After Ever, Happily ... We’ve Evolved Beyond (W.E.B.)

Baltimore born and Stone Mountain raised, W.E.B (We’ve Evolved Beyond) is reaching into every genre from lo-fi hip hop to heavy metal to Chicago House to bring a diversely influenced brand of anti-pop and hip hop to Atlanta.

After Ever, Happily, the 2nd EP from W.E.B, shows off the versatility of W.E.B's sound as well as the talents of the featured artists.

Striving to develop a meaningful and artful brand, W.E.B seeks new sounds and artists to work with to push the envelop of what popular music is today.

Quinton Jacobs, a talented multi-instrumentalist took the time to do our 21 Q&A. Here's what he shared with us.

What 1st drew you to music?

I’ve always wanted to make music, but after picking up violin in school I realized how much I truly felt fulfilled by playing it.

Do you have a preferred or chosen genre?

I produce hip hop and pop, but I sing and play guitar in heavy metal and hard rock bands. My voice fits those genres more, which is why I don’t like to sing on my W.E.B projects.

Are you strictly a solo act or do you collaborate with others?

I strictly am NOT solo, I prefer to have a group of artists whose styles I love and are great to work with to have a quasi-consistent tone across multiple songs, but I don’t like to hear myself on those songs.

What is your creative process like?

Click around for a sample I like or play idly on my keyboard until I find a melody I like. Then I do my best to shove a guitar or live instrument into it, I don’t really like 100% electronic sounding songs.

Tell us about your sound and what sets you apart.

I’d like to think it’s my departure from the sound that surrounds me, being from Atlanta I don’t listen to many people from here. Most of my favorite artists are Australian or British, both in pop and rock, and mixing that with growing up in a Chicago house music house with a jazz brass playing parent gives me a unique blend of influences.

Tell us a little bit about your new EP, "After Ever, Happily"? Is there a reason for the 'word twist' in the title?

Yes, the reason is I’m pretentious. But also due to the state of the country it’s meant to be a pessimistic statement about there being happiness coming, but after forever and no time soon.

Will there be a featured song from EP?

Take It or Leave It seems to be the most liked so far so I’m likely going with that one, though Falling from the Sky is my personal favorite.

What is the best song you ever released and why?

Although it could use a remixing, my personal favorite I’ve ever written is Alice from my last EP Better Now Than Never. It has a slight lo-fi hip hop jazzy feel with a really infectious melody that I find myself singing randomly.

What is your favorite song(s) to perform?

I started W.E.B during quarantine so I haven’t had the chance to perform yet, but given the chance it’ll probably be Alice.

What song do fans seem to favor?

Take It or Leave It seems to be the most popular, though I’ve caught my wife humming Observations of an Automaton the most. It’s more chill than the others, but is the one I’ve been working on for the longest.

Is there a hidden meaning in your music?

Each song has its own meaning, I prefer each song be episodic with its own self-contained story.

Have you ever dealt with performance anxiety?

I’ve sung on stage in front of others since I was 15, and while I get nervous, when the curtains draw I’ve never had a problem doing what I’m there to do.

Other than fame & fortune, is there something you hope to achieve through music?

Comfort and options, I only want to be able to make music full time and send my daughter to a great school without working about making ends meet. Fame doesn’t interest me, and fortune only as much as is needed to provide for my family.

Tell about a magical moment or positive experience that has happened during your music career.

The first time I heard something I made on the radio, it was surreal that at that moment thousands of people were hearing my song.

What music do you listen to for fun?

Glass Animals, Alt-J, Tame Impala, RTJ, Childish Gambino for pop/hip hop; Twelve Foot Ninja, Thank You Scientist, Coheed and Cambria, and Royal Blood on rock and metal days.

Who inspires you musically?

Dave Bailey and the rest of Glass Animals are probably the most consistently inspiring group I know. I can’t help but listen to The Other Side of Paradise and exclaim “I wanna make that!”. I’ve been consistent with my guitar playing lately so Tim Henson is an influence there.

If one artist were to perform at your party, who would get the call?

Childish Gambino, from growing up only a few miles from me, to his comedy career, eclectic music, and phenomenal TV show I know I would have a lot to talk to him about.

How do you feel the Internet has impacted sharing your music?

It’s made it easy to share, but even easier to get lost among the sea of others doing the same. I appreciate the ease of uploading to a worldwide platform, but I wish I had a couple targets to aim my music at and not 68,001.

What is your favorite/best outlet to connect with your followers Instagram, Spotify, FB, Twitter, iTunes? How would you want them to follow?

Spotify and my Twitter @W_E_Bmusic.

What does the future hold for you?

An endless shilling of my latest work to impress the powers that be to sign me or for artists to hire me until I have the capital to go it alone. Until then, shilling it shall be.

Did I forget to ask something? Something you would like to say, that I did not address.

Check out new music daily, you’d be surprised what’s out there, be excellent to each other, rewind your VHS tapes before returning them, and check out ‘After Ever, Happily’ on Spotify, Apple Music, and every other major streaming service.