JIREH, an emerging powerhouse from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a gifted rapper whose passionate approach to music cuts through the noise. With a style that’s both introspective & bold, he’s quickly cemented himself as one of the most must-listen lyricists of this generation. His intricate wordplay and seamless blending of complex themes allow him to paint vivid pictures, where each verse serves as a storytelling device. What sets JIREH apart from other rappers is his unwavering authenticity and ability to speak candidly about life, self-worth, and the realities imposed on the world today.
A major influence on JIREH’s latest project, Perfect Circle, has been his personal growth through therapy. He shared how the album was crafted during a time of intense self-reflection when he was able to confront his struggles directly and understand the root of his doubts. For JIREH, his creative process and mental health journey are intertwined; music acts as both an outlet and a tool for processing often overwhelming emotions.
The Baton Rouge native also spoke about his complicated relationship with his hometown; A place that has both shaped and challenged him. He expressed how the city’s unique culture—defined by its regional soul and struggles—has influenced his music and sense of identity. Despite the pressures of the music industry to conform to external trends, JIREH has remained committed to staying true to himself and his roots. His confidence in being the best rapper globally, speaks to his dedication and belief in his craft while maintaining artistic integrity in an increasingly commercialized world.
On Perfect Circle, JIREH takes his lyrical complexity further by incorporating the 12 Jungian archetypes, which he uses as a framework to explore the human experience. Each track on the album portrays a different archetype, touching on various themes. From the Hero’s journey of overcoming adversity to Sage’s quest for wisdom, the talented lyricist uses these themes to create a cohesive narrative that mirrors the complexities of life.
The cover art also ties directly into the album’s concept, with its visual representation of the archetypes at the heart of the project. JIREH explained how the artwork reflects the themes of growth and transformation that were explored. He also discussed the deeply personal track “MAMASONG,” which addresses his reconciliation with his mother and their journey toward healing. Alongside other records like “777” and “TIMID DEER,” the album presents a blend of introspective lyricism and intentional artistry, creating a body of work that resonates emotionally and symbolically.
As JIREH looks to the future, he remains excited about his journey. He spoke about future live performances and collaborations, particularly in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. He’s eager to connect with his audience in new ways and continue pushing the boundaries of his art. He also expressed gratitude for the support of his fans and his team, emphasizing that community is crucial to achieving success and staying grounded.
Perfect Circle is not just an achievement to check off a box; it’s a personal statement on the power of authenticity and the transformative potential of art. Through his work(s), JIREH aims to leave a lasting impact. You can check out his formidable album now on all platforms as well as his interview with Swidlife that happened days before the project was officially released below!
I start off every single conversation, just asking, how is your mental health in this current state just days before your new album, Perfect Circle, releases?
Better. I would say, more stable. I think this life has ebbs and flows, but I think I’ve just been riding them better, you know? I can maintain a little bit more so, a little bit more consistently, you know?
What do you feel like has been the biggest turning point for you? In terms of where you were and where you are now.
I tweeted this, and I was talking to Devin [Glover] about this earlier, and some of my friends about how, after I tweeted it, they asked me what I meant by it. But you can tell that this is the first album that I made fully in therapy. I’ve been in and out of therapy for about three or four years. You can tell this was the deepest of my thoughts and the concepts that I think about that I’ve ever been.
I want to take a step back, and want you to analyze where you started from; The influence of Baton Rouge culture on you and the impact that it’s had on your music.
The relationship I have with my city is not just as simple as love and hate. I’ve gone through an era of feeling like I want to be from anywhere but here, to having nothing but pride for where I’m from. I didn’t want to just prove to the people here that not only do I deserve to be here we deserve to be here. I’ve been fed up with the city too and it is very reflective of the relationship you have with yourself at times. That’s just the city though. In terms of the culture, if we’re talking about the music, the soul…that’s something that can’t be quantified. There’s a certain relatability and representation. I do personally believe that [Baton Rouge] has something very rich; Something very distinct.
I wanted to jump into the cover art first and foremost. Y’all teased the cover art for literally, like, a few months with a variety of pictures and there’s so much symbolism within the official art. I would love to discuss the symbolism of how you decided on that specific picture.
That was always gonna be the cover. All the other pictures we posted, were just trying to get across the archetype thing. My therapist did tell me I have some kind of personality, not just the splitting between personalities, but also the spreading of that spectrum. We kept leaning into the word archetype. We were trying to figure out how to get our message across from a micro and macro scale; How do we make this concept all-encompassing and relatable on every single scale and how do we translate it visually? To me, it came out nice.
With the multiple hands, it seems like a sundial almost?
That was the point I wanted it all to be. There’s a chart I modeled the whole concept of this album after and it is the chart of the [12 Jungian] archetypes.
I wanted to talk about the first record, CYCLE. The words that we hear on the album are about you discussing being betrayed. Have you had instances of being betrayed how has that shaped the intro coming together?
Yeah, I feel like everybody has a story where they felt betrayed or let down. Everybody has similar feelings like that. I always try my best to use what I’m going through to speak on something that someone else might be [going through], or help with something somebody else might be. But with PERFECT CIRCLE, I wanted it to be relatable and not relatable in an Instagram caption or Twitter caption sense, but relatable in a sense of deep meaning. I feel like COVID was the closest we got to everybody acknowledging that they all struggle with some sort of existential problem when it comes to the idea of purpose, the idea of being, and how mental health plays into that.
You have a great visual series going on. You dropped TURNITUP and even did a Tiny Desk-inspired video for it. Are you going to release a video for every song? Or have you figured out what songs after the project drop?
So all those episodes were, those were pre-planned, and those were what we thought would get [the message] across. One is the song that people obviously would like the most. But two, visually, we wanted to tell the archetypal story. So we wanted to express how much range we had on Perfect Circle, but also the range of archetypes. That’s why we had different characters in different settings. Now we are going to shift into full videos and I’m about to have fun.
Take us through the process of the project. What have you learned about yourself during this time?
I learned that I’m not as bad as I think I am in all aspects. But I do question my worth, follow through, and ability to make things happen for myself, but I don’t anymore. That’s important for me.
Why were you ever doubting yourself? I know it’s easier said than done.
It was never a question of doubt and ability, but doubt and discipline. That has always been it for me and if I’m being real with myself, it was never like “can you do this?” It was, “Are you going to use being good enough as a crutch to not work hard? And if sh*t doesn’t work out, then what’s the excuse?” That self-sabotage mentality was something I finally got to shake. I have a full grasp of the fact that we’re dialed in.
What do you want people’s biggest takeaway to be when they press play on Perfect Circle?
I want people to see themselves somewhere in [the album] and after that I want them to ask, what do I see? And why is this what I see? How do I feel about that? That’s something we all need, me included. I think that’s because we would treat ourselves better when we get those answers. We treat each other better when we get those answers. We look at things differently when we get those answers. Our relationship with everything in the world is just healthier.
Now that the project is out in the world, do you have any celebrations planned?
Yeah but also, you know, you win this project. Look out for a couple more videos and stuff on the socials, but be looking for some live shows. I want to do something special for the folks at home. But I also want to, touch the road.
Where is one place you want to perform that you haven’t yet?
I haven’t performed in LA. I’ve been to LA, but I haven’t performed there. I would like to do that for the most part. I want to go back and touch the places that I’ve been because those places felt like home the first and second times I went. There were certain connections that I wanted to maximize. Especially in Chicago, it just feels like the second home there. There’s a lot of space up there, and so I love it and want to go back.
Do you have any last words?
Thank y’all. I love y’all. Everything y’all do is supporting something bigger than me. I can’t thank you all enough for taking the time out of your life to let me follow my dream; Push me forward and buy it. It takes a village, and I appreciate my village, and I’m right here with y’all so thank you.
