Life & Work with Jorge Gonzalez Jr of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jorge Gonzalez Jr.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Peace. My given name is Jorge, and my stage name is J Diez MC. I got started in my journey with hip hop in Dorchester, MA, as a b-boy/dancer and fan of the art. I never competed or gained any professional attention with dance. I just loved how hip hop music made me feel. When my family and I moved to GA, well outside of Atlanta, I didn’t really have a place in our new landscape. Hip hop culture and music continued to make me feel like I had a belonging in something, but I did not know my reason until Christmas Eve of 1998. That was the day I wrote my first song.

While in college at Georgia State University, I added music production to my repertoire, thanks to a classmate teaching me how to use a MPC 2000. Over the years, I have released music independently and performed in the open mic circuit in metro Atlanta. I work diligently on my craft, but haven’t caught the true break that has pushed my name and brand to more visibility. I am currently working on a series of EPs to follow up my last two releases: Bar Therapy EP (2019) and Alchemy EP (2024).

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s very rare that one’s path with their purpose is truly linear. My path with music, and just in general, has been far from that. Do I have a horror story, or even a stereotypical background for the pallet of gifts I have? No, I don’t. I’ve been fortunate enough to pursue my purpose in as pure of a place as possible.

I’ve had the typical ups and downs of pursuing my path: a failed independent label; a lot of unfulfilled promises from peers who knew my talent, but didn’t have any intention of helping my journey; people not appreciating, or paying for, the talents I provided, etc. It’s also challenging to find a balance with maintaining a job and giving 100% effort to what you’re gifted at doing. In full transparency, I would have a lot more accomplished if I pursued music without working. That’s never been my reality, unlike some of my peers. In spite of those circumstances, I still have a mastery of my craft, still improving, and live in the headspace that one day, an opportunity will come that will change my trajectory.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My current day job is in higher education, as an academic advisor. However, what I’ve done longer than any traditional job I’ve held is write, mainly as an emcee/songwriter. I also make beats and have been a freelance audio engineer for live shows in the past.

Outside of my talent, what I am most proud of is my resilience in my journey. I haven’t stopped pursuing what I believe is the path for me. As I stated in a previous section, I live in the space of one day, an opportunity will come that will shift attention to what God has created me to do. The scale of success has never mattered more than living in my purpose, with intention, and I know that time is coming.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t believe in luck. I do believe in God’s order and will. God’s order and will has given me opportunities to be in spaces I wasn’t prepared for, but shined anyway. God’s order and will has also protected me from opportunities, and people, who I thought would serve my best interests for my journey. God’s order and will has humbled me, and let me know that I wasn’t ready for what I thought I deserved. In all of those aspects, I believe I’ve been blessed and fortunate to still keep going and have my health, my peace, and my talent still in tact.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jdiezmc/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmaxgjr/
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jdiezmc