The Justify Story & Interview
Justify, Aka Alex Olmstead is a 19 year old Hip Hop/rap artist out of Shepherdstown West Virginia. After 4 years in the music industry playing alternative guitar music, he’s switched things up and started writing rap after losing his home back in 2020. These events lead him to release his first EP titled, “Money Talks” and though it didn’t gain much traction, it introduced him to the industry, and after not releasing any music since january of 2021, he’s comprised an 11 song studio album titled, “Toxic Past” set to release on July 28th 2021. With his drive and passion to kill it in the game, Justify continues to grow and engage with fans on a daily basis and create his brand through love, emotion, and truth.
“Having coming from two parents who were very into the alternative and psychedelic rock scene was very different growing up, but it exposed me to musicians who really had to fight for what they have, and that’s what i’m gonna do. Fight for my spot until it’s mine.” -Alex Olmstead
Interview
1.Where are you from and how would you describe your city?
I’m from Shepherdstown West Virginia, I was born in Martinsburg though and raised in charles town, To describe it, Hectic, Broken, Honestly there is a lack of creative energy around here and it’s been in the past year or so that i’ve personally seen more artists putting themselves out there
2.Who has been your greatest support throughout your journey as an artist?
Honestly, My best friend liz, i think about it and there’s not many people that have been there since day one that even supported my music when it wasn’t anything good or anything even worth making in my opinion. My family always supported me but strayed when I started rapping, so it was never the same capacity of support.
3. At what age did you know you wanted to be an artist and how did you get started in the first place?
I was 7 or 8, and I was at a music festival with my family called All Good Music Festival on Marvin’s Mountaintop in West Virginia. I remember seeing the performers on stage and just immediately became infatuated with music and art as a whole. It wasn’t until i was 10 that i decided to start playing saxaphone and guitar wasn’t until 17 that I started rapping. So i’m versatile but still learning in a lot of ways.
I’m from Shepherdstown West Virginia, I was born in Martinsburg though and raised in charles town, To describe it, Hectic, Broken, Honestly there is a lack of creative energy around here and it’s been in the past year or so that i’ve personally seen more artists putting themselves out there
2.Who has been your greatest support throughout your journey as an artist?
Honestly, My best friend liz, i think about it and there’s not many people that have been there since day one that even supported my music when it wasn’t anything good or anything even worth making in my opinion. My family always supported me but strayed when I started rapping, so it was never the same capacity of support.
3. At what age did you know you wanted to be an artist and how did you get started in the first place?
I was 7 or 8, and I was at a music festival with my family called All Good Music Festival on Marvin’s Mountaintop in West Virginia. I remember seeing the performers on stage and just immediately became infatuated with music and art as a whole. It wasn’t until i was 10 that i decided to start playing saxaphone and guitar wasn’t until 17 that I started rapping. So i’m versatile but still learning in a lot of ways.
4.In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre and why?
This is a question I actually get a lot, Personally, I would say Tupac and Biggie and N.W.A and Dre all helped kinda create the rap scene as a whole. But as it stands today there’s so many sub genres to hip hop that it’s no longer influenced by the same artists it once was. They will always be the forefathers but with my own music. I feel it kinda falls into Punk-Pop-Rap, And my heaviest influences on that are actually Machine Gun Kelly, Iann Dior, and Trippie.
5.who would you like to work with in the future?
My dream features are with Machine Gun Kelly, or Jack Harlow.
6.How do you separate yourself from other artists?
I feel like a lot of artists especially younger artists my age, try not to work all that hard to put a movement behind their art. They have no purpose or cause and often the messages in the music are ugly and negative to the struggle. I do this for my people. I make this music for me of course but what i’m trying to build here is something that lasts. I wanna put food on all of my team’s plate. Without that what do i got? I don’t wanna be lonely at the top, I don’t feel like that’s a way to come up that’s even an option for me.
7. How do you stay motivated and continue your music as an artist?
I have a son on the way, he’s due in January. He’s the reason quit my conventional day job and am making music full time now. I want him to come in this world and have something already created for him. That’s my son so i’m gonna give him the world and i’ll do whatever I have to, to make something of this and make this happen for me and mines. Music and art are my outlet but it has become so much more. It’s my lifestyle and i have no option but to go up.
8.What aspect of the music-making process excites you most and what aspect discourages you the most?
I love writing and performing, the feeling of putting together a finished song and then getting to get on stage and give it your whole everything and just put that back out to the world is something amazing to me. There’s so much value in it. The discouragement probably comes from my own self count and criticism. It’s hard as an artist sometimes to wake up and stay convinced every day that your plan will go through and you’ll make the moves you need to.
9. What was your inspiration behind your latest album "Toxic past?”
July of 2020 pretty much started a spiral of some of the worst things to ever happen in my life. Put me into the most toxic lifestyle and environment i’ve ever been in. I was writing music and songs through it all and I had them in a drive. So that when those days ended , when i finally pulled myself out of the mess I had been in. I would have something to show for and I would have something beautiful to take from it.
“ And my story was written as sit here
and think, and think , and think
all about my past, and will it define me,
or will i proceed everything before me into something truly amazing.
everything i have built, the blood, sweat, tears that go into this for me and my people to eventually have something to get us away from a place that doesn’t care about dreams. or ambition.
i’m here to rewrite it.” - from “Intro” off Toxic Past
July of 2020 pretty much started a spiral of some of the worst things to ever happen in my life. Put me into the most toxic lifestyle and environment i’ve ever been in. I was writing music and songs through it all and I had them in a drive. So that when those days ended , when i finally pulled myself out of the mess I had been in. I would have something to show for and I would have something beautiful to take from it.
“ And my story was written as sit here
and think, and think , and think
all about my past, and will it define me,
or will i proceed everything before me into something truly amazing.
everything i have built, the blood, sweat, tears that go into this for me and my people to eventually have something to get us away from a place that doesn’t care about dreams. or ambition.
i’m here to rewrite it.” - from “Intro” off Toxic Past
10.if you can describe your fans in one word what would it be and why?
Loyal. I have a small fan base but the fans that are there, they stay because of the messages and movement i’m creating. We could all eat. Together.
11. What advice would you give to upcoming artists who are trying to pursue their dreams?
Don’t stop. If you want to succeed in anything. DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND GIVE 110%, a mentor no longer in my life due to personally circumstances actually taught me that. (Nemo Douglass) Ever since the day he told me that. I’ve lived by it. Held my own standards higher as a man, held myself accountable for my decisions and started making moves that pushed me out of my box and out of my comfort zone. That’s where I created my best art. And that’s where any other artist will to.
12. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In a beautiful property. Getting ready for my next tour, building non profits for young musicians and artists. Doing community outreach in my home county, Building something that lasts.
13. What Albums, latest releases or singles are available to your fans and where can they be found?
All of my music can be found on ALL major music platforms. Just search up “Justify 304”🖤💫
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