December 11, 2025 • 21 mins
Armanii Talks Debut Album, Rise From TikTok & Jamaica’s Resilience
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
Spout on the five point one Yorkshi Pap and R
and b our money is in the building today. He
stepped into the cold of New York City, fresh off Jamaica. No,
you've been here for a while.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Right, yesterday fresh fresh stepped outside the plane. How that
feel for you? Cold? Cold? You're not used to it.
You spend time here though, no? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I
grew up here for a little bit. So yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Oh, so tell me the background, tell me the history.
I know you were born in Jamaica though.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Right, yeah, Kingston born and raised Kingston, raised in Kingston.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Then you know the migrant story. You know, my mom
went better for us. America is the place we came here.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
And you were seventeen at the time.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Yeah, so that's the story they tell you, right, America
is the better place.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Doesn't always land like that for everybody, Not right away,
especially the first two weeks for sure.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
You know you're in heaven really, and then reality starts
to kick in, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
So do you at seventeen you wanted to leave Jamaica? No,
I was gonna say, no, seventeen year old wants to
leave their friends there. So I thought your first girlfriend, yeah,
you know, he was probably popping too. Yeah. Your mother
was like, no, I got a better life for us. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
And you were aware Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon. Yeah, and
you liked it or you didn't.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Like it, coped, Yeah, but it was something it was needed,
you know, made me who I am. Huh, I appreciate it.
When how long were you there? Oh? Four years? Okay?
Also you spent real time there? Yeah okay. Then I
moved to Atlanta, uh huh oh Yeah, that was the
different shift. Yeah a lot.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
It's a big shift because you know, New York is
the fast. Georgia is more of a sure pace.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yeah. Yeah. And then did you go back to Jamaica
at any point? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yeah, yeah, but you don't live there anymore, or you
live there now? I live in yeah now, yeah, got it?
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (02:00):
When did the music kick in in Malvernon or in Atlanta?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
In Vernon, Malvernon going to.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
High school, I was a junior. I was a junior
trying to get my first job.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Didn't work. I was like, I cannot do this. What
was the job? What was the job? Golden crush, Golden Crust.
I didn't like it.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Why, I just it's me and I don't like being
told what to do or you know, what time to
wake up with. Always envisioned myself being something more in life,
you know, knocking anybody's else, that's.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Mad, stereotypical. You framed Jamaica. Your first job is Golden
Crust selling patties. As a Jamaican who grew up and
was raised in Kingston, how do you rate a Golden
Crust beef patty?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Cocobreta can't compare it to you know, teasts or a
juicy patty. But I give it a seven eight on
a good day.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Okay, that's not bad. It wasn't sitting out all day. Yeah, yeah,
you know once it's fresh out of open. Yeah, yeah,
you got it right, Yeah for sure. I still love.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
From gold The Crust came wrong anytime, anytime, anybody.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
So then you get to you, So you start music
high school? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
And how did you have resources?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Did you even think you could do this? Like?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
I had an iPhone six and a pair of Apple
headphones the wires, Yeah, and I had bad Lap downloaded,
and I deleted every single app off my phone. Only
thing I had was Instagram and I Message, so I
had space to keep all my songs. Wow, yeah, and
then I had to go under the blanket and the
pillow the record, and yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
It was it was.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
It was a good experience, but it was just also
a hot one because I was like, I gotta take
breaks in between.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
When did you.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Realize you had a little something going on here? Like
wait a minute, this might be.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
I had started TikTok and I used TikTok to post
one of my songs, and then it just went crazy.
It's like, oh shit, this is a new avenue. It's
like I could really use this to blow up. And
then I created her fan base on there and we're
just here right now.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
And then you have this interesting mix of you know,
like dance hall, but it is modern, has like a
drill influence and a little bit I mean, how do
you categorize it?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
I don't want to. I don't want to.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I just call it a worldly how I call it
like a world musical tone, you know, like I keep
the core Jamaican and dance hall, but I like to
make the beats somewhat of different genres, mix them together
so it gives it a worldly feeling, yeah, instead of
just a one dimensional dance hall song.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
If you know what does your family think about that?
Speaker 3 (04:35):
My mom's actually a pastor, so how.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Does that fly? She loves it.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
She's not gonna listen to all of them. She listens
to ones that are clean enough, you know. Yeah, but
my family loves and family supports me.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
So your mother is a pastor. That's interesting. So you
grew up with a pastor in the church. Wow?
Speaker 1 (04:55):
And so the was she that in Jamaica too? And
then she came here or she just was doing that here?
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Oh wow, My uncle was a pastor. My uncle is
a pastor, mom's a pastor, My aunt's a pastor.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
So will we hear some of that influence in your
music too? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:09):
The moors, mellot, melodic tones, that's that's from the church,
you know, that's the soul.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yeah. Yeah, Well you got a lot of vibes. People
like into what's happening right now with you?
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Are you feeling like the energy around like you feel
like yeah, excited it's about to go? Yeah, you feel
like it's about to go. Sure, And you just did Billboard?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
What was that? Was it a performance? Or it was
I opened for Leon Thomas. That's pretty good. Yeah, how
was that? It was great? It was a great experience.
I was nervous.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
I'm not gonna like a billboard, you know, a kid
like me from Jamaica. Billboard is something like fantasy for us.
Not everybody gets to or even has the opportunity, you know,
to even have their name attached to billboard or even
have their name outside in New York.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Oh, ARMANI live tonight.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
So you've done a lot of shows though, Yeah, I've
done I've done a lot show from the bars to
the Stadium's a lot of shows. Yeah, so this is
not that new to you.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
It's just it's a different Yeah, it's just a different environmental,
wider audience. And I like shows like these, Like I
like shows that when nobody really knows who I am,
so that lets me capture a new audience. By the
time you go home, you're playing our money. You know.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
How exciting then for you like to have started this
in school and have the whole TikTok rock and now
you're like debut album time.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
It's a Sometimes I have to really sit back and
understand that I'm really doing a lot that people my
age are not doing. Sometimes I really be hard on myself.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
How well do you know me? Twenty three.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Okay, so when you started was what like when you
started like under the Blanket, Yeah, sixteen seventeen.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
I was like eighteen eighteen. Yeah, that's pretty fast, you
don't think. Yeah, yeah, it probably doesn't feel like it's
to you, right, there's no journey.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
It's not gonna feel as fast as on the outside
of he blew up fast.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
But the journey been a long one. Yeah. Yeah, you've
been on it. So how exciting.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
So what do you think people should know about the album? Like,
what do you want people to know? It's a big
day for you Friday.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Friday is a big day for me.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
But for the album, everybody has a song that you're
gonna be, you know, able to relate to.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Got it.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Whether it's a love song, a heartbreak song, a song
that's energetic, song that's SOKA or host Party or EEDPM,
you're gonna be able to resonate and relate to at
least one track.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
So it's just like world vibes, you really you really
trying to tap into like a whole bunch of That's.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Why I call it the impact because it's like it's
going to impact you in some way, shape or form,
you know, whether it's it's going to give you a
nostalgic feeling, lose your love. The leading track that's, you know,
a rude track, reggae like Barrs Hammond. Every barbecue your
hero Barrs Hamming a Bob Marley. So with that track,
you're going to bring back a nostalgic vibe. And then
we have the new tracks. Yeah, it's a it's a lot.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Bess Hammond's a legend, you know, Bears Hammond's daughter. You
ever see that show Your Honor on Showtime?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
No, Oh my god, it's so good. I gotta I
gotta watch it.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Beres Hammond's daughter is plays the drug dealer from New
Orleans and I didn't know it was her. I just
thought I just thought she was a dope actress. And
I saw she was from a Brooklyn so I had
hit her like, yo, you're killing the show.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
And then I found out it.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Was Beres Hammond's daughter and she's a dope ass actress.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
You have to watch it.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
It's called Your Honor. No, trust me, it's a fire show.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
You should absolutely watch it.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
If you have time in the middle of dropping your
debut album, you should absolutely check it out. What do
you do inside for music? Like, do you have other hobbies?
Do you have any other.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Are you a movie watcher? Are you I'm a Marvel
and I'm a comic fan. Uh huh, yeah, got it.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
I just be on the game all day when there's
no music, I'm locked in on the game.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Like I'm not really an outside person.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
So inside, Yeah, we're gonna we're gonna get to know
you a little bit better.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Today. We have a game.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
It's called check it or let it slide. All right,
we got a problem or no problem?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
You know what I'm saying, check it or let it slide.
You start went off.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Someone meet you and they know where you're from, and
the first thing they want to do is come say
and talk to you in the worst Jamaican accent of
and they say the wrong thing all the time.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
We're gonna let it slide. You're go and check it.
Don't let it slide. It happens every day.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
I'll have to let it just did it as well
as well.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Mind it's a.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Whole God, it's gonna have my whole life. I'm gonna
have to let it slide. Can't check everybody.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I can't check it every day all day. Does it
ever surprise you? Like, is it ever? Is it ever
really good or really bad? Some some are it's never
really good. Really, it's never really good. But some are funny.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
And then some are like, Okay, you could have been
you canna said hi, But I'm gonna just let it slide.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Gotta let it slide.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Okay, here's one for you. A girl that you used
to have a crush off back in the day, but
she gave you no action. Now she shows up at
your album release party and she's trying to connect.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Do you check it or do you let it slide?
Is this a true story? I'm gonna have to let
it slide. Yeah, I'm gonna have to let it slide. Man, Really,
I forget. It's cool. Forget okay, go.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
All you out on the day. You take someone out
to get some food or whatnot, and they record everything,
but you at dinner. Are we checking this or we're
gonna let this slide?
Speaker 2 (10:48):
All right? Is she my girl? Or is this on
first date? Excellent?
Speaker 3 (10:53):
If you're my girl, give me both checking Okay, you
recorded hey right in the camera, but no, please don't
record me.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
I'm not even there right, No, I don't even exist exactly.
This is a simple one. A girl cooks for you
for the first time.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
I'm assuming it's not your girlfriend because it's the first time,
young lady cooking for you for the first time. And
the food she tries to make you you're making meal
and the food is terrible.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Do you check it or let us like, I just
check it because you know, yeah, you missed my food?
She got correct. Yeah, yeah, came as some oxtails up. Man,
that's my favorite, not bad ox tails. I never forgive you, right,
I never. I never forgive you.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Man.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
You gotta go, You're out of here. That's funny, all right?
So this was good.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
So your lady is introducing you for the first time. Correct,
But she goes, this is my current boyfriend.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Oh checking it for sure? What would you do?
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
We gotta check? Yeah for sure? Ain't no, I'm the boyfriend,
the right last one probably. And by the way, make
sure that this is the proper term my boyfriend that
we're using that. Yeah, right? Are we ready to use
that term or not? Right?
Speaker 4 (12:10):
Some guests out there, and the guests come to your
house for the first time ever, and they walk in,
take their shoes off, go right to the fridge, act
like it's their house. But were checking this or not?
Speaker 2 (12:21):
But we do let it slide. Come on, socks off,
not THEO. No, we're checking it. You got to go. Yeah,
your friend is promising you. This is your good friend.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
You had a big show because you're about to drop
your new album on Friday. Come into your show. They
text you the next morning and say, Yo, how was it?
Do you check it or let it slide?
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Ill? Let this slide? Yeah? Really, yeah, it happens. Yeah,
get you know, I'll make a b excuse for you.
You know he was busy, all right? One last one
give if.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
You invite someone to the studio to experience the whole
section or whatnot. But then they start giving you all
listen unless unsolicited advice to your art.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
You check it or let it slide? Check it? You
gotta go. Yeah, I'm gonna be like yo, Grammy water
in this case, we gotta check it, man, we gotta
check it. There it is, yo, How are you in
the studio? What is your studio? Vibes like like a beat,
but you're not under the blankets no more. Yeah, So
I get to hear a beat and I just go
(13:36):
straight to the boot. I don't write.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
I just go really no writing, yeah, because I feel
like writing it takes away from what music really is,
you know, like not not bashing anybody that, right, because
writing is still good.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
That's why we have writers and stuff. But I feel like.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
When you're in the moment, you get a better hit
than when you sit down and try to overthink it
and write and try to make every line.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Ain't sound perfect, you know, but how do you not remember?
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Then?
Speaker 2 (14:03):
How do you not forget?
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Like?
Speaker 3 (14:04):
How do you That's because see, the thing is too
like once the personal record, you can always go back
and hear like a mumbo or a melody and you're like, Okay,
I might just add words to this instead of trying
to structure a bead, and then yeah, it takes a lot.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Writing, So I just prefer the freestyle every song. Yeah,
every song. Wow, that is a gift, That's what they said.
That's what they say.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
It is a gift. Right, what do you see for yourself?
Like next five years, what's your people?
Speaker 2 (14:33):
What are we going to see from you? Grammy?
Speaker 3 (14:35):
You know Grammy probably song with the best of the best,
for sure. So that's why five years ago say that's
a good time span.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
I love that for you man, good luck with everything
for sure?
Speaker 1 (14:49):
All right, album, let's just let him know. Album drops Friday,
The Impact. You got some nice cameos on it.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Yeah, by Swag Your the Kingdom, Molly don uh.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
And what should people know? You said a song for everybody.
It's a song for everybody. Dropping on the twelve? Yeah,
how's it gonna land in Jamaica? What is Jamaica gonna
think about it? They're exciting?
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Yeah, the trailer did the trailer for it, like, we
can't wait. It's like I dropped it as like the
twelve that's too far.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Wait, you dropped something else too, the what was the song?
Speaker 1 (15:20):
People were saying that maybe it was for Jamaica Champion
the Champion, Yeah, yeah, is that.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
On the album? Yeah, that's the intro. Oh it is
on Oh okay, and it's for you. Did that more
because you know the Melissa the hurricanes.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Yeah, spirits were down and stuff, and I took away
from my hugual route, you know, and it just gave
them something that they could hold onto and be motivated
instead of trying to live in a sad spirited energy.
So I just gave him a song that you know,
you played no matter what you're going through, No, lift
your spirit.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
I love that. Were you there during the hurricanes?
Speaker 3 (15:54):
I was in London, I was on stage when it
was it was all going down.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
What about family and families there? No, yeah, but my
family is good.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Yeah, we weren't affected. I'm in the Kingston area, you know,
but goes out to everybody in the Western side, in
the West Roland, St Elizabeth, montegob Tilani.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Yeah, it was. Have you seen since you've been back
some of the effects.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Really, we're gonna bounce Jamaica, you know. Yeah, there's a
saying look about with Talawa.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
So what is that that you just said?
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Yeah, so it's a saint. It's called look about. Is
like we're small or spirits.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Or giant champion? Yeah? Champions?
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Well, congrats baby, the album, everybody tomorrow, the impact and
hopefully we'll see you more of you now after that
shows and anything else we need to look out for.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Show in New York on the twelve, and you guys
can find me on all social media platforms that AREMANI Music,
A R and A and I I Am U.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
S I Q anywhere. Okay, before we go, we have
Armani in real life full name Armani moodch Moody Moody.
Is that your real government name? Are you Moody? Sometimes
I feel like that should be my last name. The
last thing you ate rice? Just rice, no protein, some chicken?
(17:25):
What is your go to karaoke song? D oh come?
Speaker 3 (17:31):
I probably remember how to play it on a keyboard.
I learned it in what primary school?
Speaker 2 (17:35):
But you sing it?
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Do you sing it like John or a little different
like like John? You don't give it a like a
I don't know, a dance hall kind of.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
You know what I mean? You don't dance Okay? John
is a legend man intendency. You don't. You don't want
to give us a little of that today?
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Do you?
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Smart mouth? Joining me and you kicking me out? Got
my spinning? Yeah? I will go to karaoke to see that.
Your superpower is adaptability.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Yeah, you know how to adapt it real quick to whatever,
Probably because you got moved to moult Vernon, snatched up
out of Jamaica at seventeen for a better life.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
You know.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Your celebrity crush. I've heard you say this before, so
I know you mean this. Megan good Hi, Yeah, have
you met her. No, I actually know Makan, you do.
She's a little older than you. Oh no, man, just
a little bit older than you. But you had to
you don't care. I also believe she's in a relationship
(18:50):
even a wait you wait it out. What is it
about Macan? Why is she the one that you keep
referencing as your celebrity crush? Smeggan? I feel like that's all,
But it's Megan. Megan is good. What is the one
thing on your bucket list? Oh? A movie? Yeah? I
(19:11):
want to act in the movie. Yeah. Do you have
your role in mind? What is the role against? I
want to be with Meghan Goods love interest? Yeah, her
Jamaican love and you know I got the dreads. Yeah,
ma on on, just give me my lines. I'm with it.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
Any movie, you know, any movie must you play? What
if you're not gonna play Jamaican? Can you play a
non Jamaican? Yeah, I'll you can switch it up clean, yeah,
because you know sometimes people try to play Jamaican and
then it's not Yeah. Them fake Jamaican access do not hit.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
That's why my superpowers adaptability.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Okay, yeah, just so you could play non Jamaican. Nfild Okay,
you want to try something, all right, we'll wait the
next time. We wait for the next time. I'm gonna
just trust you. I trust that you could pull that off. Okay,
your pet Peeve.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Oh as my last name.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
I'm very moody, and when I'm in my quiet mood,
I don't like a lot of talking.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
No talk. Yeah, it's like be there, but don't be there.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
That must be very difficult for you when you're out
promoting your album. It is.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Because I'm I'm around my friends, I'm talking about in public.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
I'm really shy and quiet.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Really, you didn't give me that energy today. Oh you
were lovely and you you had things to say.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
And man, it's Aergie Martinez. No, thank you, thank you.
You were great today. And the last thing, what was
the last thing that sent you down a rabbit hole?
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Fortnite.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
I'm a gamer, so I was like, what, how did
you do that?
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Then I want to search it up. You're looking up
what like, play the game properly? Yeah? Hours of this hour?
And then your favorite emoji is an eight ball? And
why is that? Good luck? It means good luck for me? Okay,
because it means other things other reasons for me, good
(21:00):
luck and good luck with this new project. Driving tomorrow.
You see what you did there? Full circle? What time
for money? Everybody spot on the five point one
Spout on the five point one Yorkshi Pap and R
and b our money is in the building today. He
stepped into the cold of New York City, fresh off Jamaica. No,
you've been here for a while.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Right, yesterday fresh fresh stepped outside the plane. How that
feel for you? Cold? Cold? You're not used to it.
You spend time here though, no? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I
grew up here for a little bit. So yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Oh, so tell me the background, tell me the history.
I know you were born in Jamaica though.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Right, yeah, Kingston born and raised Kingston, raised in Kingston.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Then you know the migrant story. You know, my mom
went better for us. America is the place we came here.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
And you were seventeen at the time.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Yeah, so that's the story they tell you, right, America
is the better place.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Doesn't always land like that for everybody, Not right away,
especially the first two weeks for sure.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
You know you're in heaven really, and then reality starts
to kick in, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
So do you at seventeen you wanted to leave Jamaica? No,
I was gonna say, no, seventeen year old wants to
leave their friends there. So I thought your first girlfriend, yeah,
you know, he was probably popping too. Yeah. Your mother
was like, no, I got a better life for us. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
And you were aware Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon. Yeah, and
you liked it or you didn't.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Like it, coped, Yeah, but it was something it was needed,
you know, made me who I am. Huh, I appreciate it.
When how long were you there? Oh? Four years? Okay?
Also you spent real time there? Yeah okay. Then I
moved to Atlanta, uh huh oh Yeah, that was the
different shift. Yeah a lot.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
It's a big shift because you know, New York is
the fast. Georgia is more of a sure pace.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yeah. Yeah. And then did you go back to Jamaica
at any point? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yeah, yeah, but you don't live there anymore, or you
live there now? I live in yeah now, yeah, got it?
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (02:00):
When did the music kick in in Malvernon or in Atlanta?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
In Vernon, Malvernon going to.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
High school, I was a junior. I was a junior
trying to get my first job.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Didn't work. I was like, I cannot do this. What
was the job? What was the job? Golden crush, Golden Crust.
I didn't like it.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Why, I just it's me and I don't like being
told what to do or you know, what time to
wake up with. Always envisioned myself being something more in life,
you know, knocking anybody's else, that's.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Mad, stereotypical. You framed Jamaica. Your first job is Golden
Crust selling patties. As a Jamaican who grew up and
was raised in Kingston, how do you rate a Golden
Crust beef patty?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Cocobreta can't compare it to you know, teasts or a
juicy patty. But I give it a seven eight on
a good day.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Okay, that's not bad. It wasn't sitting out all day. Yeah, yeah,
you know once it's fresh out of open. Yeah, yeah,
you got it right, Yeah for sure. I still love.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
From gold The Crust came wrong anytime, anytime, anybody.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
So then you get to you, So you start music
high school? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
And how did you have resources?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Did you even think you could do this? Like?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
I had an iPhone six and a pair of Apple
headphones the wires, Yeah, and I had bad Lap downloaded,
and I deleted every single app off my phone. Only
thing I had was Instagram and I Message, so I
had space to keep all my songs. Wow, yeah, and
then I had to go under the blanket and the
pillow the record, and yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
It was it was.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
It was a good experience, but it was just also
a hot one because I was like, I gotta take
breaks in between.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
When did you.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Realize you had a little something going on here? Like
wait a minute, this might be.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
I had started TikTok and I used TikTok to post
one of my songs, and then it just went crazy.
It's like, oh shit, this is a new avenue. It's
like I could really use this to blow up. And
then I created her fan base on there and we're
just here right now.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
And then you have this interesting mix of you know,
like dance hall, but it is modern, has like a
drill influence and a little bit I mean, how do
you categorize it?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
I don't want to. I don't want to.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I just call it a worldly how I call it
like a world musical tone, you know, like I keep
the core Jamaican and dance hall, but I like to
make the beats somewhat of different genres, mix them together
so it gives it a worldly feeling, yeah, instead of
just a one dimensional dance hall song.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
If you know what does your family think about that?
Speaker 3 (04:35):
My mom's actually a pastor, so how.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Does that fly? She loves it.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
She's not gonna listen to all of them. She listens
to ones that are clean enough, you know. Yeah, but
my family loves and family supports me.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
So your mother is a pastor. That's interesting. So you
grew up with a pastor in the church. Wow?
Speaker 1 (04:55):
And so the was she that in Jamaica too? And
then she came here or she just was doing that here?
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Oh wow, My uncle was a pastor. My uncle is
a pastor, mom's a pastor, My aunt's a pastor.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
So will we hear some of that influence in your
music too? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:09):
The moors, mellot, melodic tones, that's that's from the church,
you know, that's the soul.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yeah. Yeah, Well you got a lot of vibes. People
like into what's happening right now with you?
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Are you feeling like the energy around like you feel
like yeah, excited it's about to go? Yeah, you feel
like it's about to go. Sure, And you just did Billboard?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
What was that? Was it a performance? Or it was
I opened for Leon Thomas. That's pretty good. Yeah, how
was that? It was great? It was a great experience.
I was nervous.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
I'm not gonna like a billboard, you know, a kid
like me from Jamaica. Billboard is something like fantasy for us.
Not everybody gets to or even has the opportunity, you know,
to even have their name attached to billboard or even
have their name outside in New York.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Oh, ARMANI live tonight.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
So you've done a lot of shows though, Yeah, I've
done I've done a lot show from the bars to
the Stadium's a lot of shows. Yeah, so this is
not that new to you.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
It's just it's a different Yeah, it's just a different environmental,
wider audience. And I like shows like these, Like I
like shows that when nobody really knows who I am,
so that lets me capture a new audience. By the
time you go home, you're playing our money. You know.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
How exciting then for you like to have started this
in school and have the whole TikTok rock and now
you're like debut album time.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
It's a Sometimes I have to really sit back and
understand that I'm really doing a lot that people my
age are not doing. Sometimes I really be hard on myself.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
How well do you know me? Twenty three.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Okay, so when you started was what like when you
started like under the Blanket, Yeah, sixteen seventeen.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
I was like eighteen eighteen. Yeah, that's pretty fast, you
don't think. Yeah, yeah, it probably doesn't feel like it's
to you, right, there's no journey.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
It's not gonna feel as fast as on the outside
of he blew up fast.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
But the journey been a long one. Yeah. Yeah, you've
been on it. So how exciting.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
So what do you think people should know about the album? Like,
what do you want people to know? It's a big
day for you Friday.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Friday is a big day for me.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
But for the album, everybody has a song that you're
gonna be, you know, able to relate to.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Got it.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Whether it's a love song, a heartbreak song, a song
that's energetic, song that's SOKA or host Party or EEDPM,
you're gonna be able to resonate and relate to at
least one track.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
So it's just like world vibes, you really you really
trying to tap into like a whole bunch of That's.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Why I call it the impact because it's like it's
going to impact you in some way, shape or form,
you know, whether it's it's going to give you a
nostalgic feeling, lose your love. The leading track that's, you know,
a rude track, reggae like Barrs Hammond. Every barbecue your
hero Barrs Hamming a Bob Marley. So with that track,
you're going to bring back a nostalgic vibe. And then
we have the new tracks. Yeah, it's a it's a lot.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Bess Hammond's a legend, you know, Bears Hammond's daughter. You
ever see that show Your Honor on Showtime?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
No, Oh my god, it's so good. I gotta I
gotta watch it.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Beres Hammond's daughter is plays the drug dealer from New
Orleans and I didn't know it was her. I just
thought I just thought she was a dope actress. And
I saw she was from a Brooklyn so I had
hit her like, yo, you're killing the show.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
And then I found out it.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Was Beres Hammond's daughter and she's a dope ass actress.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
You have to watch it.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
It's called Your Honor. No, trust me, it's a fire show.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
You should absolutely watch it.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
If you have time in the middle of dropping your
debut album, you should absolutely check it out. What do
you do inside for music? Like, do you have other hobbies?
Do you have any other.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Are you a movie watcher? Are you I'm a Marvel
and I'm a comic fan. Uh huh, yeah, got it.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
I just be on the game all day when there's
no music, I'm locked in on the game.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Like I'm not really an outside person.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
So inside, Yeah, we're gonna we're gonna get to know
you a little bit better.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Today. We have a game.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
It's called check it or let it slide. All right,
we got a problem or no problem?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
You know what I'm saying, check it or let it slide.
You start went off.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Someone meet you and they know where you're from, and
the first thing they want to do is come say
and talk to you in the worst Jamaican accent of
and they say the wrong thing all the time.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
We're gonna let it slide. You're go and check it.
Don't let it slide. It happens every day.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
I'll have to let it just did it as well
as well.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Mind it's a.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Whole God, it's gonna have my whole life. I'm gonna
have to let it slide. Can't check everybody.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I can't check it every day all day. Does it
ever surprise you? Like, is it ever? Is it ever
really good or really bad? Some some are it's never
really good. Really, it's never really good. But some are funny.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
And then some are like, Okay, you could have been
you canna said hi, But I'm gonna just let it slide.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Gotta let it slide.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Okay, here's one for you. A girl that you used
to have a crush off back in the day, but
she gave you no action. Now she shows up at
your album release party and she's trying to connect.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Do you check it or do you let it slide?
Is this a true story? I'm gonna have to let
it slide. Yeah, I'm gonna have to let it slide. Man, Really,
I forget. It's cool. Forget okay, go.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
All you out on the day. You take someone out
to get some food or whatnot, and they record everything,
but you at dinner. Are we checking this or we're
gonna let this slide?
Speaker 2 (10:48):
All right? Is she my girl? Or is this on
first date? Excellent?
Speaker 3 (10:53):
If you're my girl, give me both checking Okay, you
recorded hey right in the camera, but no, please don't
record me.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
I'm not even there right, No, I don't even exist exactly.
This is a simple one. A girl cooks for you
for the first time.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
I'm assuming it's not your girlfriend because it's the first time,
young lady cooking for you for the first time. And
the food she tries to make you you're making meal
and the food is terrible.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Do you check it or let us like, I just
check it because you know, yeah, you missed my food?
She got correct. Yeah, yeah, came as some oxtails up. Man,
that's my favorite, not bad ox tails. I never forgive you, right,
I never. I never forgive you.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Man.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
You gotta go, You're out of here. That's funny, all right?
So this was good.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
So your lady is introducing you for the first time. Correct,
But she goes, this is my current boyfriend.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Oh checking it for sure? What would you do?
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
We gotta check? Yeah for sure? Ain't no, I'm the boyfriend,
the right last one probably. And by the way, make
sure that this is the proper term my boyfriend that
we're using that. Yeah, right? Are we ready to use
that term or not? Right?
Speaker 4 (12:10):
Some guests out there, and the guests come to your
house for the first time ever, and they walk in,
take their shoes off, go right to the fridge, act
like it's their house. But were checking this or not?
Speaker 2 (12:21):
But we do let it slide. Come on, socks off,
not THEO. No, we're checking it. You got to go. Yeah,
your friend is promising you. This is your good friend.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
You had a big show because you're about to drop
your new album on Friday. Come into your show. They
text you the next morning and say, Yo, how was it?
Do you check it or let it slide?
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Ill? Let this slide? Yeah? Really, yeah, it happens. Yeah,
get you know, I'll make a b excuse for you.
You know he was busy, all right? One last one
give if.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
You invite someone to the studio to experience the whole
section or whatnot. But then they start giving you all
listen unless unsolicited advice to your art.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
You check it or let it slide? Check it? You
gotta go. Yeah, I'm gonna be like yo, Grammy water
in this case, we gotta check it, man, we gotta
check it. There it is, yo, How are you in
the studio? What is your studio? Vibes like like a beat,
but you're not under the blankets no more. Yeah, So
I get to hear a beat and I just go
(13:36):
straight to the boot. I don't write.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
I just go really no writing, yeah, because I feel
like writing it takes away from what music really is,
you know, like not not bashing anybody that, right, because
writing is still good.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
That's why we have writers and stuff. But I feel like.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
When you're in the moment, you get a better hit
than when you sit down and try to overthink it
and write and try to make every line.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Ain't sound perfect, you know, but how do you not remember?
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Then?
Speaker 2 (14:03):
How do you not forget?
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Like?
Speaker 3 (14:04):
How do you That's because see, the thing is too
like once the personal record, you can always go back
and hear like a mumbo or a melody and you're like, Okay,
I might just add words to this instead of trying
to structure a bead, and then yeah, it takes a lot.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Writing, So I just prefer the freestyle every song. Yeah,
every song. Wow, that is a gift, That's what they said.
That's what they say.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
It is a gift. Right, what do you see for yourself?
Like next five years, what's your people?
Speaker 2 (14:33):
What are we going to see from you? Grammy?
Speaker 3 (14:35):
You know Grammy probably song with the best of the best,
for sure. So that's why five years ago say that's
a good time span.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
I love that for you man, good luck with everything
for sure?
Speaker 1 (14:49):
All right, album, let's just let him know. Album drops Friday,
The Impact. You got some nice cameos on it.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Yeah, by Swag Your the Kingdom, Molly don uh.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
And what should people know? You said a song for everybody.
It's a song for everybody. Dropping on the twelve? Yeah,
how's it gonna land in Jamaica? What is Jamaica gonna
think about it? They're exciting?
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Yeah, the trailer did the trailer for it, like, we
can't wait. It's like I dropped it as like the
twelve that's too far.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Wait, you dropped something else too, the what was the song?
Speaker 1 (15:20):
People were saying that maybe it was for Jamaica Champion
the Champion, Yeah, yeah, is that.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
On the album? Yeah, that's the intro. Oh it is
on Oh okay, and it's for you. Did that more
because you know the Melissa the hurricanes.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Yeah, spirits were down and stuff, and I took away
from my hugual route, you know, and it just gave
them something that they could hold onto and be motivated
instead of trying to live in a sad spirited energy.
So I just gave him a song that you know,
you played no matter what you're going through, No, lift
your spirit.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
I love that. Were you there during the hurricanes?
Speaker 3 (15:54):
I was in London, I was on stage when it
was it was all going down.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
What about family and families there? No, yeah, but my
family is good.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Yeah, we weren't affected. I'm in the Kingston area, you know,
but goes out to everybody in the Western side, in
the West Roland, St Elizabeth, montegob Tilani.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Yeah, it was. Have you seen since you've been back
some of the effects.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Really, we're gonna bounce Jamaica, you know. Yeah, there's a
saying look about with Talawa.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
So what is that that you just said?
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Yeah, so it's a saint. It's called look about. Is
like we're small or spirits.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Or giant champion? Yeah? Champions?
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Well, congrats baby, the album, everybody tomorrow, the impact and
hopefully we'll see you more of you now after that
shows and anything else we need to look out for.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Show in New York on the twelve, and you guys
can find me on all social media platforms that AREMANI Music,
A R and A and I I Am U.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
S I Q anywhere. Okay, before we go, we have
Armani in real life full name Armani moodch Moody Moody.
Is that your real government name? Are you Moody? Sometimes
I feel like that should be my last name. The
last thing you ate rice? Just rice, no protein, some chicken?
(17:25):
What is your go to karaoke song? D oh come?
Speaker 3 (17:31):
I probably remember how to play it on a keyboard.
I learned it in what primary school?
Speaker 2 (17:35):
But you sing it?
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Do you sing it like John or a little different
like like John? You don't give it a like a
I don't know, a dance hall kind of.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
You know what I mean? You don't dance Okay? John
is a legend man intendency. You don't. You don't want
to give us a little of that today?
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Do you?
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Smart mouth? Joining me and you kicking me out? Got
my spinning? Yeah? I will go to karaoke to see that.
Your superpower is adaptability.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Yeah, you know how to adapt it real quick to whatever,
Probably because you got moved to moult Vernon, snatched up
out of Jamaica at seventeen for a better life.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
You know.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Your celebrity crush. I've heard you say this before, so
I know you mean this. Megan good Hi, Yeah, have
you met her. No, I actually know Makan, you do.
She's a little older than you. Oh no, man, just
a little bit older than you. But you had to
you don't care. I also believe she's in a relationship
(18:50):
even a wait you wait it out. What is it
about Macan? Why is she the one that you keep
referencing as your celebrity crush? Smeggan? I feel like that's all,
But it's Megan. Megan is good. What is the one
thing on your bucket list? Oh? A movie? Yeah? I
(19:11):
want to act in the movie. Yeah. Do you have
your role in mind? What is the role against? I
want to be with Meghan Goods love interest? Yeah, her
Jamaican love and you know I got the dreads. Yeah,
ma on on, just give me my lines. I'm with it.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
Any movie, you know, any movie must you play? What
if you're not gonna play Jamaican? Can you play a
non Jamaican? Yeah, I'll you can switch it up clean, yeah,
because you know sometimes people try to play Jamaican and
then it's not Yeah. Them fake Jamaican access do not hit.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
That's why my superpowers adaptability.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Okay, yeah, just so you could play non Jamaican. Nfild Okay,
you want to try something, all right, we'll wait the
next time. We wait for the next time. I'm gonna
just trust you. I trust that you could pull that off. Okay,
your pet Peeve.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Oh as my last name.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
I'm very moody, and when I'm in my quiet mood,
I don't like a lot of talking.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
No talk. Yeah, it's like be there, but don't be there.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
That must be very difficult for you when you're out
promoting your album. It is.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Because I'm I'm around my friends, I'm talking about in public.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
I'm really shy and quiet.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Really, you didn't give me that energy today. Oh you
were lovely and you you had things to say.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
And man, it's Aergie Martinez. No, thank you, thank you.
You were great today. And the last thing, what was
the last thing that sent you down a rabbit hole?
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Fortnite.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
I'm a gamer, so I was like, what, how did
you do that?
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Then I want to search it up. You're looking up
what like, play the game properly? Yeah? Hours of this hour?
And then your favorite emoji is an eight ball? And
why is that? Good luck? It means good luck for me? Okay,
because it means other things other reasons for me, good
(21:00):
luck and good luck with this new project. Driving tomorrow.
You see what you did there? Full circle? What time
for money? Everybody spot on the five point one
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