JustInTime is an emcee hailing from Bonney Street located in Eastern Virginia. The suburban emcee is known for rapping about his life experiences with a multitude of sounds. His humble yet confident nature can be felt outside of his music as he balanced a side career of being a music journalist. JustInTime can be seen performing at local shows between the 757 and the 804 and approaches hip-hop with a welcoming grace. He represents Bonney Street proudly and with the latest release, Bonney Vol II, he raps about the experiences that made him the man that he is today.
JG: You’re a big fan of wrestling. Let’s talk about the current state of sports entertainment. When we were kids, there weren’t many options. Now with the rise of social media, we have WWE, AEW, GZW, NJPW, NWA, and other indie circuits popping up. How do you think the variety of wrestling fans has now affected the younger fans?
JT: Far as sports entertainment I feel like this is the golden age of Wrestling. Granted the 90s is the most iconic time in wrestling, there’s so much wrestling going on right now. It’s such a good thing as a fan because back in the day. To me at least it was taboo to watch anything other than WWE.
I would watch TNA in the early 2000s and people would be like that show sucks. With the rise of AEW, NJPW, etc thanks to social media there’s literally a promotion for everyone. To me, if you’re younger it’s dope to have so many companies to watch. I encourage young people to not only watch WWE but watch NJPW and all these other promotions. You’ll find yourself in love with the product overall.
JG: What would be your dream Pay-Per-View lineup? Name five matches that would be on the lineup.
To start the PPV I would want N.W.O Vs New Day vs the shield in a tag match to see who’s the best trios stable of all time. I would want the New Day to win. I just enjoyed them the most out of the three trio stables.
Next, I would want to see Triple H in his prime versus Bret Hart in his prime. Triple H was young when Bret was a part of WWF it’ll be so cool to see Triple H in the early 2000s fight Bret from the 90s. Idc who wins this, I think the fans win.
Next, give me Mick foley versus Bray Wyatt. I don’t care who wins this fight but I only ask them to bring in their multiple gimmicks into the match that would be crazy to see!
China versus Charlotte Flair. Two of the most dominating woman in our industry going at it. Sounds like a match made in heaven to me. I would deny Charlotte winning!
Lastly, everyone wants to see Roman Reigns versus The Rock! I hope that happens next year fingers are crossed but we need that match to happen ASAP NO ROCKY! I don’t want the tribal chief to win I’m sorry I’m with the bloodline.
JG: Talk about your working relationship with MachineMook. He recently performed at the CNTR grand opening in November and even produced Rim Slasher off your Bonney Vol 2 project.
JT: MachineMook is my brother someone who’s always checking on me. Working with me consistently musically. We went to the same high school Jamestown high school in Williamsburg. We didn’t really talk in high school, yet we were really cool. We dm each a few times after high school he was big into producing and still is. He’s someone who I enjoy working with and just hearing out for inspiration.
He sort of reminds me of Pharrell Williams because has his hand and everything and makes great shit out of that. I was so happy he got a chance to perform. We ended up doing a random cypher that night after his performance. That’s my guy man. I want our relationship to blossom into making some millions. He’s like my Pharrell, to say the least.
JG: Describe your growth from Couch Potato to Bonney Vol 2.
JT: When I made Couch Potato I was so proud of it. For one it was true to me as a person. It was the first time I was on beat with a good flow. It came about me just chilling at the crib not wanting to be bothered. The transition until the Bonney tapes has been a collection of what I’ve been recording over the past couple of years. In fact, since this summer I’ve been recording like every other day. I can’t really explain in words how I’m able to write so much.
I just like making relatable music. I don’t have a lot of money at the moment, or a lot of clothes and jewelry, but I have experience in life. I’ve been outside traveling and learning. It’s cool that it reflects on the music. I’m finally comfortable with my voice, my bars, and my sound. I think people notice that too. I was shy when Couch Potato dropped and now the first thing in conversation I always tell people is my love for music.
JG: You revealed the official Bonney logo on your Instagram. In the caption, you said Bonney goes beyond being the street you grew up on. It represents growth, love, peace, and unity. Talk more about your humble upbringing on Bonney. How did it mold you into the person you became today?
JT: It's somewhere I met my closest friends. It’s also somewhere I found identity within myself. It’s my Gotham and I feel like I’m Batman. It’s not a dangerous area at all, I’m from the suburbs. It just has so many memories to me that I hold on to forever. Whenever I’m feeling down, I think of that place, so just to fully make a logo with the possibility of people rocking it worldwide. It puts a smile on my face.
You know when you don’t have a father's presence, the next thing you look for in comfort is your friends. Like those people who know you know you. I’m just blessed and fortunate from living there and finding the courage to be myself. To be my purest self.
JG: You have past journalistic experiences, especially with theMSQshop. Looking at the music culture from a journalistic perspective, what are some things you think need to be improved on the media side of the culture?
JT: I wish more media companies kinda took more chances being honest versus getting along with everyone.
JG: Who are some indie artists that you would like to shout out?
JT: Jaglory. That’s my brother. Not only he has been a good friend of mine for a decade now. I’ve been working with him on music since I met him in high school. He’s one of the few producers that just send me beats and believes in my pen. I actually plan on dropping a little EP with bangers to his beats. His incredible, and I can’t wait for the rest of the industry to work with him.
I also want to shout out MachineMook. Machine is another brother of mine, I met him while I was in high school as well. We didn’t really talk as much, but I dm him a few times. When it came to music. He had a studio, and he would come to pick me up from my crib to his studio. We built that connection right away. We created to me my biggest single Level. Like not only do I love his beats. I love his raps too, he’s an incredible artist. Much to his inspiration Travis Scott, he brings that energy to his records that make you want to rage. I can’t wait to make more records and for our relationship to only get bigger and better.
Shout out to Jovon Bivens. He’s Isaiah to me that’s one of my best friends and the first person I told I wanted to rap to. He’s always supportive and real with me. I was inspired to get better as a rapper because of him. I’ve known him since my freshman year of high school. He’s a producer but do not get it twisted, he’s got bars too. I can’t wait to hear what he does musically when he moves to California.
Next Sonnie Babble. I didn’t know of him until I interned at theMSQshop. Actually, when you asked me to reach out to him, I watched his video Buster on YouTube. I was like "Yo this man is dope on the mic!" Then I got to interview him, and we’ve been cool ever since. I check in with him all the time, and he does the same. We both love the Philadelphia Eagles and rap music. I definitely want to collab with him in the future!
Høbbi is a producer I just met a few months ago. It’s crazy to think we associated with a lot of people but never really had a conversation. He dm me a few months ago, about recording and doing music. This was back in July. Ever since August dame near every other Tuesday. You can catch me over his crib recording, working on some beats with him, chopping it up, and doing live sessions. He’s someone I’m glad the universe brought me to, we have a great bond over with music. That’s what I love about Mya these connections right here. He’s a good dude, a great producer, and we’re also in a band. We do have some alternative rock coming in the works.
I met Zyaire when I was at Norfolk State. He told me he was a rapper just starting out. I was like same, I would love to work with you. Long story short we made a song called Zetsu. The goal was to attack this beat as hard and viciously as we can. We also loved Naruto so, to have that reference all that over the track is pretty fucking cool. He’s a dope ass rapper and when he reads this. I need them fade on Smash Bros. Shout out to his son Adonis, he’s my biggest fan. He loves my music, so I appreciate everything from our friendship.
Lastly, I wanted to give a shout to two people. Kirbs and The Uth. These two have been big brothers to me musically. I really enjoy how Kirbs is himself when he raps. Like he’s not trying to be anyone else, and what he is spitting is so cool! It’s the feeling when I hear Mac Miller. Like I know he's white, but he can rap and Kirbs can rap well on the mic. I have a track that I’m working on it with him. Can’t wait to drop that.
Uth always had my back from day one. I opened up to him personally about who I am and what my purpose in life is. He gave me some solid advice on conquering this music industry. Not only that, he can sing his ass off. He’s also an Eagles fan, GO BIRDS, but thank you to those two for supporting me. There’s more that helped me on this journey, and I appreciate their help as well.
JG: What was the best no that you have ever received and why?
JT: The best no I received came from one of my best friends Jovon Bivens. As I mentioned previously he was the first person I ever spit a bar to. It was mad corny but he wanted to do music with me. The way he made songs back in the day was so incredible. It left me shocked like because what I was writing wasn't it.
We had a deadline around 2014 or 2015 to drop an EP. If we couldn’t meet that deadline, the plan was to not take this music shit seriously. One night I was recording my EP over his homie's crib. Shout out to Trippy Low by the way. I was recording music that day from 3 pm to 3 am. I thought it was the hardest shit ever. I dropped that EP months after that. It wasn’t perceived as the best.
In fact, a lot of people trashed it. Not going to lie, that shit broke my heart at the time. I didn’t understand the concept of you working so hard at something you create and the world would say “that shit is trash.” When Jovon pretty much confirmed to me the tape wasn’t good. It did something to me for the better, it made me want to actually get better as a rapper.
I found an identity as a rapper as a man, that I wasn’t going to let a certain amount of people take me to that dark place I was going through. Granted I know every song can’t be fire. Even the greats have their misses. It’s about the consistency I strive for. You know I used to want to be the best rapper in the world. Now my goal is whenever you hear JustInTime rap the listener feels a bit of empowerment to do whatever makes them happy.
Follow him on Instagram @madejustintime_ and stream his music HERE.
Written by: Jay Guevara. @justinhisprime on all social media.
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