The Patriots All-Pro Punt Returner dropped his latest single ‘Make It Right’ on Friday.Alexandra Francisco
As lengthy as Marcus Jones has been enjoying soccer, he is additionally been making music.
The sport helped him acclimate to new faculties and mates whereas his father’s profession within the Army introduced their household across the nation, and messing round together with his dad’s MPC and turntables in his alone time step by step grew into greater than a passion.
But nonetheless, numerous skilled athletes use their platform to check out music, and vice versa, rappers and R&B artists love referencing sports activities of their songs. For professionals within the business like Keithen Foster and Kirjuan “Free” Freeman, they did not know what to anticipate when launched to the New England Patriots’ latest all-phase phenomenon in February.
Soon, they noticed this was greater than only a aspect mission for Jones, however quite a wholly totally different persona.
“When Marcus sent me some links to the songs he just wrote, I didn’t know what to expect,” mentioned Foster, a Boston native, music producer and songwriter for Sony Music Publishing, and notably, the bassist for Oscar, Emmy, and five-time Grammy Award winner H.E.R.
“When I pressed play, I sat back with a grin on my face because it was refreshing to hear this type of talent come from someone like him.”
Versatility is a valued advantage in New England. Fresh off his rookie 12 months, Jones confirmed it, changing into the primary participant in 45 years to attain a landing on offense, protection, and particular groups in the identical season.
The All-Pro punt returner launched an eight-song album within the fall of 2021, however now with a a lot larger stage, he is able to introduce his NFL followers to Elliott.J.
“Marcus Jones is a football player,” Jones mentioned. “I have a personality there and I take my job seriously, but I also have the other side of me, Elliott.J, and I think I’m pretty good at (music) too. I just want people to understand that you don’t have to be put in a box when you get to this professional level. Handle your business, but you can also have fun with something else.”
Elliott.J dropped his newest single, “Make It Right,” on Friday – the primary of three songs he is planning to launch earlier than the beginning of the 2023 NFL season. Next offseason, he’ll come out with three extra tracks to make up a six-song EP.
The dates are deliberate, as a result of through the soccer season, follow and preparation are his solely priorities.
“I’ve been blessed to be good with time management, I take pride in that,” Jones mentioned. “In the season for me, it’s strictly ball. I handle everything there. But I’m out of season, that’s when I’m on my grind with the music and connecting with different people and getting my music out there into the public. I grind hard in the offseason so that when the next one comes around I already have stuff to put out.”
Though he retains each components of his life principally separate, he equally finds himself in each side of each soccer video games and singing.
“When we first got introduced, we clicked automatically based on the mere fact that we both share the same passion for sports and music,” Foster mentioned. “But when I saw him navigating Ableton, selecting different vocal compressions, and showing me why he chose a certain kick drum, I knew he was a student of the craft. It made sense in correlation to how versatile he is on the field, playing all sides of the ball.”
Jones says he likes to start out with the lyrics, jotting strains down in his telephone, and can construct the beat round it.
For “Make It Right,” he is going for a retro feeling, clearly influenced by Drake and The Weeknd, and he nods to the multi-talented Donald Glover’s technique of rapping below the title Childish Gambino as inspiration.
He’s a scholar of the craft, although – and all of its genres.
“I love Drake, of course,” Jones mentioned. “Love The Weeknd, The Sonics, I love Kaytranada’s production and how he does things. I love Doja Cat and how she makes her songs. There’s a lot of people that I definitely want to get connected with when it comes to music to pick their brains and also make beautiful songs with them as well. I’m always trying to learn.”
From the best way he manipulates his voice to the drum kits and samples he makes use of, Jones is considering each layer of a tune to attain the vibe he is going for. He’s not simply displaying as much as sing on a beat somebody already made. Elliott. J is the artist, author, producer and engineer.
“It has been life-changing for me,” Freeman mentioned of Jones’ inventive course of.
“He can go into any room – from an emerging to major recording artist or producer – and can show them something they didn’t know. He’s truly the embodiment of a 100 percenter, him being somebody who writes, produces and engineers. The world will know he’s more than just an athlete. Working with him and developing our music goals and working towards his dream collaborations.”
Jones’ music objectives are clear. He’s probably not attempting to be a touring artist, as a result of once more, soccer comes first.
But he’s focused on streaming and playlisting, and goals of seeing his songs in TV reveals, commercials, and films – particularly this single.
“It has that bounce and feel to it where people, even older generations, can listen to it cleaning up the house, getting ready with friends, you can listen to it at a family function,” Jones mentioned. “I want people to listen to it and just have a good time.”
Jones is open to working with different artists, producers, and writers, and says he talks about his music with teammates like Brenden Schooler, Jack Jones, and naturally, Ja’Whaun Bentley, who has a fame as one of many crew’s finest DJs.
“Some of my teammates definitely know I make music,” Jones mentioned. “However, I’m holding back on the heat right now because I have to make sure the rollout and everything like that is good.”
Probably as a lot as anybody else, he is in fixed communication with Freeman and Foster, who’ve lately joined his crew.
Together, the 2 Berklee College of Music Alums run the Covered By Music Foundation, an affiliate non-profit group that is a part of the S.T.A.N.D. Inc. Collective and gives native youth instruments and assets to pursue careers in music.
While Foster’s focus with Jones is on the music aspect, Freeman represents him as his music model supervisor by means of the Agency For Creatives. The trio started working not lengthy after their introduction. First order of enterprise: engaged on the EP so it is prepared for subsequent offseason.
“I wanted to call it Lost in Action because everyone has had a situation where they have a lot of things going on and it’s hard to resonate with certain things,” Jones says, speaking from his expertise balancing the NFL, music, and having a household.
“Whenever you listen to this, it will be a whole bunch of different genres, but all put together to make a beautiful story.”
For now, the most recent tune “Make It Right” is streaming on all the most important platforms. There’s extra on the best way, on the sphere and off of it.
“As our relationship evolved it became beyond and deeper than the music,” Freeman mentioned of Jones.
“He made me a believer in him. From his character, talent, upbringing it’s an honor to represent him on this musical journey. He takes his music very seriously and his work ethic is unmatched. Watching him from ideation to mastering a record, he doesn’t cheat the process.”