Blurring the lines between bars and body slams, That Kid J The Don moves with the intensity of someone who’s lived multiple lives in one. A rising hip-hop lyricist and professional wrestler, he channels raw emotion, discipline, and unshakable faith into everything he touches. With his new single “Crash Out,” he delivers a fearless statement of purpose — equal parts poetry, warfare, and survival — proving that whether it’s the mic or the ring, he shows up as his full, unfiltered self. In this interview, That Kid J The Don breaks down the cities that shaped him, the duality of his artistry, and the mindset that keeps him pushing forward no matter the odds.
- How have Atlanta, Miami, and New York each shaped different sides of who you are as an artist?
It allows me to switch up my flow, my cadence, my wordplay, what words I’m going to use and how I’m gonna say it. Also when it comes to beat selection, I got a lot to play with. Honestly there’s probably more versatility there that I’m not currently aware of.
- How does your wrestling persona Jay Armani differ from That Kid J The Don — or are they the same energy?
Same exact person, hip hop allows me to let the poetry out and pro wrestling allows me to let the martial arts out but at the end of the day it’s all me. That’s what makes it real.
- When did music first become a serious pursuit for you?
When I had to let go of my MMA pursuits. I didn’t really know what to do. I love writing poetry and Im grateful to be good at it. I felt deep in my soul if I brought it to hip hop, I could do some big things.
- What keeps you grounded when things get chaotic in both industries?
God! That’s it.
- What’s a lesson from martial arts that you wish more artists understood?
You gotta take the L’s with grace. Artists lose hope when they don’t see the numbers but when you building something it’s about the foundation. Also you’re never ready so don’t wait until you’re ready to do anything. You have to do something repetitively to be ready for it.
- What part of your personality shows up in your music that people don’t see in the ring?
I give both art forms nothing but raw energy but I would say my music gets every single aspect of my emotions. Versus in the ring it’s that poetry warfare.
- Congratulations on your new single ‘Crash Out’. Did the beat or the lyrics come first when creating this track?
Years ago an OG prayed for me and at the end he told me “Always write to the beat”. So now when I write, I find about 2-4 good beats, set a 20 min timer write to one and switch to the next one when the timer hit.
- What line in the song hits you the hardest when you hear it back?
Years ago an OG prayed for me and at the end he told me “Always write to the beat”. So now when I write, I find about 2-4 good beats, set a 20 min timer write to one and switch to the next one when the timer hit.
- If “Crash Out” were a scene in a movie, what would it look like?
Man I’m seeing Sylvester Stallone in his prime on some Rocky meet Rambo type vibes. A montage with “Crash Out” in the background and one man going to war by himself just handing out beat downs!
- If someone had never heard you before, which three words should they know before pressing play?
Triple R: REAL RECOGNIZE REAL.
PR: Decent Music PR
