Funday: Hi Jibbs, tell us a bit about yourself …
Jibbs: I’m a 16-year-old hip hop singer. I was born in Chicago but my family moved to St Louis when I was young, so that’s where I grew up.
Funday: Is it true you used to be a boxer?
Jibbs: Yes, it’s true. My dad was a boxer when he was younger and he encouraged me and my brothers to take up the sport. I started when I was four and eventually won a lot of trophies, but I gave it up three years ago to concentrate on music.
Funday: How did you get into music?
Jibbs: I come from a musical family. My mum was a rapper in the 1980s, my dad played guitar and drums, and my older brother had a recording studio in the house. I started writing songs when I was seven.
Funday: Who are your influences?
Jibbs: Jay-Z, Nelly and Biggie (the Notorious B.I.G).
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Funday: How would you describe your sound?
Jibbs: It’s hip hop but with my own twist. I want to create a completely new sound rather than copying other artists.
Funday: Is there a message in the lyrics?
Jibbs: It’s all about motivation. I’m saying that if you believe in yourself you can achieve whatever you want.
Funday: What were you like at school?
Jibbs: I worked really hard and got good grades. I had to because there’s a law over here that says you can’t have a recording contract before you’re 18 unless a judge thinks you’ve done well in school. I was good at most subjects, especially art and science. I was also good at maths but I hated it.
Funday: Why did you use an ice cream van jingle on your recent single, Chain Hang Low?
Jibbs: The track is based on an American children’s song called Ears Hang Low. In St Louis there’s an ice cream truck that comes down the street every day and I thought it would be fun to use the jingle.
Funday: Are you an ice cream fan?
Jibbs: I like it but I don’t eat that much of it. My favourite food is pizza.
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Funday: What do you do when you’re not working?
Jibbs: I talk to friends on the phone, go to the mall, go see a movie just like a normal teenager. I do get free clothes, though, which normal teenagers don’t. Designers send me their stuff because they hope I’ll wear it on TV.
Funday: So is Jibbs your real name?
Jibbs: Jovan is my real name. Jibbs is the nickname my mother gave me. It’s a slang word for someone who talks a lot, which I do.
Jibbs’ debut album, Jibbs Feat. Jibbs, is out now
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