Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania aka “New Pittsburgh”
Age: 27
Releases: The Coffee Break Tape, Loft Music, and the newest Hype Chill dropped August 13, 2013.
What’s the meaning behind your name?
The meaning behind Mars Jackson came from two places, the first one is the root of my government name which is Marquel, and the second place is from my favorite movie, She Gotta Have It, a Spike Lee Joint. In the movie Spike plays a character, Mars Blackmon – I grew up imitating that character. Even though he was a character, Mars was fuggin fresh, so like with being who I am, it just connected that way. I feel like the statement of being Mars Jackson is going beyond your dreams and getting shit done.
What other names have you had?
I got a few, Melly Mel or Melly which my uncle use to always call me when I was young. It was a nickname he named me after one of his friends who was a local DJ from the city. Quelz which was my high school nickname that only my circle call me because they know me well and last but not least Michael Jackson. The reason I say that is because I use to get picked on from elementary school til middle because I had a soft spoken voice, ha ha. I wouldn’t speak a lot unless I knew nobody would say, “ He sound like MJ” that shit was the gift and the curse.
Which song of yours would you first want people to hear?
I think High Class Society which is track two off Hype Chill is something I want people to listen to first because it sets the vibe of what I’m trying to accomplish as an artist but more importantly as a human being in this crazy thing we call life, [as well as] seeing the world with my niggas and my family and just staying positive and grinding. When you become lost in the music you get a sense of knowing your worth and time with everything in your life and High Class Society is a movement that is coming out of this city of New Pittsburgh. But my second favorite is Sacrifice featuring Badboxes because it’s so different from all of the tracks I’ve ever done as an artist and I never have limitations on my life because my life is my music, period. So what you hear on these tracks are my fuck up’s, my pain, my happiness, and just life.
Who was your Hip Hop idol growing up?
I really don’t believe in having idols because I don’t praise nothing but God and I always say that because I want people to know that I don’t praise rappers, I praise their story and struggle. But growing up I listened to everything from West, East, South, Midwest, UK, you name it, I’ve listened to it. But Andre 3000 was the person I really looked up to. Andre 3000 had many faces and could jump on any track and kill it, I mean his style was crazy and lyrical content and ability to be himself on a track was something I really picked up on. Like The Love Below had me on some other shit. I really told myself after hearing it, I know somewhere down the line when I get my shit together and study the blueprint of this rap shit, I could be one of the greats in my own way. That’s me 24/7, regardless of the attire you see me in, you will hear these words and vibe.
Which musician would you most like to work with?
I would love to work with AZ because he’s a OG in the game and he’s been able to teach me the game through his music and he don’t even know it. I mean the way he approaches the game is basically saying I’m a Don and a Don don’t have to be flashy or keep up with the Joneses when he step in a room I bet niggas give him mad love and respect because he’s got classic albums and joints and I’m a big supporter of the OG. Plus a lot of people don’t know my mom was born and raised in Brooklyn with 5 brothers before they came Pittsburgh, so AZ was always brought up in convo when I heard my uncles and they friends debate about who was top 5 in Brooklyn or NYC as a whole.
If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?
Trapping lol…. I won’t lie about that. I always had this thing about making money and getting it anyway I can and when you come from a family background of hustlers, killers, drug dealers, etc, that’s what I saw and that’s what I wanted to do, but my family wasn’t with it at all. Nobody in my family went to college, I was the first to do it which is a big accomplish because even there I was doing what I had to do to get money and survive and I know a lot of my peers going to read this like, “WTF?” but I was one not to talk about the shit I was doing because its none of nobody’s business, but through the grace of God I just smartened up and told myself don’t be stupid use that talent God gave you, so that’s what I’m doing.
What’s success to you?
Success to me is getting your mom out the hood and buying her that new big ass house and car to see her face shine with enjoyment for all the sacrifices she made for you to get this far in life. Truthfully I want to pay all my mother’s debt and bad credit off, make sure my sister never has to want for nothing and for when my uncle come home from this 15 year bid he’s straight. That success to me, I been successful since I came out my mother’s womb, so money won’t change that.
Which country produces the best food and women?
Damn… I’d say Puerto Rico; I got a thing for Puerto Rican women. I can’t help it, I love them, they hold they niggas down forreal through thick and thin. Plus they can cook some good ass shit forreal, like red beans, rice and steak fuggin yoga flames. But most of all I love my Puerto Rican women in NYC, like they show me love when I visit up there. I love all women though, if you got an ass that can twerk or you got a good sense of humor then Mars is fuggin with you, but you gotta look good though. Real shit.
What’s your vice?
My vice is the budda, the bud, the ganja, the shit that make you feel enlightened… Yes I’m talking about America’s favorite drug….WEED! If you smoking with toting point blank. It brings the world together, like if you angry off some weed then my friend you’re a stupid. I know a lot of people that have the same vice I do that’s why I don’t feel bad about it. Wait ’til that shit legalized watch the crime rate go down in this world all over.
What’s your favorite animal?
My favorite animal is a shark because just like in rap you gotta chew these niggas up like food to get the respect you want sometimes, but I do it all the time so no biggie.
