OUR THING #1
A Creative Community
Jayson Musson is Plastic Little's PackoRats and also an illustrator and artist. Musson also happens to be really funny, and this is probably what saves his ass, because in his music and his art, Musson is a master button-pusher and line-crosser. As an artist, Musson has exhibited internationally, including a recent U.K. solo show, "Too Black For BET," and, along with Steven James, makes up acoustic act American Sneakers. A man of many, many talents, obviously, Musson also interviewed Diplo, Pink Skull and Spank Rock for us.
jaysonmusson.com
myspace.com/plasticlittlerap
shesmature.com
myspace.com/americansneakers
space1026.com
First off, state your name.
My name is Jayson Scott Musson. I started using my middle name, "Scott," on a frequent basis back in 2001 so people would take me more seriously as an artist and as a human being in general, so people would be like "Oh, he uses his middle name, he must mean business. Either he's a ferocious go getter or he's a presidential assassin." And sadly, I am neither.
How long have you lived in Philadelphia?
I've lived in Philadelphia since 1996. I came here from a town called Spring Valley, NY, which is about 45 minutes outside of Manhattan. I initially came to Philly to go to school at Temple University, to study political science. Y'know, so I could change the world and stuff, but I realized the world and saving it is overrated as well as impossible, so I went to art school instead and stared into a mirror for four years. I mean, I went to art school to study the arts of course! Renoir! Mapplethorpe! Crayons! Watercolors! It's great!
As an artist, why did you choose Philly?
Somehow I've been lucky enough to meet some of the most amazing and inspiring folks here in this city. People who've propelled me creatively to keep producing over the years, and to keep doing so despite the sacrifices that have to be made sometimes if you want to keep making art as those years pile on.
What would you say is inherently "Philly" about your art?
If anything I think it's "attitude," I guess. In my poster writing, Too Black for BET, there is certain amount of "Fuck You" that can definitely be attributed to living in Philadelphia these past 10 years or so. Philadelphia, due to it's small size, has little room for affectations or airs. Honesty is a must, and folks who are full of shit and can't back up their mouths with deeds, I have very little time for, and I think my writing echoes that sentiment. Save your bullshit for your mamma, she cares about what you say!
What was your first show in Philly?
My first art show in Philadelphia was at the bar Tattoo'd Mom's back in 2000 I think. Jake Henry, another Philly artist and member of Space 1026, curated the art shows at Mom's and someone put me in contact with him because they thought he'd like these photos I was working on while I was still in school. They were these odd double exposures of stills from The Powerpuff Girls and an old pornography VHS tape I think I stole from my best friend Kurt. The final products were pretty hilarious, somewhat like Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, meets... well, meets a porno. Use your imagination.
Who supported you along the way? Who supports young artists in Philadelphia now?
Lots of people. First and foremost, my best friend Kurt. I've known him since I was 10 and he has always been my litmus for everything I do. If he doesn't like it, I normally just drop it. Since a lot of my work is based in humor, if I do something and it can't make Kurt laugh, then there just isn't any point of pursuing it any further. Then there are friends who've been a part of my life over the past 10 years, some who make stuff, many who don't, but all affect me in some way. Shit, I have friends who just complain all the time and I love them for it and even that fuels me.
Who is supporting young artists now you ask?
Themselves. Young artists have created the means with which to have a discourse with the public outside of the colossus that is the traditional gallery system. And you know what? That shit is dope.
What's the relationship between your art and music?
I make two types of music. One is rap. The other is singy-time stuff. My rap music, the music I make with Plastic Little, are like my posters, a certain amount of "attitude" contained therein; a very large dose of acerbic humor. Some people appreciate PL for it's humor and wit; others get upset. But the folks who get upset are just dumb, so we can't pay much attention to their dim recriminations. The other type of music I make, the singy-time stuff, like what I did with American Sneakers, represents the ebb and flow of satisfaction and frustration within my personal life, and it too has a certain amount of humor dwelling within it, but the goal really isn't to crack jokes. I think the music I do with American Sneakers is more akin to my illustrative work, which is probably the most satisfying activity in my life. As much as I enjoy rap making, and poster writing, it's drawing that I love deep down in the pit of my soul, at the bottom of my heart, in the center of gut. It just makes me happy beyond measure. Even when I'm messing a drawing up and cursing it to high heaven, the state of mind it puts me in is too fulfulling to get truly angry.
How is this influenced by living in Philadelphia?
I guess being in Philly, I have the time to sort of work on all these different things, music, writing, and art simultaneously. Each facet has an opportunity to be developed because Philadelphia is not a frenzied city like, let's say for instance NYC, and this more laid back pace allows me time to be an "artist" and not get overwhlemed by and become a servant to a job. And I also think being in Philadelphia has instilled the value of creating my own opportunites, too. Not to wait around for some big break or whatever, but to keep making work that I'm proud of and finding my own ways to get people in contact with what I do.
Space 1026 helped spawn a movement of Philly artists working in collectives. What’s your take on that?
My personal joy from taking part in Space was having a community of people whose ability and opinion I respect at my immediate disposal. People who you can bounce ideas off of, and who, unbeknownst to them, by working on their projects help you to navigate major creative issues in your own work. By everyone offering themselves to one another in such an unselfish and honest way, something beautiful happens, like the world will actually be saved and we can push back that alien invasion after all.
Do you have any advice for collectives that want to be like Space 1026 but are just getting started?
It's okay to argue with each other. It's called "dialogue."
What is your favorite under-the-radar music venue in Philadelphia?
Actually, in the Reading Terminal Market. There is this piano in one of the seating areas that anyone can come by and play. It used to be by the shoe shine stall in the quiet Northwest corner of the market where all the anti-social people such as myself would sit, but it was moved to the center now for more folks to enjoy. In any event, it's really awesome because you can see such an interesting range of people who come by to play, from elderly people playing old music standards to young children impresarios who come by and play just as good as the old timers. I think it's really amazing to see them exchanging techniques and playing with one another. It's beautiful.
Best eats?
Ah, Little Thai Market also in the Reading Terminal Market. It's super cheap and really good and I have a crush on one of the 40-year-old Thai women that works there. She's a pile of cute and has lips that deserved to be kissed all day. She's probably married, but I'm still working up the courage to ask her for a kiss along with my Salmon Curry one of these days. I'll say "How much extra for a peck on the lips, sweeeety?"
Philly: better with Allen Iverson or without?
As long as Philadelphia has Rocky and Mumia, the lack of Allen Iverson won't affect anybody here.
Please kill off a Philly trend for us.
People shooting each other. Handgun violence is so passe, so yesteryear. I think cutting someone up with a scimitar is way cooler.