With upcoming May shows, the respected Grand Rapids hip-hop artist continues to expand his audience and his repertoire. The Local Spins Artist Spotlight and one of his recent music videos.
Ajax Stacks: He’s built his brand and ‘matured in the music community.’ (Photo/Enrique Olmos)
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I’m riding shotgun in Ajax Stacks’ Audi, seeing the world through sleekly tinted windows — which conceals the wide assortment of packaged Nabisco cookies in the backseat.
In addition to being one of the most well-known rappers in Grand Rapids, Stacks (Avery Jackson) is an Order Selector at the massive snack manufacturer. As we roll down the busy evening streets, he reflects on making hip hop in West Michigan over the last decade.
“In this moment, it’s pretty great. Where I’m at, what I’ve built for myself and the brand, how I’ve matured in the music community,” he reflects.
Engaging Audiences: Performing in 2023.(Photo/Holly Holtzclaw)
We cruise down Bridge Street with the speakers rumbling. He’s spinning unreleased music from deep within his iPhone archives.
Stacks is busy hitting stages around Grand Rapids more often than he’s not. In March, he packed out Elevation at The Intersection for a headlining show. He recently debuted an open mic at Turnstiles called “Your Turn.”
“I envisioned a room full of people yelling ‘Your Turn’ to hype up each performer. There’s a stigma about open mics being for newbies and this and that. But I love them. Nobody is too good for an open mic,” Stacks says.
“It’s a great way for a veteran to practice new material and experiment. I’m a big believer that the more you do something, the better you get at it. Even if you’re a natural.”
After performing on Cinco de Mayo last weekend in Chicago with The Soccer Rebellion, Ajax Stacks will play Las Canchas on May 17 and Midtown in Grand Rapids on May 25 for Push The City Cypher. Get tickets, $25-$35, and details online at themidtowngr.com.
VIDEO: Ajax Stacks & Speed Gang, “Papaya”
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEATS AND COLLABORATION
We cross the river, then follow it north toward Creston. Across bumpy cobblestone and uphill. Ascending over the city as we approach Lookout Hill. Potent smoke floats out of cracked car windows. Couples hold hands on sprawled blankets. All taking in the afterglow of a sunset that’s now faded behind the other side of the valley.
A recurring source of inspiration for Stacks is fatherhood. His daughter, who is 17, is an encouraging presence in his life.
“I’ve been a dad longer than I’ve been a rapper. I had my daughter when I was 19. I mean, I never really thought of being in that situation. But I was just instantly hit with joy,” he recalls.
“It gave me a sense of urgency. It was beautiful. I remember working two or three jobs, pulling night shifts. I didn’t have a lot of free time. But I would still find myself making music while balancing fatherhood. I built a little home studio in a spare closet. I’d work until 3 a.m., then come home and start recording.”
Hard Work and Fatherhood: Ajax Stacks (Photo/Enrique Olmos)
Part of his creative process includes finding the right beat for a song. Stacks met one of his producers, Curran NAME, while he was living in Texas several years ago. He says it was common to bump into other music industry professionals when he was out on the town. NAME, who’s based in Dallas, has produced artists such as Dizzy Wright and Phillip Wolf.
“Beats are important. We have a collectively short attention span these days. If someone is listening to my music, the beat is the first thing they hear,” he says .
“I’m often not saying a damn thing in those first few seconds. I could kill it on the track, with the coldest bars you’ve ever heard. But if the beat doesn’t hit them right at the very beginning, it doesn’t matter.”
Stacks’ hip-hop journey began during a poetry project in his senior English class at Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School. His success in the class hinged on getting an A on the final assignment. He would sit at his computer listening to R&B instrumentals while he wrote lines. His poems grew more and more rhythmic until one of his classmates mentioned: “it sounds like you’re rapping.” His other peers chimed in, complimenting his writing ability.
Rapping is still a poetic process for Stacks — one that he’s refined into a dedicated craft over time, in the same community in which he came up.
“Even after I explored other cities and came back,” Stacks says.
“But it wasn’t always like that, you know. It’s definitely been a journey. It gives me a sense of responsibility, looking after the community and collaborating with people.”
LISTEN: Ajax Stacks & Jon Connor, “Rights & Wrongs”
Playing Midtown Later This Month: Ajax Stacks (Photo/Enrique Olmos)
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