the Coffee And Kush brand at some point. He is also preparing to open up the first Coffee And Kush lounge approximately two hours north of Los Angeles soon. Martin’s vision is to expand his lounges into the San Francisco – Bay Area too.
Despite his press tour that included interviews with Big Boy’s Neighborhood, The Bootleg Kev Podcast, 935 KDAY, and countless others, Martin never lost sight on continuing to impact his community and the youth.
He took time on a sunny Thursday afternoon to speak to a group of talented and insightful students at the 1500 Or Nothin’ Sound Academy in Inglewood, California. Martin took many questions from the students while sharing his growth and knowledge of not only the music business but important life skills. He also made a point to emphasize the importance of relationships and how to cultivate them properly.
“Relationships…people like to overuse and under deliver,” Martin said. “You have to watch out for those. Relationships are everything.”
He also shared an epic story on how the song “Function” was created and became a hit on radio and television.
The music, new project, and being a mainstay in the coffee business, Martin has extended his hand into the film world, as he wrote a script and has partnered with actress, producer and creator Issa Rae for the film.
“You’re going to see some situations I’m developing,” he said. “Me and (Good) Lucc and Raquel wrote a script about one wild night at seven-to-seven at World On Wheels (and) it’s called Seven-To-Seven. It bounced into the lap of Issa Rae, and me and Issa are in the developmental stages so we’re going to see where it goes. It’s going to be exciting…just have to figure out if it’s going to be a film or a T.V. show.”
The evolution of Jason Martin as he put Problem into retirement is welcoming a new era of opportunities, assisting with other creatives and sharing his wisdom with those who are smart enough to listen and execute his advice for success.
I Owe Myself is a phenomenal project, with a rating of 9-out-of-10 rating and is available on music streaming platforms on May 12. Jason Martin will also headline and perform at The Roxy on May 25.
