Artists You Should Know - Jet Santiago Straight Official Magazine

MEET JET SANTIAGO

JET SANTIAGO is an quickly emerging artist holding down the culture of Hip-Hop from the nineteenth state. His approach is one that is built upon solid production and prominent lyrics. As a cultivator of the movement, Jetty realizes his position and what the genre means to him. “Hip-Hop is expression and perspective. It’s a way to tell stories from your point of view and let people into your view of life.”

There is always a driving force that makes a person commit to being an artist. For Jet, all it took was for him to attend a J. Cole concert in 2014. Speaking on the experience he recalls “It was his Forest Hills Drive Tour and I somehow snuck into the section right in front of the stage. Being able to hear and see one of my favorite artists up close gave me a different level of inspiration.”

Moments like that have inspired him to derive his own lane in his artistry. Jetty’s unique sound and delivery are not necessarily like your “run-of-the-mill” rappers. When asked about it, he replied “I had to develop my own flavor. I love all styles of music but I never compromise my sound to fit in with what’s hot at the moment.”

Music comes in waves. You can’t ride the wave. You have to be the wave.
Jet Santiago

BODY OF WORK

Since 2019 Jet has staked his claim in Hip-Hop. Releasing dope singles like New Age, Mood! and City of Dreams, he prepared us for his EP Le Jour de Anniversair. When asked about his creative process he replied, “I need to be inspired in order to create. I get inspiration from traveling, meeting new people and having new experiences. Once it’s there I lock in and won’t leave the studio until 5am.”

In 2020 Jet released his first album titled “Santiago Summers” to rave reviews. The 12 track project is full of gems but one in particular caught my attention. The track “Andy Bought A Basquiat” was not only #7 (favorite number) but also my introduction to him as an artist. From the samples to the lyricism, Jetty flew high on this track!

The Hip-Hop scene in Indianapolis is growing. When I asked Jetty how he stands out amongst his peers, his response was brilliant. “I’m authentic, and original. I’m not promoting the destruction of our people, nor am I promoting killing each other in the streets or overly glorifying drugs. I have a message but I’m not preaching to you. With me you get a perfectionist who cares about music and the culture. You can party, laugh, cry, feel motivated and inspired when listening to my music.”

Jet Santiago (Video Cred: DJ Slikk’s Booth Action)

NEW MUSIC FROM JET

Jet’s upcoming release You Could’ve Been Here promises to be another impression of his craft and artistry. “It’s a culmination of my experiences over the previous 3 years since my last solo project. 10 songs with the vibe of the album being mostly upbeat. Not only my best project to date but the best rap album of the year.”

We shifted gears and spoke about the journey to get here. Jet spoke on the peaks and valleys to arrive here. “Being able to monetize what I create is a blessing. People actually invested in your art and waiting for you to drop music is the dopest thing in the world. I’ve gained people but also lost people. Overall it has shaped me and helped me grow as an artist and person. It’s all a part of the journey.”

I asked Jet what he would change about the industry from an artist’s standpoint. He spoke on an overhaul, “I would change the structure of deals. I’d make contracts easier to understand and fair to both sides. The wording in contracts however can trap an artist into more than they originally thought they signed up for.”

EDITOR’S PICK

I was fortunate to meet Jet way back when I was a blogger for this publication. Through another dope individual and friend, I listened to Jet and from jump knew this was something special. He alongside countless others from Indy would dominate my #SaturdaySpotlight & #NewMusicMondays features with great music.

YCBH is set to release on January 11th. I was able to hear a few tracks exclusively. No spoilers obviously, but my pick from what I heard was “Law of Attraction” which you can check out down below!