Artists To Watch: Puma Juma
Pumajuma has an enigmatic swagger. The kind that elevates your self-esteem when you dap him up and compels you to recite every word that leaves his mouth when put over a beat. Raised in Ossining, NY, about 40 miles north of New York, the influence of the city is evident in his jib and his lingo. So too are his East African and Muslim roots. He’s just as likely to match his sneakers with a kufi as he is a durag.
Image Source, PumaJuma
While the 21 year old Tanzanian-Ugandan songster is still on the come up, the musical breadth of his releases in the past year is a testament to his immense promise and versatility. A musical chameleon, able to shift easily from the menacing drill of Bridge: a song that sounds like it grew from the concrete of a South london council house, to the dreamy xylophonic Afrobeats of Chargie and Need Me, tracks on which he which he croons sweet Swahili melodies in attempts to woo a young lady. All this, combined with his sprightly charm and penchant for trends, makes PumaJuma an easy artist to root for. He’s confident but not cocky.
We caught up with him over email to discuss his musical roots and vision for the future.
Who is PumaJuma? What’s the significance of that name?
PumaJuma is me. The name comes from my stem name Juma. People could never pronounce it so I used to say ‘it’s “Puma with a J.” And it ended up being really catchy.
Where are you from? Can you speak a bit on your upbringing?
I was raised in Ossining NY. I grew up making music, watching anime, playing sports, Xbox and PlayStation. I was a game head too, ask anybody. Doing bad things with my friends. Haha like any regular kid I never learned my lessons.
When and how did you first get into music? What inspires you to create?
Music has been in my life forever.It's pretty much in my blood. My older brother used to give me a mic and tell me I was Juma Nature. I didn’t start really wanting to be a rapper until I got into Kanye and Drake heavily. My inspiration is real life stories. Things that I been thru.
How would you describe your sound?
So far I think I’m still developing my sound. I want it to grow and I think it will be better every time I get near a mic. I sing rap, dance, write and try to dabble in producing and mixing. So I love all elements of music.
You are quite stylistically dynamic. I hear traces of Afrobeats, RnB, Drill, and Hip-Hop in your music. Where does that come from?
I grew up listening to literally everything. My parents gave me AfroBeats. My brother taught me rap. My sister loved r&b. And I love current music which is why I love drill. I absorb everything and everything that happens to me I like to put in my music. I can’t really lie in my music cause I’m scared of what I might manifest.
What is Sing Sing Kings?
Sing Sing Kings is an independent label I started. It used to be a collective of friends until some of us fell out with each other. Now I run the label with one of my brothers who is behind the scenes. Sing Sing is the prison we grew up next to.
Describe Ossining, NY in 3 words or less.
Fun. Diverse. Lively
The music industry is a crowded space in the 21st century. How do you stand out among the countless other artists coming out online everyday?
I stand out because I’m not just a rapper. I’m not just a singer. I’m not just a dancer. My content different. I took a different path. I’m a creator. I’m an influencer and my energy is incredible. I just feel like music = vibes in the 21st century. I want to make people cry with certain lyrics. I want to make people laugh when they hear a certain ad lib. And I definitely don’t do any of this for clout. I actually want to relate to every human being. I don’t make music for specific people. I want everyone to enjoy every song I make regardless of their circumstances.
Image Source, PumaJuma
Does your heritage and family play a part in your music? How so?
Yeah absolutely. I grew up in an African Muslim household. So the making of music is a bit foreign. I try my best to incorporate everything about my upbringing in my music. From speaking Swahili and Arabic, to trying to incorporate specific stories from my childhood.
Could you name an artist, song, or album that makes you feel a heavy dose of nostalgia?
Probably my favorite album of all time is My Beautiful Dark Twisted fantasy. No matter where I am I’ll be able to pinpoint my exact location listening to that. PartyNextDoor 2 is also another album that changed the shape of my life. When I hear that album I can always pinpoint where I was and what I was doing.
Anything else you’d like Tangaza readers to know? What should we expect from you in 2020?
2020 expect my blow up. This is my decade. I’m building my team. My music is getting better and the stories are becoming more interesting. Videos Videos Videos and content. I want to change the world.
