Joshua Eyakware, aka JAGO XYEN (jar-go zen), has always been a firm believer in the importance of self-expression. From a young age acting was his passion, but after a period of burnout he decided to move into poetry, and found his love of music from there shortly afterwards.
For JAGO XYEN, creative expression is absolutely central to inner understanding and wellbeing, and he has undergone a great period of self-discovery since the start of his music career in 2018. In his own words, ‘Jago is Cornish for James and zen means peace, so my name means king of peace which is something I always advocate for – finding peace within, mastering yourself and your inner emotions.’
With his inspirations including Kendrick, J. Cole, and Nas, JAGO XYEN fills his performances with energy, bringing a fresh sound to hip-hop with his unique flow and clever wordplay. But let’s rewind a couple of years.
JAGO XYEN first got involved with True Cadence back in 2022. True Cadence founder and CEO Manny spotted JAGO XYEN whilst he was performing at the Olympic Park in London, and the rest is history. JAGO XYEN first participated in True Cadence’s ‘Expression Project’, which provided more opportunities for young musicians to perform in front of a live audience.
Whilst JAGO XYEN was already an experienced performer, there was something special about True Cadence; ‘That first performance I did taught me a lot because it felt very intimate. I learned to do more with my performances and really speak to the audience, really deliver the energy and the lyrics to them.’ Already, JAGO XYEN could feel himself growing as a performer, and that feeling would only continue to grow as he remained with True Cadence throughout the years.
True Cadence comes to you not just as an artist, but as a person.
Last year, JAGO XYEN featured in and took part in the production of True Cadence’s short film ‘Marbles’, which was recognised at the 2023 Greenwich Film Festival and the 2024 Covent Garden Film Festival. In JAGO XYEN’s segment, he opens up a dialogue about depression through a moving, self-written monologue. The raw impact and ramping intensity of his words emphasise the importance of speaking out and finding help, a message that connects to his own goals of promoting inner-peace as an artist.
Today, JAGO XYEN tells us ‘It’s hard to speak out about depression. It can feel like all of your thoughts and emotions are fighting against you, and you can’t really express it. It’s important to know that there’s a way out; those emotions aren’t forever.’
Earlier this year, JAGO XYEN also co-wrote a song called ‘Different Ending’ with fellow hip-hop artist Billy O’B, for True Cadence’s very own EP. The song tells the story of two old friends who have found themselves tied up with different gangs. Initially, one friend blindly kills the other, but then the song resets and the two friends re-discover each other through a conversation instead of violence. ‘The writing process was effortless – me and Billy had chemistry off the rip’, JAGO XYEN explains. When True Cadence puts two talented musicians together in a room, it seems magic is bound to happen.
JAGO XYEN has participated in a number of other projects with True Cadence, including the ‘Music Industry Masterclass’, and Music Ecosystem Research in collaboration with York St John University’s Institute for Social Justice which have helped him to develop his understanding of music business, and given him an opportunity to voice his opinion on the needs of young musicians across the country respectively.
JAGO XYEN has expressed his appreciation for the way True Cadence approaches musicians: ‘True Cadence comes to you not just as an artist, but as a person. They want to help you on your personal journey, and they put you on projects that they know will be the best for you.’
Throughout his time with True Cadence, JAGO XYEN has developed a number of invaluable skills; increased confidence as a performer, a higher level of networking ability, and a better understanding of how to express himself. One thing stands above the rest for JAGO XYEN, though. Returning to the root of his passion for music, JAGO XYEN says that True Cadence has helped him to ‘know my worth as an artist and as a person; to be proud and accepting of who I am.’
What is JAGO XYEN doing now?
Currently, JAGO XYEN’s career is evolving rapidly. He released two singles this year, with ‘Pray’ dropping back in April, and ‘GEGEN PRESS’ dropping at the start of August. ‘Releasing those songs reminded me of how important it is to have confidence – I’m still figuring things out, but I’ve got gems’ says JAGO XYEN, and we can only hope to see more bangers from him soon. Alongside promoting these recent releases, JAGO XYEN has been working on building up his brand with his clothing line ‘WRLD XYEN’, which further promotes his messages of peace for both the individual and for the world as a whole.
…my name means king of peace which is something I always advocate for – finding peace within, mastering yourself and your inner emotions.
In the future, JAGO XYEN hopes to be more of an album artist, dropping cohesive projects that have a clear meaning, concept, and narrative. Currently, his focus lies with further building up his audience and expanding his outreach. Every musician has an ultimate goal though, and for JAGO XYEN it is to have as big of an impact on the world as he can: ‘Hopefully I’ll be with the greats and my name will be etched into the culture, both UK and worldwide. I want to drop classics, tour, and really make an impact. I want to be an activist as well as an artist, teaching people about self-love and empowerment. That’s the aim.’
JAGO XYEN will only keep developing and growing, and hopefully so will his messages of peace and self-expression; it certainly feels like big things lie ahead for the talented young Londoner. For now, you can check out JAGO XYEN’s latest single ‘GEGEN PRESS’ on a number of different platforms.
