J Rawls talks about the magic behind “Midnight Angel”
J Rawls has always been about the feeling. From his early work with Lone Catalysts to producing “Brown Skin Lady” for Black Star, his fingerprints are all over the foundation of independent hip-hop. He was there when the underground cracked open in the late 90s, helping define a sound that was warm, thoughtful, and rooted in community. His production credits stretch across generations, including Black Thought, Busta Rhymes, Slum Village, Odd Future, and the Beastie Boys. His jazz-hop experiments with The Liquid Crystal Project pushed the genre into new territory without losing its core.
That same ethos carries into the classroom. As Assistant Professor of Hip-Hop at The Ohio State University, Rawls is part of both the School of Music and the Department of African American & African Studies. He’s helping build one of the first Hip-Hop Studies programs in the country, developing curriculum and laying the foundation for a minor that treats hip-hop with the same academic rigor as jazz or classical music.
“Midnight Angel” builds on everything he’s stood for. Solene and Rawls lean into that shared instinct for honesty and mood, shaping a record that feels intimate even when it reaches for something larger. Their collaboration moves with intention, where her smoky storytelling meets his steady, soul-anchored production in a space that treats vulnerability as its own architecture.
We caught up with Rawls to talk about the vibe behind the project, his creative chemistry with Solene, and why the process still matters more than the polish.
When you started working on Midnight Angel, what kind of energy were you hoping to bring into the room?
This album was just a feel-good album for me. I was able to create and just enjoy the creative process. Solene and I just connected on some old-school underground jazzy hip hop type stuff, and we just created with that vibe in our souls.
You’ve always had a deep connection to hip-hop, especially through jazz-hop. How did that background show up in this project?
That background is the reason for this project. Talib Kweli introduced us because she explained to him that she liked that Nujabes, Fat Jon type sound. Once she and I met, and we got to build on music, we found that we were alike. It just clicked from there.
You and Solene clearly found a rhythm together. What made that collaboration feel like a legit next-level situation?
The music. The vibes. Also, being in the studio with Kweli and our engineer, Federico, it just came together. Fed is a master of finding that sound for the artists he is working with. We just felt at ease, and the project just flowed.
You recorded in a bunch of different cities. Did the places you worked in shift the way the songs came together?
Yeah, I think it did. It's all about the vibe when recording. Since he is an artist, Kweli, as executive producer, gets it. So he created the right opportunities to create the perfect vibe. We just vibed out. Same with the videos as well.
Lady Day pulls from Gil Scott-Heron (an amazing, highly underrated artist). What made that sample feel like the right move?
That was inspired by one of my favorite hometown producers, Rashad. He had messed with that sample about 20 years ago. I told him I was gonna touch it. I did and got his blessing. Once I let Solene and Kwe hear it. It was a lock. It just felt good.
Federico “c sik” Lopez mixed the whole album. What’s something he brought that changed how you heard the way things were developing on the record?
Ha! I think I already touched on this. Guess I should have read every question before answering. But Fed is the MAN!
Looking back at your early work—from Lone Catalysts to now—what’s stayed the same in how you make music, and what has been a complete departure?
The same is the vibe–the feeling. I make music that feels good. If it doesn't make me feel something, then I don’t put it out. Music is a part of who I am. What has changed is my process. I use Serato Studio instead of the ASR 10 now. But the vibe is the same. As long as it feels good. I roll with it!