featuringJWAR
Date-August 19, 2016
Q: Who are you, and what is your role in the world of music?
My name is Jonathan Warren, I am a graphic designer of 8 years and counting. As well as a photographer, and
videographer. As a graphic designer, I’m usually responsible for the cover art of a single, mixtape, ep, or album.
Meaning my artwork is usually the first thing someone sees before clicking on a SoundCloud link, or while
someone is promoting their music. I feel as if I’m responsible for making something that will capture an audience’s attention. I feel as if the cover art is responsible for a small portion of success for a track, or tape as it’s
usually the first thing someone sees before giving their music a listen.
Q: Where are you from?
I’m from the Southside of Atlanta. Been here my entire all 21 years of life.
Q: Your name and logo is amazing; JWAR is effortlessly cool and simple. However, was it effortless to come
up with?
Well, my nickname has been JWAR since high school, pronounced (Jay-War), and it’s stuck with me ever since.
I don’t even get called by my real name anymore lmao. My logo was definitely a task. I tried for about a year
designing a logo that I would be satisfied with personally. However, that never happened. A lot of designers have
trouble with creating a personal logo for themselves as the person is either too picky, or too much of a perfectionist. This being said, I had my mentor/person who taught me almost everything I know about graphic design,
he did my logo for me. We talked and he understood the troubles of creating your own personal logo, and he
knew exactly what I would want, and he delivered. He graduated from school with a degree in graphic design,
he now owns his own marketing firm, and is contracted by Politicians to do pieces for them. He’s been a tremendous help throughout my career, and I honestly wouldn’t be where I am without his guidance.
Q: How did you get into photography, video & graphic design?
It all started on graphic design forums, where I’d see people post their amazing art, and knew I wanted to do that.
I saw that they were posting tutorials for their work, and I immediately downloaded Photoshop and started practicing. Fast forward 5 years later, and I found my role in music, creating covers, creating images that stood out,
and applying my creativity wherever it needed to be. The photography, and videography came later, about 2 years
ago, I knew someone had to capture the more personal moments, and that someone had to step up and play the
role/position, and I knew I could do it.
Q: Did you go to college? Why /why not?
I went to college for a semester…barely lol. I went to Georgia Southern, and absolutely hated it, I withdrew from
all of my classes 3 months in. I just knew that I didn’t have an end goal in college, and that I didn’t want to waste
any amount of time trying to find a route that I ultimately knew I wasn’t looking for. It wasn’t hard, everything
was as easy as high school, just a bigger work load, but I already had work to do, and that was more important to
me than school. I will go back, just not at this point in my life.
Q: Your work has mostly featured artists from Southside ATL. Have you ever worried that you may appear
to be a culture vulture to those on the outside looking in?
Lol, this question makes me laugh, because everyone that I work with are my best friends, they are the people
I’ve known for most of my life, they are the ones I pray for, the ones I worry about, and the people that I love.
I’d ride for them, just as they’d ride for me, we know what it is so I’m not worried about the outside looking in,
people will always have their own perception of how shit looks, or who does what, but it doesn’t matter to me
because the people who need to know will know.
Q: Has your ethnicity ever been a make or break when it comings to working opportunities for you?
Lmao no, but then again I don’t know. If someone doesn’t want to work with me, I doubt they’d say it’s because
I’m white. I don’t present myself with my ethnicity in mind, it’s the least important thing to me, I know who I am,
and I know what defines me, and it certainly isn’t the color of my skin.
Q: Who has been your favorite artist to shoot so far in your career?
It’s honestly a tie between Gwaluh, and Hundo. Their personalities are radiant, and just hilarious. Whenever I’m
with them I know it’s going to be fun, Hundo is goofy, while Gwaluh is just ignorant lmao. They’re my friends,
so it’s 100x better in a personal setting, since they’re so comfortable around me they are never afraid to be themselves.
Q: How in the world do you keep a level head when constantly working with guns pointed directly at you?
Lol, another great question. Well honestly, I’m a multiple time State champion for competitions in shooting
shotguns, and ranked highly on a national level. I’ve been doing that before I started graphic design. So there’s a
confidence, and comfortability that I just naturally have around guns. The other side of it is trust, I know they’d
never hurt me, I know they’re not dumb enough to point a gun at the camera and pull the trigger lol. I don’t even
bat an eye when I see a gun get raised, I do my part, and they do theirs it’s as simple as that.
Q: We spoke earlier about you preferring to be behind the camera. Can you go more into detail about why?
My voice lmao, too nasally to be on camera, and I get camera shy because I don’t want to look stupid lol.
Q: I know that with any form of music or business that there is a little bit of healthy competition. Do you
have any direct competitors in your field? And are there are any people that you look up to that you are looking to compete with in the future?
I’d love to say that there is no competition, but that’s not always the case. I know there are people that do exactly
what I do, I know there are always going to be people with more/better resources than me, but that doesn’t discourage me. I don’t keep up with other people in the same field though, I know my lane, I know the direction I’d
like to go, and it’s all on my shoulders, so personally I’m my only competition. I’m the only one who can hold me
back or push myself harder.
Q: I was stalking your IG, and I found a picture that scared the hell out of me. Are you aware that your profile picture along with the picture in question is terrifying? What’s the story behind those pictures?
Halloween lol, I get a lot of comments about those pictures, so maybe I should get into movie make-up.
Q: What album/mixtape would you say sums up your life pretty well right now? & Why?
ICFN2 - Young Thug, honestly lol my favorite mixtape ever but for me, it symbolizes the turn-up, the taking shit
to another level and growing/building myself into everything that I want.
Q: You’ve done an excellent job building your brand. Have you always known the right steps to take?
No, I don’t think anyone has always known the right steps, it’s trial and error, but I haven’t hit any speed bumps
yet so I like to think I’m making the right decisions.
Q: You’re the first person to be interviewed by TRR who doesn’t have a role in the music making process.
How does that make you feel?
It’s bittersweet, I wish I could be in the studio more, I used to be there for everything, I like to believe that I have
a great ear for good music. I know I still have somewhat of a voice when my friends send me something new/unreleased, and I know they respect the feedback I give.
Q: I feel like recognition of great work is important for the creators to move forward, and that’s why I pursued an interview with you. You’re great at what you do, and I appreciate you being a part of TRR14. Is there
anything else that we should know about JWAR?
Thank you, I appreciate the acknowledgement and the opportunity you have given me. I just want everyone to
know that I have unconditional love for every single person, no matter what, and that I’d do anything for those
that I love.