Ricky J wants YOU to leave the address of an LA area restaurant with authentic poutine in the comments section below.
TDQ: Who are your influences?
J: I can sit here and name sooooo many artists and a few key people in history, but overall I’d say my mom. She gave a lot up in her life to have me and to support my dreams and to do the best she could to raise me. Yes, I want to say this artist or this political figure, BUT if I had to pick a figure I’d say Martin Luther King Jr. That is somebody who went against it all…
I’m influenced to be a good person, not just be a good or great artist! BUT I’m one who thinks past the music, I think of the human being I am and what I want people to get about me.
TDQ: You’re from Canada, we’re hosers from the 11th Province. We’ve thought for years that Canadian women are the most beautiful women in the world. Is it the water? The climate? What’s the deal with every single woman from Canada being stunningly beautiful?
J: Yeah, you’re right, we do have the most concentrated amount of beautiful women in the world. I won’t deny that !!!
I guess it’s because we have a very European mixture and an overall GOOD mix of everybody, so we have a great mix of different cultures and communities whom all get along and, well, Canadians produce good looking people and HOT WOMEN…
I do think it could be the winter weather and the water, ha ha!
But Canada has some great people in general.
TDQ: Besides having a baseball team, what’s the biggest difference between living in Montreal and LA?
J: Well I do LOVE LA. However, Montreal is the party capital of Canada and I’m sure many people will admit this. So I miss my special treatment and I miss hosting the parties there.
As for differences, well… EVERYBODY in entertainment is here… All the great award shows are here – LA is NETWORK CENTRAL. LA has celebs all over the place and some of the most interesting people…
I love my home. The ladies are a little easier to approach, ha ha! However, I think being in a place like LA where you have so many artists, actors or recording artists, I find it easier to meet open-minded artists and managers and power-movers who want to work, who want to collaborate on a song or what have you. As an example, I have never been in a studio in Montreal and BOOM! Ashanti is working right there at the same time I’m there. Or BOOM! Christina Aguilera is walking in. Like that’s motivation to be around the top artists. BUT in the exact same studio and environment.
One thing LA does not have is poutine, ha ha!
The Daily Quarterly research department has tracked down what may be the only place selling poutine in LA: Soleil Westwood.
TDQ: Quick: Kardinal Offishall or Drake?
J: I hate stating the obvious… BUT I do have to say Drake cause, well, him and I go back… BUT his work ethic is on point and he’s really creative. I get it.
TDQ: How would you compare the music scenes between Montreal and LA?
J: LA seems to really support its local artists that come to live here and work on their craft. The night clubs are really into pushing LA’s own and I really respect that. AND the venues here give the artist a chance to make money from their performances.
Montreal has A LOT of talent. For real, and people kind of support them, BUT I found it harder for local artists to get into the main venues or even to get a solid push. Yes, you have a few spots/clubs/promoters that do try and support, HOWEVER I find music artists back home a good portion of the time are less open-minded to collaborate on music together and some people don’t get the bigger picture….
AGAIN Canada as a whole does support music and they have certain grant systems that really do support Canadian artists and what have you. That is a definite plus on the Canadian music scene… just wanted to put that out there.
Check out Ricky J’s website, and be sure and follow him on Twitter @officialrickyj. You can read Part 1 of our Q&A with Ricky J here.