We had the good fortune of connecting with Evan J and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Evan, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born and raised in the metro Atlanta area, specifically in Lawrenceville to be exact. My father was born and raised in Atlanta, attended Roosevelt High School and later graduated from Morris Brown College. My mother is from Detroit, Michigan and attended Cass Tech during her high school years and later graduated from Ohio State University. I say all this because I’m a blend of both their backgrounds. I’m known for my southern charm as well as having tough skin. I lived in both cities for a considerable amount of time and I’m grateful for it. My dad stressed the importance of being a man of my word and putting family first. My mom raised me to be honest and dream big. Who I am today is a direct result of my upbringing and impacts me daily. I tend to fall on the principles and morals that I watched growing up and strive every day to pass what I can on to the next person whether that’s advice, love, or fellowship.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a musical artist at my core. Everything I do revolves around music and I eventually began to make music professionally 3 years ago. I’m most proud about my development as an artist these past two years. Sonically my sound has evolved and I’m putting in the work getting towards the popular phrase of “10,000 hours”. It wasn’t easy at all, I’ve failed numerous times and still have failures to this day. I push through with the support of family and friends. My brand of music is all about my own personal struggles and accomplishments. I’m someone who doesn’t say much unless needed, a lot of my inner thoughts come out in my music. I try and remain genuine with everything I do.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If the Hawks are in town I’d take them to see some NBA action. Grab some food at Dave’s Philly Cheesesteaks then head to Insomnia Cookies for desert. If they’re up for it we can hit a lounge in the city or in Buckhead, get some scenery and drinks. If I’m feeling extra generous, I’d stop by The Battery for some views.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shoutout Tre Matthews for the introduction for this interview. I’d also like to recognize a close friend of mine that was instrumental in me getting into music. Khristian Harris also known as “Kdhott” was the first person who introduce me to my first studio, allowed me to feature for the first time on one of his songs, and also’s been a lifelong friend of mine. He recently passed away and I’ll continue to push his memory forward through music and helping the community we grew up in. Long live KD!

Instagram: officialevanj

Twitter: officialevanj1

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC7msbAwFDHO9aEIvHljCukA

Other: Tiktok: officialevanj3

Image Credits
Sem Robert (@thr33.roses)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.