Colorado-born rapper and singer Turner Jackson set out to tell a coming-of-age story based on his life with his new EP, "Red Plastic Cup." The MC, who's now based in New York City, breaks away from a pure hip-hop sound on "Red Plastic Cup" and verges into soul and rock.
Jackson and his band stopped into the CPR Performance Studio before a headlining show at Denver's Bluebird Theater. He performed four songs and spoke with OpenAir's Alisha Sweeney about his autobiographical songs, incorporating new genres into his music and developing his rap skills while serving in the Navy.
Stream the full session above and read interview highlights below.
Jackson on incorporating a band into his live shows:
"I really think people just want to enjoy themselves. And so I think as an artist it's my job to figure out how to do that, and then convey it and translate it.
"For this project, which is a party project, it seemed totally fitting to have a band."
On how his time in the Navy helped his musical ambitions:
"I knew that I wanted to make music before I went into the Navy, but I didn't know how to execute the idea. It was better off that I went to the military, because that laid a lot of foundation for, not discipline, but execution of what it is you're trying to do."
Songs performed:
- "Drunk Baby"
- "Fool's Gold"
- "Red Plastic Cup"
- "The Man"
