Today we’d like to introduce you to BJ Hackworth.
Hi BJ, can you introduce yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Since the age of two, my parents told me that was when I started tapping on things and establishing my drum line. I used straws and pencils I got my hands on, tapping to the beat of the music playing because, growing up, there was always music playing. I tapped on whatever was in front of me: the dashboard of my parents’ cars, the headboard of their bed, tables, chairs, whatever I could find. I turned into a set of drums. It was as if the beat found in music was calling out to me, and I had to respond to it somehow. By age 5, I had moved to playing the drums at my grandfather’s church. My father is a singer and has performed in the church all my life. His talent as a singer landed me on a much bigger stage. Playing behind him at churches and other big and small venues was the tool that sharpened my gift as a drummer. His gift put me in the spotlight alongside him. Music runs deep in my family. I have two uncles who have also made their mark in music. Their talent has landed them Grammys and many other awards as a sign of their talent. By the time I became a teenager, I started branching out more with melodic instruments; that’s when I started playing the piano. That’s also when I started learning how to make beats.
My talent became clear to me and everyone else who knew me; I was a musician at heart. But I also transitioned from someone satisfied with playing other people’s music to someone who wanted to create their own sound. Even though it never crossed my mind that I would ever attempt selling my music, I knew I needed to create it. I’m a person of faith, and a person’s steps in life are predestined for them even before they make those steps. When I started doing my things during those early years, I only shared them with my family and close friends. Fast forward to me going off to college; at that point in life, I was on a football scholarship for a D-1 school. Keeping my scholarship intact meant football would have to be my number one priority. Despite my demanding schedule, I still found time to make music. I began making beats whenever I had a free moment In my dorm room. Some of my teammates heard it and thought the music was pretty good. I got invited to a studio through a partner of mine; the rest was history! By the time I graduated from college, I knew I still loved the game of football, but I also knew that music was my true calling. Once school was done for me, I returned home and started a little studio. I was blessed with a space that I turned into a small studio, and from there, I hit the ground running. I put myself out there, willing to work with anyone who’d let me. Over time, word of mouth spread, and I started making a little noise in the city with my studio and my beats. I was blessed to work with some of the top artists in this city and the world!
In 2019, I was able to work with one of my favorite artists, T-Pain. I was blessed to produce two tracks on his 1up album, “U Up” and “Keep This From Me,” which were co-productions with my brother and good friend Bishop Jones. Then covid came! It truly shook things up, and things just came to a halt. When life hands you lemons, you’d better learn to make lemonade! At that time, I was introduced to live streaming and content creation. Looking back, I see Covid as a blessing in disguise. Covid evened a lot of the playing fields. It made me realize that I needed to get back to the basics of why I started making music in the first place, simply for the love of it. I picked up the Bass guitar and started to dabble. With that, I realized that I also love playing the bass. This was also the time I started my music company, Wav Heart. It originally was a name to collaborate with my brothers, who also made instrumental music with me. Together, we focused on making soulful, easy-listening music. The world has gotten so dark that this kind of music sometimes feels therapeutic to me. I know it has touched other people in the same way. I decided it was time to put a band together, so I did, and together, a few of my friends and I formed what is now known as The Wav Heart band. We play at venues here in Jacksonville. We will play at Fore Score Golf Tavern again on March 22nd at 8 pm. The first show was amazing, and this one will be even better! If you’re free and would love to hear some good, mellow live music, come check us out!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing worth having comes easy! Of course, it hadn’t been smooth, lol. What hasn’t happened? Self-doubt, money problems, relationship problems, feeling stagnant, falling out with folks, sore hands, lol, the list goes on for days, But when something is for you, nothing can stop it from coming to you as long as you put in the work. We’re all human, so there will be good and bad days. Try to find the good in something and continue to press forward.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might need to become more familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a musician, Producer, engineer, songwriter, and dope vibe creator! Go stream “Wav Heart” on all Platforms! Then, pull up to Fore Score Golf Tavern on 3/22/24 at 8 p.m.
Have you learned any exciting or essential lessons due to the COVID-19 crisis?
Get up and work! Even when the world comes to a stop, it never stops creating! Success is closer than you think!
Pricing:
- Stream Wav Heart music on all Platforms
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/big_hack?igsh=MWJjYjd0ZXQwOThiMQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bj.hackworth?mibextid=JRoKGi
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@bighack?si=rmYGon4SsjHYlKsI
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@bighack904?_t=8kPch6MhbVD&_r=1
Image Credits
Daniel “RD’ Lauer
