J Manifest

Jerard Manifest Wiggins better known as J Manifest has turned a fascination for drums into a passion by creating beats and producing hits. He was first introduced to engineering, live sound, and rap at the age of 13. J Manifest is one of the most sought after producers in the South, being a multi-talented mogul and a mentor to many. Most know him as a super producer, while others call him Good Brother.

One of his greatest credits came in 2014 for his work on Grammy Nominated Album “Mastermind” by Rick Ross. “Drug Dealers Dream”, gaining over 18 million views on Youtube, was a top fan favorite on the project, and writers from HipHopDX and even All Hip Hop shouted out his credentials when mentioning the album. J. Manifest has worked with Wiz Khalifa, Beanie Sigel, Moneybagg Yo, and Yung L.A. Previous work with acts Anthony Hamilton, Elhae (“Stars”), Curren$y, T-Pain, Young Dolph, Colonel Loud, and MMG artist Scrilla's “Gods Will” EP are also some of his best work.

He currently runs his own clothing line Kickz N Snarez which has endorsed MP3 Waxx and K97.5’s DJ Wade Banner along with other well-known artists in his market. Kickz N Snares is the intersection of his favorite two attributes: classic shoes and epic beats. Through his clothing line, he is able to give aspiring artists an opportunity to understand what it’s like to be sponsored by a clothing brand, while also educating them on the techniques behind branding and supporting small businesses.

Vocal readers, please enjoy our interview!

Tammy Reese:

What inspired you to get into the music industry?

J Manifest:

I would have to reflect back to the early 90s watching my sister's boyfriend write rhymes and record them to original beats. He would often take me with him to his fathers recording studio to watch the process, little did they know I was a sponge absorbing everything I witnessed in that studio. It would even be times when they trusted me to record them at the age of 13 which allowed me to develop my talent as a recording engineer. Months after the untimely death of my sister's boyfriend, I was taken in by his father and then he began mentoring me.

Tammy Reese:

What was the experience like working on the "Mastermind" Grammy Nominated album by Rick Ross?

J Manifest:

Working on Rick Ross's “Mastermind” album was an interesting process. It all started 2 years before the release of the project. Rick Ross was doing a party in Raleigh NC, and I was determined to get beats to him being that he was one of my favorite artists. It was a packed event and there I stood with a {cd} and {flash drive} In hand eager to pass it to him. He was surrounded by security and groupies so the chances were next to slim. I quickly thought to myself maybe if I can pass this to the manager I'll have better luck. I remembered in an interview him stating that his manager was GUCCI PUCCI. I linked with GUCCI PUCCI and told him I was a producer and could he pass the beats to Rozay. He declined the cd and flash drive but instead told me what his email was in a loud club. From that night on I sent countless beats to that email every day and it wasn’t until 9 months later he emailed me back to let me know that they had been recording to multiple beats I had submitted. 2013 is when I got confirmation that I had a potential placement on the album. So you see this wasn’t an in-studio collaboration, I landed a placement on the album using email only.

Tammy Reese:

What are some other memorable moments in your career so far?

J Manifest:

One of the most memorable moments in my career happened after my first recording session with Beanie Sigel. He told me that he hadn’t seen an engineer/producer perform on my level since he worked with Kanye. That right there blew my mind and for a while I thought he was playing games until he trusted me to executive produce an upcoming EP to be released soon.

Tammy Reese:

What have been some challenges for you?

J Manifest:

One of the most challenging things is when you are full-time in the music industry and trying to be a full-time parent if you have kids. There have been times where I’ve spent countless days and nights in the studio and hadn’t seen their face but once a week. I felt pretty bad about that especially living in the same house. After becoming a household name and being able to hire staff time management with family became much easier.

Tammy Reese:

What are you currently working on?

J Manifest:

Currently, I’m working with multiple artists for an upcoming project. I have to keep the names anonymous until all business is solid. I'm also in the process of starting a music business academy where I’m able to offer music education, consulting, and production courses for upcoming music moguls.

Tammy Reese:

How did Kickz N Snarez clothing line come about?

J Manifest:

I wanted Kickz n Snarez to be a lifestyle brand that represented producers. Growing up you had Jayz (Rocawear), Puff Daddy (Sean John). I felt it was time for producers to have merchandise that represented our craft.

Tammy Reese:

What lessons from 2020 will you take into the New Year?

J Manifest:

2020 has taught us all a lot. One of the lessons that I learned, was to never take family time for granted. On October 28th I lost my mother to Covid. That's something nobody expected and it happened so fast. Every day I wish I would have spent more quality time with her.

Tammy Reese:

What else can we be on the lookout for from you?

J Manifest:

Be on the lookout for an album by me in mid-2021. I will have various artists independent and mainstream collectively on one project executive produced by me. It's currently untitled but trust me you are gonna love it!

Tammy Reese:

What advice would you have for anyone who wants to enter the music industry and become an entrepreneur?

J Manifest:

If ever a person was interested in being in the music industry I would strongly encourage them to stay consistent, value all business relationships, manage your time properly along with finances, and maintain your physical and mental health to the best of your ability.

Keep up-to-date with J Manifest and his career journey by connecting on Instagram.