Ones2Watch Home

Photo: peachberryjam

This past weekend saw the rare holiday trifecta that is the coinciding of 4/20, Coachella W2, and Easter, but the Celebrity Jesus we have our eyes on is LA-based alternative rapper Tahj Keeton’s latest album. Fresh off the heels of his tour run opening for fellow Atlanta-native Tom The Mail Man, Keeton returns with his first full-length project since his 2022 album Everyone’s Scared. Celebrity Jesus sees Keeton entering a new era of his career and personal life, having recently made the move from his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia to California’s City of Angels. We chatted with the artist about the making of Celebrity Jesus, his go-to spots in ATL, and his plans for more music coming later this year.

OnesToWatch: What does Celebrity Jesus mean? Where’d that title come from? 

Tahj Keeton: I’d rather keep this one to myself, at least for now. 

I heard you recently did a cross-country drive from Atlanta to LA. How was that?

It was fun ‘cause I was with my best friend but other than that it sucked. We knocked it out in two days because we didn’t want to do the whole sight-seeing shit right now because we have things to do, places to be. Our backs were in pain for days, but I love the fact I can say we did that on our own.

How has your move from Atlanta impacted you as an artist? As an individual? 

I found myself stuck back home, I love my city… there’s nothing like it in the world. Personally, I feel like I reached my personal ceiling there. I’ve lived in Atlanta my whole life. Coming here to LA was terrifying, but it’s something I had to do to progress as an artist and a human.

I’ve never been to Atlanta. What are your top three recommendations for places to go in ATL?

East Atlanta Village was my stomping grounds, and when I go back home, that’s usually where I kick it. A lot of phenomenal people in that area, it’s really like a portal, there’s nothing else like it in Atlanta. There's a Thai spot in Atlanta called Zab-E-Lee — it’s on Old Nat, where I grew up. There’s no better Thai food in the entire city of Atlanta. It’s a hole in the wall in this ratchet ass lot and very unassuming but it slaps. Waffle House, but go to one in the metro Atlanta area. Don’t go to no Waffle House in Alpharetta or some shit. I don’t trust White people making my Waffle House unless they have gold teeth and a criminal record.

Who were your collaborators on this album? Can you tell us a little bit about working with them?

Greg Stanard was the number one collaborator, he was my point guard for sure. He’s one of the smartest people I know. Anything that was unsolvable was solved with Gregory. Also, my boy Charlie Scovill came in super clutch on the post-production. JayRewind helped on “OFFTHEEDGE.” I’m also working on an album with him, coming in June. Kospel and trustmelucien on “CONTROL,” Lilac on “DONTLOOKBACK,” Lilly Graves on “YSL,” Michael Harrison on “RIDING SOLO.” A lot of these people are just people I’ve developed relationships with this past year, or have already been my friends who I needed in the clutch. I enjoyed just leading the ship, and my friends being open to letting me lead the way. 

What’s the making of this album been like for you? Is the album still resonating with you now? Or have you moved on to something different?

I think it’s amazing, definitely my best album out. I have definitely moved on, though. I’m working on like three projects right now. I’m trying some more electronic things again for me and JayRewind’s album. Me and Greg are also working on a new alternative album, which is something I’ve played with but never went full send on, super excited about that. I’ll never be on the same shit when an album comes out. By the time an album is actually out, I’m already trying out some whole other sound, I never stop.

This album was made over the course of three years. Are there any places you made music that hold a special place for you? Do you have a favorite cook-up spot?

TDE. That studio is where me and Greg go to just lose our minds. There’s times where I’d turn up their speakers so loud to where Greg had to engineer with earplugs in. Most of this album was done in Greg’s house or anywhere I had my laptop. 

Confidence plays a major role in the lyrics of Celebrity Jesus. I’m curious how confidence takes different forms in your life. Do you ever feel the need to separate Tahj Keeton, the entity, from your daily life?

Actually, the problem with being me was that the two were separated. My work life and business life are for sure separate, but who I am as an entity was separated for a long time. Especially in Atlanta, every time I stepped out because I knew I was gonna see somebody I knew, or potentially get recognized, I would get super fly just off pure ego. The entity I am now is one with my artistic and my personal. If I’m dividing who I am based on perception, the art does not come out how I want. Whatever I am now is me all the time. I don’t care if I’m around the most A-list of people, I’ll wear my Crocs because that’s me.

What’s your process when writing lyrics?

For Celebrity Jesus, it was mumbling a whole song pretty much to get the melodies and then trying to figure out what I was trying to convey afterwards. Right now, I’m diving deep first and really fixating on nostalgia and my emotions being centered, and then I’m writing. I’m really looking at everything from a 0.5 right now.

I saw you were on tour with Tom The Mail Man recently. What was that like? How are the live shows?

He’s an amazing guy, and I’m so grateful he brought me on the road. The shows were amazing, meeting people was amazing, food was amazing. I just had a good time, and I love performing. Simple as that.

There are still full episodes of the Celebrity Jesus TV show coming. Do you plan on branching out into acting more in the future?

I will be getting more into acting. [I] started working on this movie last year that I was supposed to be filming in October — not sure what the status of that is right now — but I’m definitely going to keep trying my best to get into the television and movie world. Writing scripts is a huge passion for me, and so is directing, but I can’t deny my on-screen charisma.

I heard you had a different artist name when you first started making music. What was your original artist name?

Camp gorilla. I heard Joey Bada$$ say it in a song, and I ran with it for a while… stupid name.

I saw you posted some alternate album covers. Can you tell us about those and how you came to choose the final cover?

Well me and my guys Jamari (peachberryjam) and my guy Muhozi Nintunze went and shot mad shit in this hill with the cross, but ultimately this one photo Jam took while we were getting content was the one.

Where do you see yourself going next musically?

Who fucking knows, I’m not scared of any lane. I have a trap tape ready, I have a dance album I’m working on, and me and Greg have my alt album already in motion. Like my vibe right now is very jazzy, but grand and psychedelic, but also a bit funky right now. I’m really inspired by a lot of southern Black Rock and Roll but also the Isley Brothers and shit like Jeff Buckley. I’m tired of rapping and all the autotune at the moment, so I need this time to push myself. Also motherfuckers still compare me to certain people and I just want to show that I’m better than comparisons. I’m really good at making music for right now, but I want to be timeless, and you don’t do that by staying the same.

I’m always curious to hear about what other music artists are listening to. Who are your “Ones To Watch”?

If you wanna know who I’m listening to right now... Jeff Buckley, The Marías,Tthe Isley Brothers, Okay Kaya, Sade, and Babyxsosa.

And for people to watch… I’m just going to list people I know that have great shit: Bülow, Bohemian Lonely, Kumo 99, Punch Buggy, Nikki June, Leyla Blue, nothhingspecial, Jelani Imani, atlgrandma, Johan Lenox, 070 Beheard, DavidTheTragic, Sam Austins, Hue Hinton.