Casa Captivating
Exclusive Interviews
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens concludes its virtual mini concert series with Oceanside-based DJ and Rapper Nomis the Just. Resident DJ for multiple Toast to the Casa events, Nomis returns to perform a set of his original music for the first time at Casa Romantica. We virtually sat down with Nomis ahead of his performance to talk about what “inspirational hip hop” means to him, his influences, process, and advice for young artists.
What is Nomis the Just?
Nomis is a moniker I came up with when I was 16 years old. I had just joined my first rap group and everyone had an alias except me. The rest of the crew hounded me daily to just pick something. One morning as I was writing my name on a piece of paper in class, the others were particularly persistent about my lack of a rapper name. I was fed up with their pestering and as I was spelling out my last name (which is Simon), I literally turned the page upside down, and put it up to the light. That’s the day, Nomis was born. It has no official meaning (at least not in English), it’s just my namesake in reverse. “The Just” was added later as I continued to embrace my identity as an artist who speaks to the myriad of social issues that plague humanity. The addition of, “The Just” also makes me sound like an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh which I think is really fresh.
Your music can be described as “inspirational hip hop.” What does that mean to you and why is it important?
I don’t consider myself an inspirational artist necessarily, but I definitely appreciate it when people feel that way about my art. I try my absolute best to give listeners my most honest form of self-expression. I aim to challenge and provoke thought when I’m creating, so the fact that people are inspired by that brings me a lot of joy. Every artist has a platform and I think that having a platform makes you a leader whether you like it or not. So the question for every artist is, “how are you going to lead?”. That’s why it’s important to me.
What are some highlights of your career?
I’m very fortunate to say that there have been many moments over the years that I would consider highlights, but I’ll just name a few. Performing at a couple of San Diego Padres games was pretty incredible for me being a San Diego County native. The last show of my Philippines tour at the University of Manila where I somehow ended up without any shoes on in a packed auditorium is another moment I’ll never forget (though I did forget how I lost my shoes on stage). Exiting a standing ovation at an Anti-Human Trafficking Global Forum only to have the Duchess of York pull me aside and tell me that I’m, “really dope” is another moment I could never forget. More recently, being featured in the Anti-Human Trafficking Documentary, “Stolen” produced by NBC. I was honored when they reached out for me to be a part of the Docuseries, and humbled when they spoke so highly of both my art, as well as my work in the field.
Who are some of your creative influences?
Musically, I am heavily influenced by Stevie Wonder, Chick Corea, MF DOOM, and Mos Def. In my mind, Stevie is the greatest participant of music across all genres, and all time. Chick shows me that you don’t have to stick to only one sound. His catalog is very diverse and it inspires me to run with whatever vibe I’m feeling at the time. MF DOOM taught me that there are ZERO rules to self-expression. His music has freed me up to take creative risks and to be willing to do so if for nothing else, because I personally really like it. Even if it’s at the expense of losing some followers. I always want to enjoy what I create first, and let the rest figure itself out later. Mos Def (my favorite rapper of all time) showed me that being socially conscious doesn’t have to be a bit that I do as an artist. It’s not a performance. This is just who I am as a person, so it’ll authentically make its way into the music one way or another.
How does a track go from just an idea to a finished product, what is your process?
One thing that I learn the longer I create is that the “process” is always changing. That used to scare me but once I accepted that, it really free’d up my music. Sometimes the instrumentation will come first from something obscure like a melody I heard in a dream I had. Other times I start with a few lyrics that came to me as I’m driving in deep thought. Oftentimes I’m listening to music and hear something I’m starting to really enjoy. But then the artist doesn’t do what I think they should’ve done next, so I’ll start there. I do what I think they should’ve done but didn’t do, and then use that as a starting point to build something new. I’m sure that comes across as a bit pretentious of me but I’d be lying if I said that that isn’t how I think sometimes.
What advice do you have for young artists struggling to find their creative voice?
This is going to sound like a corny afterschool special but it’s the truth. Just be yourself. Sometimes people struggle with this fundamental element because they don’t actually know themselves very well to begin with. So many artists get into music admiring the greats that came before them (which is a good thing), but they are in such awe that their goal becomes to emulate these other artists. In my personal opinion, that’s a bad way to create for two reasons. First, you’ll never be able to be someone else as good as the person you’re trying to be. You will always be a lesser imitation because you aren’t them. I promise you will be the best at being you though! Secondly, if your goal is to mimic all the art around you, at some point what you’re doing is no longer self-expression. You’re subconsciously creating in an attempt to express someone else’s feelings and emotions and that kind of defeats the whole purpose.
What excites you most about your virtual performance at Casa Romantica?
I’m excited for this performance because I am a long-time friend of the Casa and have spent many evenings there. I’ve toasted, ate, and chatted with tons of people over the years, but I’m always there as a DJ primarily. This will be my first time sharing my original creations with the Casa and honestly, it’s a long time coming!
Tune in on Friday, April 2nd at 2 PM on Casa Romantica’s YouTube channel and on our social media to watch Nomis the Just’s virtual mini concert at Casa Romantica.
