As promised, Jon Connor drops his first in his “Best In The World” with The Blue Album. Hosted by DJ Green Lantern, Jon goes over selected tracks from each of Jay-Z’s Blueprint albums with features from Lia Mack, Brandon Bars, Cass Swift, and others. Download after the jump…

DOWNLOAD: Jon Connor x DJ Lantern –  The Blue Album 

Just in time for Valentines Day (kind of), Morale Music’s Yung Domino drops this tale of love lost over a smooth 9th Wonder instrumental. Expect to hear his project EFFect Therapy later this year!

iV: What kind of impact is Jon Connor making on the industry? How important is that to you and your career?

Jon: The impact I want to make on the game from now until forever that Flint, MI to always have a door into the music industry. I don’t want  after me for it  to  go back to being  like “where is Flint?” or “is that by Detroit?”  I want  for it to be from now until forever that Flint, MI to be a mainstay in the music business. That is the biggest impact I want to make on the game. Just like Cali’s doors are always open, New Yorks doors are always open,  Atlantas doors are always open, New Orleans doors are always open. I just hope that now that I am making sure that door stays open to the game

iV: If you could collaborate with anyone in the industry for a dream project who would it be? Nationally or locally? Why?

Jon: I would collaborate with Jim Johnston, because I was and still am a big fan of WWE. Shoutout to Craig Owens and Kevin Nash, I actually just worked on Kevin Ash, from the WWE, theme music. Jim Johnston from WWE, because I always thought that it was amazing that soon as the first notes of a wrestlers theme music came on it evoked emotion out of you wheteher you was booing or cheering. The first notes of the song made the crowd arrive. I would also work with Kanye West, I think that he is amazing and one of the greatest musical minds of our time.

iV: Tell me your views on the state of hip hop and music in general?

Jon: I can dig it right now, I think that a balance is coming back because for a long time there wasn’t balance in hip hop. For a long time everybody was partying a little too hard. Now I think that consumer cares about what they’re being fed. I do think that the consumers awareness of lyricism and they notice when an artist is putting their all into something now. I think the people want the artist to try. I think that, that is coming back, and I think that it is cool to have dope lyrics again. For a long time it wasn’t like that. I like where its going, the balance is being restored. A lot of the cats that I done came across that I have so much respect for like XV, Nitty Scott, Smoke DZA,  Emilio Rojas, the list goes on. We all care about lyricism and I dig it.

Like I said balance is being restored, I am just glad to be a part of this new generation, this new class of artist that are bringing it back to what we grew up on. I grew up on Nas, Jay-Z, Eminem, Biggie, Pac, and Pun  so I just want some kid to listen to Jon Connor and be inspired like they inspired me.

iV: What  are you listening to right now?

Jon: If you started my car right now, TRU , Master P would be on. It was on. It was on the Tru  2 da Game Album. I think it was on the song Feds or Smokin’ Green or I Got That Candy, I was just singing it a second ago. TRU, Tru 2 da Game Disc 1.

iV: Who do you think is making the biggest impact on the music industry?

Jon: I would have to give it to the new class of artists. Its so many of us holding it down right now. Honestly, I kid you not, its so much good music out there. Everybody is doing their thing.  Its so hard to pick just one. I just think the whole new generation of artist is holding it down.

iV: Are there any projects you are excited about from any artist?

Jon: I hate to sound to like I am cheating but I am excited to hear everybody. I love hearing new artists and new music. I am also excited about the artists that I am working with in All Varsity Music. I have an R&B artist that I am working with D. Wayne who is really crazy. I think that when his time comes, D. Wayne is going to revolutionize whatever genre he chooses to do because he can do anything. Same thing with Lia Mack, Blue City Club (Cass Swift and Brandon Barz), Josh Holloman, and same thing with Mickey Wallace. I am excited to see what effect All Varsity Music is going to have on the industry in the days, weeks, months and years to come.

iV: Would you like to sign to a major label deal? Or remain independent?

Jon: I always told people the message is more important than the money. Doing it independent right now the money is coming so were not really tripping. For me,  eventually I would like to go to a major because I want my message to be heard by as many people as possible. That’s the avenue that a major label gives you to get your music heard worldwide. We are going to keep doing it grassroots and building our fan base independent because we are having a ball. We are not complaining at all but eventually so that the message can be heard world wide we’ll probably do that when its time

iV: How would you rate your live Performance? For fans who haven’t experienced it what can they expect?

Jon: It’s a 10! Its not arrogance, I put my heart and soul on the stage and leave it there. If my voice ain’t gone and I’m not sweating, I feel like I cheated the people the price of admission. Imma give them my all. I give  my 3 million percent when I am on that stage. That’s my live show, its just passion, whatever you like about Jon Connor lyrically on records, you are going to see that live and in person. I am going to give you a show. I study all the great entertainers from Elvis, to James Brown, to Micheal Jackson to Beyonce, to Jay-Z to Kanye, the Beetles, Jimmy Hendrix, anybody. I study, I watched and I wanted to know what captivated people about these particular entertainers. I did the Captain Planet, with all those powers combined I came up with Jon Connor. At the end of the day, it comes down to these people having passion and heart. That is what I want to give to the people. I want to give them a good show, I want them to enjoy themselves and I want them to feel how I feel when I am making the record. The only way I can do that is to live it out and give them my all.

iV: How do you prepare for your shows?

Jon: I prepare for my shows by envisioning the show. I am normally by myself mumbling or acting out motions that I’ll do onstage. Or you may catch me in the mirror, or with my eyses closed by myself somewhere probably looking crazy as hell. But I am a big believer of visualization, If you see it happening in your mind before you do it then its going to happen. Its going to manifest. Visualize what you want first, then  all you do is walk in it when you are on that stage.

iV: Favorite experiences with live performances?

Jon: Its watching people become believers. Going on stage and seeing people like “Who the fuck is this” but then through your efforts and giving your all you watch their faces change  and wonder why haven’t I heard of him, why don’t I know who this is? Watching them become fans and supporters right before your eyes, making believers out of people was the biggest thing for me. I guess it can be summed up by getting that reaction out of people.  I think that is the best part about performing, getting to spread my message, making a believer out of somebody. My thing is positive energy and from me spreading that positive energy and getting people to believe would definitely be the best part.

iV: How is Jon Connor using  his voice to impact the community?

Jon: You’re on that microphone, if you are going to be a leader make sure you know where you are going. I feel like I am using my voice to impact the community by making songs like “Love Me Now”,  where I talk about how it don’t matter what race you are, take a stand for something. Making songs like “True Colors”, where I talk about just watch how you raise your children. Songs like “Place on Earth”, my  voice is used for the community because it gives them hope, my music is made to inspire. My music is made to put that positive energy and influence for that kid who don’t have a mama or daddy there but they are turning on that Jon Connor CD, and maybe I am saying something to that they have never heard before. I’m giving them an outlook that they never thought was there or a different path that they didn’t know existed.

iV: Its 5 years from now what are you doing?

Jon: In 5 years, I want to be focused on my company more. I love being an artist, but I probably will be a producer focusing on building new artists. I want to have a bunch of VMAs, moon men, a bunch of Grammys, a bunch of American Music Awards, and a couple Oscars on my shelf in 5 years. Just focusing on growing that next generation in hip hop.

iV: Honest opinion of iV?

Jon: My all around opinion of iV,  For one, personally knowing their come up, I am proud of the steps that they are taking of being innovators in our city. Much like I did with music, I know that saying that you are going into fashion, I know there are a lot of people who doubted them, or didn’t understand their vision, or where they were trying to go with it. Being a Flint native and watching my Flint brothers do their thing, I am proud to say that I know them. As a brand also, I think that by them doing the Art of Hip Hop and a lot of the positive things that  they are doing in the community, you can tell that iV is more than just a clothing line, you can tell that iV means something, that iV cares about where they come from. As far as a clothing line, they fresh. You can catch me in my 32 degree shirt on any given day, I don’t just rock with them because they are my homeboys I rock with them because I dig what they do.

iV: What would you like to see coming out of iV as far as new products?

Jon: *Laughs* You would have to ask Brandon Barz that question he is the fashion dude. I try to get my thing going. As far as fashion Randall and  Big O got the fashion thing on lock

iV: Favorite designers if any locally and world wide?

Jon: Honestly if its nice I will rock it. I am a simple dude when it comes to fashion.

iV: Is there any projects that you are working on?

Jon: We are about to do a movie, which is untitled right now. Andre Ward, who directed the “Reppin’ for Flint “video. He did the trailer for Season 2, he did the “Marvin Gaye and Chardonnay freestyle video. He is a very talented dude from NY. We were talking today about doing the movie and working on a soundtrack. I’m excited to do that because I wanted to bring back… I was a big No Limit fan growing up and I was just a big fan of rap crews in general. So to be able to bring back that feeling that I got when “I’m Bout it” came out, or “Baller Blockin”, or even if you take it back to Russell with “Krush Groove.”  I felt like all great rap crews had a straight to DVD movie with terrible acting and a dope soundtrack. Hopefully our acting won’t be terrible but its going to star everybody in All Varsity Music, Blue City Club, Lia Mack,

D.Wayne, Josh Holloman, Real Slacker, everybody. So the movie and soundtrack is coming, be on the lookout for Cass Swift Project, long overdue, but he’s going to have a mixtape coming called the Smoking Section that comes out first. The Blue City Club Mixtape, We also doing the Rap Dynasty Mixtape, with all of us in All Varsity. Then I’m going to try to come out again, I’m not gonna say when I’m coming again and then yall are gonna hold me to that, and I ain’t sure yet but I am always working so be on the lookout for that. Make sure they follow me on twitter @JonConnorMusic  because I tweet like every second and everything else is there. I respond to all of my fans because I ain’t nothing without the people.

iV: Three things about Jon Connor don’t think go!!

Jon: I am a comic book nerd. If you bring up Batman or X-Men specifically, you’re going to be in a conversation longer then you would like to be. I’m a huge WWE fan, still am to this day, I always wanted to be a writer for WWE. I met R.Kelly playing basketball in Flint, MI, its random right.

You can follow Jon Connor on twitter @JonConnorMusic

You can find him on Facebook : Jon Connor Music Page

Stay Updated at his website here

The minds at Headline Music Group drop this cut featuring the lyrical skills of B!Z, Mama Sol, and J.A. with wahYO and Sir Slapnasty handling the soulful production. The joint is said to be the first song of of wahYO’s upcoming release Behind The Beats.

DOWNLOAD – Fast Life (f. B!Z, J.A., Mama Sol) (Prod. by wahYO x Sir Slapnasty)

So, if you’ve been keeping up with the blog you can definitely see that 2012 is looking mighty promising. And of course, Identical Variant would like to share all things dope. With that being said, I’d like to revisit the LA-based group, SomeWhere Else. I posted some of their music this past summer and waited patiently for the release of the first video from their new project, The Swem. The visual for “Bunkers”  was finally released  and brought to you by the hard work of both the Ivseye team & the group themselves. It’s pretty dope and you all should take a brief moment out of your day to support talented people. Especially those who are doing what they love. I mean really, it’s the Variant way of life after all….

Personal congrats to Lonnie, Patrick, Logik and Jono on the release and many wishes of success for the future! Keep up with them at weareswe.com

DOWNLOAD – Justin Daye – The Real (feat. Taztro) 

In continuation with his #TheMicCheck series, BLAT! Pack’s JYoung drops this StewRAT produced joint guaranteed to get make your head nod and for the ladies, (hopefully) your gluteus maximus as well.

Download – JYoung The General – “Butt” (Produced by StewRAT)

To further celebrate Connor Month here at the Variant blog, take a look at the in-depth happenings of Jon Connor as he makes a stop in the Windy City to promote and grind on the art he visibly and lyrically appreciates.

Taztro drops off another single fresh off his upcoming release Apology Accepted, expected to drop soon.

iV: Who is Jon Connor?

Jon: Jon Connor is an artist producer CEO songwriter and visionary from Flint MI born and raised graduated from Flint Powers raised on the north side of Flint Mi, Civic hood for those who know

iV:  I’ve been following Jon Connor and A-Squad for a number of years but How long have you been doing music?

Jon: I been doing music umm… (pause)I been producing probably since ughh… Honestly since I was out of the womb, music has been in me. Because my father did music and I grew up in a musical household ans him being in different bands and all that type of stuff so I’ve been producing and being into music since I was born and I’ve been rhyming since I was eleven years old.

iV: Your music is seems like it comes from a passionate place, Where does your inspiration for your music come from?

Jon: The inspiration for my music, I call myself the peoples rapper. It comes from so many different people, from so many different walks of life. My earliest inspiration would be my father and just seeing him do his thing  And watching him on stage express himself on stage through playing the piano, playing the guitar or the drums. Also my influences would be what I came up listening to. I would listen to some of everything like I said I graduated from Flint Powers and before that I went St. John Vianney so it was like my musical influences were so far apart and so different but that’s what help make me up being that I was born and raised in what they would say is the hood but going to a private school. I would be listening to alternative rock music, I ‘d be listening to Prince, Micheal Jackson, Carol King, Cyndi Lauper, and Dave Matthews band and on the flip side my sister is the one that instilled hip hop in me she introduced me to Pac and Biggie and cats like that. My influence come from all people from all walks of life.

iV: What is your creative process like?

Jon: First thing I do when I make a record…. I’m an Aries and if you know anything about us we are spontaneous. I like to go in the studio and not have a plan, at least when I am working on records for myself. I just want to see just out of being spontaneous what I can come up with. Normally what happens, depending on what kind of mood I’m in that day, those will be the kind of cords I am trying to find on the keyboard or that will be the kind of sample I go after that day. If I am in a happy mood I am going to look for a happy sample or something that puts me in that kind of mood. If I’m down I’ll go look for sad songs or something that’s really string heavy and dramatic to put me in that kind of mood. That’s first, I go in depending on what type of mood I am in and then I just start banging on the MPC and playing cords till it musically starts to make sense.

iV: Talk a little bit about Season 2, How different or similar do you feel like this project is from other ones?

Jon: I love Season 2 because its growth. For the people who was with me through my karaoke years and my Flint people whose been riding with me since day one and who knew about my CDs from high school and who knew about all of my underground mixtapes I think for them its growth. For all of my new fans I think it’s a great place for them to start because it’s a well-rounded project. I hold Season 2 near and dear to my heart because the way I went into Season 2 is a lot of people was looking at me like I can only do one thing. I think that in the industry and just with a lot of people who weren’t familiar with me and what I could do they were tagging me just as an underground rapper or he can only be a straight spitter, Can he make real songs. I knew the whole time, like yeah, I just do this because I feel like it. Season 2 shows people that I can do whatever, it was the first time showing the new fans don’t ever think you’re going to know what I am going to do next because you don’t. Expect the unexpected but always expect good music from me. It just showed a range of what I could do. (quote this in title  peoples rapper)

iV: How did you link up with Identical Variant? What has the experience been like since then?

Jon: Randall and Big O, them my people. We had always seen each other around at different events in the city. They say like attracts like,  and Flint is so small so its like minded individuals find themselves around each other. People that are driven or are entrepreneurs we always seem to find ourselves around each other. It was only a matter of time, we kept being at certain parties or certain events and kept bumping into each other, I think one time it was me and Randall and we chopped it up and he is just good people.  Good people attracts good people. From that point on he was a genuine dude, him and Big O. All they had to do was say the world, anything that I could do to help, we are all from Michigan and I think that is what this is for we are all supposed to help and support each other and help blow each other up. I always told them from that day what I can do to help their movement I’ll do it and they told me the same.

iV: Musically who inspires you?

Jon:  The greats of the game. Prince, Dave Matthews Band, Michael Jackson, Hall and Oates, The Doobie Brothers, ummm its so many Beats by the Pound, Mannie Fresh just sooo many musical inspirations. I can never narrow it down to one, two or even three. Musically I am just inspired by so many different people. I am inspired by those who dare to be great and take the craft of music to the next level.

iV: I think we would both agree that its very important to support local artists and businesses etc,  what kinds of adversity did you face getting yourself out there and making a name for yourself?

Jon: The adversities of being a Flint resident, just the crime and poverty and being in such a small city that is just overly infested with negative energy because of violence you have to try to find a way to stay out of trouble. Its harder to stay out of trouble in Flint. That was one big piece of adversity trying to stay out of trouble and not being involved in all the negative energy.  Then there also wanting to be an entertainer, you’re going to deal with people saying you can’t do it and you’re wishing on a star, and you’re crazy. That was big too for me because as a kid you are supposed to believe that you could be what you want to be but because Flint hadn’t had a rap artist since Mc Breed and the Dayton Family, that was like 20 years ago It was hard getting people in Flint to believe it could happen again. Even overcoming that, people doubting was hard. As time went on, as the buzz started growing I think that my mission was accomplished,  I think that I am a part of re-instilling that hope in Flint people that you can do anything. Its nothing that we can’t do because we are strong people and even though we got these situations and circumstances placed upon us nothing can beat us we got that will to win and overcome. If you want it bad enough you’re going to get it.

iV: Last year you did SXSW (South by Southwest Music Festival) , and I got to see first hand how you made sure you were everywhere and the noise you made, is that something you’d like to do again? What was that experience like for you?

Jon: I’m just telling you its going to be crazy this year! You’re going to see it first hand, you saw it last year, if they thought last year was something, what we have planned this year, all I’m just going to say our intention is to make hip hop history.

Some of my fondest memories is of Austin Texas SXSW and just spreading that love and that positive energy man. I just loved it because it was a group of majority young black men and we often get a bad rap. I’ve seen people clutching their purses when they see a group of black men. For me it was more than representing the company, it was more of it can be a group of young black men and be more than 5 or 7 of us and band together for something that’s positive. I think that was my fondest memory, showing people that we are here on positivity. Everyone around us  at SXSW left with a smile on their face and that’s what our whole movement is about. We are shaking off any stereotypes; at the end of the day we are all people at the end of the day. We don’t care if you’re male, female, White, Black, Asian, Indian it doesn’t matter we’re all people. I think that us doing what we did and just spreading love and positive energy a lot of people left out with a good feeling not just about us and our company. I hope they had a different outlook on that stigma of a group of young black men.

iV: What do you think that did for Michigan Hip Hop?

I hope what it did was add to the legacy of great Michigan Hip Hop artist that came before me. That’s the thing, I’m not reinventing the wheel or anything and I’m not going to sit here and talk like I am just the don of Michigan or Flint, I wouldn’t want to be that. I just want to contribute. I just want when people mention Royce da 5’9,  Esham, Eminem,  JDilla, Black Milk, and Big Sean I just want them to mention Jon Connor. That’s what I want, I want to continue to carry the torch and hold it high for Michigan. Like I said, I’m not the end all be all because there were greats before me and there will be greats after me but what I want is to be a part of that legacy of great Michigan artist.

iV: First of  all congratulations on your recent XXL cover nomination How did it feel when you found out you were nominated?

Jon: When I found out that I was nominated, I saw my name on website where you could vote at. It was a sense of gratification I guess. To even be acknowledged among all of those other great artists, to even be in the category, to even be mentioned like  “we acknowledge you, we see you working, we see you grinding” , like I’m from Flint we don’t get stuff like that everyday. If I get the cover, that’s going to be great, I’m going to be jumping out of my skin but I am jumping out of my skin now because I understand that its been a long time since an artist from Flint has done, or been able or given the opportunity to do the things that I am doing and I’m not taking it for granted. Even being nominated was just a feeling of overwhelming joy. It was like imagine that, being from Flint and being told you cannot do something. My guidance counselor told me you can’t do this, people in my neighborhood told me you can’t do this so now to be in the Show and Prove article of XXL, to be in the Unsigned Hype of the Source, and to be on all these blog sites from Flint..  I like I’m winning already, I’m doings tuff that they told I could not do. Anything else after this the sky  is the limit I am overjoyed.

iV: What is your favorite song that you’ve made? 

Jon :I dread to say that I have favorites of anything. It just depends on how I wake up that day. My favorite for today is  “Place on Earth” and Love me Now off Season 2.

iV: If you could compare your style to anyone musically who would it be and why?  Or why not?

Jon: I don’t think I can compare my style to anybody because I don’ know that there has been anybody like  to do this thing, hip hop like me, to musically sample like Aldous Snow, to sample Russell Brand from a romantic comedy movie like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and then make a serious record out of it or to sample Place on Earth which you wouldn’t expect a hip hop artist to sample and turn it to a hip hop song. I would like to think that I am influenced and inspired by a lot of people but that I am one of a kind and I am putting my own spin on the game. I don’t think I can be compared to anybody.

Part 2 coming soon stay tuned!