Keeping his heady creative momentum flowing, AJ Peoples is showing no signs of slowing down as he keeps the beats pumping for 2025. Returning with his latest full-length project, ‘PONDER’.
Making his creative mark, AJ Peoples highlights his creative versatility throughout his new project, ‘PONDER’. Reaching from soulful instrumentals to blood-pumping, dance-enthused anthems, the 12-track offering stands its ground as a versatile body of work. Taking influence from hip-hop, with a contemporary hit of pop, R&B and electronica, the project is equal parts exciting and boundary-pushing.
Also featured on the album is ‘All I Need’, the latest single to be taken from the project. Cutting through the soundwaves with its bouncing basslines and garage-laden percussions, AJ Peoples‘s defiant flow cements him as a strong one to watch. Wasting no time, the single comes brimming with energy, along with entrancing and sticky melodies to add to AJ’s already colourful discography.
Diving into the project, AJ Peoples explains, “PONDER was to originally be a beat project, however, the songs that do have voice accompaniment moved me so much that I felt as if I needed to rap over them. I walked away from the project several times because of doubt, I was pulled in other directions or I wasn’t in the proper headspace. However, this project is a testament to myself, that I’ve been able to endure. It’s proof that I will keep trying to claw my way to my dream, one song at a time. PONDER is also my most honest self-expression to date, recounting real interactions, exploring my thought process, and learning about myself through my choices in beat composition. The project starts with a sombre tone but ends with a triumphant spirit!”
He adds, “In a time of high stress I developed severe TMJ and had chronic pain that prohibited my normal jaw functions. For 2 years it was difficult for me to eat, let alone speak. Struggling to maintain my creativity, since I couldn’t speak, I decided to write poetry, play instruments and produce. I began to study artists with various styles – trying to analyze the reason I enjoyed their music. I then decided to challenge myself, to see if I would be able to create music that would move people without using my voice.”
Hailing from New York City, AJ Peoples was born between the haves and have-nots. He grew up as an observer, internalising all of his experiences. Finding his feet creatively opened doors for him, allowing him to approach hip-hop from a fresh perspective, incorporating his unique experiences to make something that feels wildly contemporary. Aiming to connect with his audience, he debuted in 2018 and has been constantly breaking down barriers since. Looking forward to 2025, he lines up with new music on the horizon.
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