Meet Jay “Tall J” Wilson, CEO of Lampstand Music

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jay “Tall J” Wilson.

Jay, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
At the age of six, I was introduced to Hip Hop music by my cousin. He would play Run DMC on repeat and I just fell in love with them. Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, and having a drug addict mother, music became a safe haven for me. I started to write lyrics and share them with my friends at school during lunch. The way they responded to me as I rapped built in me a confidence and hoped I was not receiving at home. This was in the mid-eighties when Hip Hop was starting to take America by storm.

My home life continued to get worse, as my mother’s addiction spiraled out of control. By the age of 13, we moved a dozen times. We moved to Denver, Colorado, and that was where I spent the rest of my teenage years. Still using music as my therapy, to get through all the disfunction all around me. By the age of 16, I was involved in gangs and dealing drugs in and out of foster care and group homes. Me being able to write through these times gave me the hope I needed to overcome. I was recording and making a name for myself as a rapper locally, yet the content I was sharing glorified the street life. I know somehow things had to change for me, and I prayed daily God would set me free from the pain.

I ended up in the county jail by age 18 and that was definitely a wake-up call for me. I began reading the Bible and it lifted my spirits. It also caused me to take a deep look at the life I was glorifying, that lead me to jail. So I began my journey as a Christian Hip Hop artist. Upon my release, I was offered a job at an inner-city ministry that served the homeless community. They quickly embraced me and my talent to rap the gospel. I became the youth and outreach director. I would showcase my rap skills at events and inspire others by my story. I when on to serve in other ministries around the Denver and was called on to perform nationwide.

Fast forward 20 plus years later, and here I am. Lampstand Music was birth out of all my experiences, and my desire to see people set free from the inside out. I started the label in April of 2017 after taking a break from music for five years. I have been blessed to be a Spotify curated artist. And going beyond just being an indie Christian label, have been granted the sponsorship of Pendergast Elementary school district to have a Lampstand Music Academy. Instructing kids on audio recording and music marketing. I am already doing the same program at SouthPointe High School. I have been involved with motivational speaking and mentoring, as well. Me and my wife Wendy are heavily involved in community service Valley-wide. I’m using my music platform to change lives, just as mine has been.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Just as I shared earlier, nothing has been ‘smooth’ for me on my road to becoming an entrepreneur. I just used the pain to propel me into serving others. So I can help them process their hurt and turn it into a positive.

Can you give our readers some background on your music?
We an indie Christian music label. I have three artists signed to the label. ‘Spirit Rising’ is a multi-talent musician who lives in Plano, Texas. ‘Joseph G.’ is a producer and Rapper from Waynesboro, Virginia. And ‘Raunitus’ is a producer and rapper living in Baltimore, Maryland. And of course myself, Tall J. CEO and founder of Lampstand Music. We do audio recording, music marketing and management. We specialize in sharing the gospel through music and inspirational speech. We are known for engaging the community through outreach efforts. Weather in schools, feeding the homeless, and/or serving the disabled community. This is what makes us proud as a company. We walk the talk!

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
By being fearless in going out to make connections within the community. I go to network marketing events and have been blessed to make some really awesome relationships. Like meeting the superintendent of Pendergast elementary school district, who offered me the opportunity to do the Lampstand Music Academy in their schools.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lampstandmusic.com
• Phone: 380-815-8321
• Instagram: Lampstand_music
• Facebook: Lampstandmusicgroup
• Yelp: Lampstand Music

Image Credit:
Tall J

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