Rapping was a hobby; when I went to college, there were a ton of dudes rapping. I think that's where I got my rapping chops up.

Jon Bellion

Categorized in : Think I Think Hobby College

At the end of the day, we want love, and we want to feel loved.

loved feel day love

If I can show people how vulnerable and how flawed I am, maybe others will relate.

i-am will i-can people

I was sick of waiting for people to jump on hooks for songs I produced. So I tried singing myself, and I haven't looked back.

myself singing waiting people

I came to the realization that I'm a child of God, and that's my identity. If this all goes tomorrow, I don't have the proverbial rug under me that can be pulled out. I'm taken care of, and there's someone who loves me.

me tomorrow identity god

We're not as happy as our Instagrams and Twitters make us out to be.

us make out happy

People can relate more to being honest about your problems, your insecurities, and the things that you find wrong with yourself. Because that's how we really are.

problems yourself you people

The first 12 bars of 'Pre-Occupied' explains my entire career.

explains career first bars

When I want to get inspired, I'll put a Pixar movie on silent and listen to Nas.

listen inspired silent want

I just never really though you could or couldn't listen to a certain type of music.

listen never you music

'Translations Through Speakers' was literally, I'm translating very spottily what my aspirations are.

literally aspirations very through

I think honest lyrics help somebody say, 'I was struggling with this, but if Jon goes through that, too, and if Jon's telling me that his life isn't as good as it seems on his Instagram,' that helps somebody in their day to day.

day good me life

I'm just a product of the '90s, to be honest.

product to-be-honest just honest

I was raised on 'TRL' and listened to every genre that sounded good to me, from Sum 41 to Jay Z to Band of Horses to J. Dilla to Deathcab for Cutie to Pharrell.

i-was-raised good me band

I don't view any of the hits I've ever written as the climax of my career. They're just minor stepping stones.

career view just stones

My artistry is my baby.

artistry baby

Sometimes I feel drawn to writing about my shortcomings because I'm chock full of them.

about feel writing sometimes

I always want to approach records from where it feels very graspable. You know what the song's about, but it's presented to you in a way that's like, 'I never heard something like this before,' but it doesn't push you away.

never you song way

I loved everything, but it was Kanye West who really changed everything for me.

loved everything who me

A lot of the album 'The Definition' was made from two things: Pixar movies and J. Dilla.

album movies things two

I'd watch Pixar movies for, like, six hours, back-to-back. I'd watch 'Finding Nemo' twice a week, back-to-back-to-back, three times in a row.

finding movies like three