Ayatollah Jaxx more commonly known as A-Jaxx, has been rapping for 10 years, and is one half of the Canadian duo Good Company. His accolades have led this Muslim MC to the UK, Canada, and all across America performing with the likes of Petey Pablo, G-Unit’s Lloyd Banks, Wiz Khalifa, Jean Grae, Talib Kweli, Xzibit, Boot Camp Click, Kidz In The Hall, British stars Terra Firma, Konvict Music’s Sway Dasafo, and Kardinal Offishall. His sound is heavily influenced by Islam, social struggles on both a global and inner-city level. The journey each man takes in life remains at the forefront of his lyrical content. An accomplished battle rapper, his quick wit, unusual wordplay, and stage presence contribute to his dominance on the mic. To date, his releases include Live From The 72Four, the critically acclaimed This Is My Jihad: Harb & Salaam, and The Damn Good EP, with producer Fundamental. Combined, Jaxx’ three releases have totaled over 10,000 downloads. The Ayatollah has been nominated for three Pittsburgh Hip Hop Awards including, Artist Of The Year in 2008, Single Of The Year, and Album Of The Year in 2009. An avid practitioner aficionado of martial arts and boxing, A-Jaxx also has many writing credits under his belt, including columns for HipHopgame.com, and Yoraps.com, along with his popular Back Packer Weekly blogs on MySpace.

What are some of the inner workings of Jaxx, off of the mic…something about the man behind the music?

I’m an amateur fighter with a record of 11-0 (10 KOs). I’ve been practicing martial arts for 18 years, I hold 3 black belts (2nd Dan in Shotokan, 1st Dan in Tae Kwon Do, 1st Dan in Indonesian Silat). I’m not your average MC, I’m actually intelligent, I speak 4 languages including English, Arabic, Spanish, and Japanese. The moniker I use, ‘Warren Peace’ (Harb & Salaam), I came up with one day at an MC battle. MCs weren’t trying to step into the sound clash because ‘A-Jaxx’ was listed, so I came up with that on the fly, and bam, it stuck. Finally, I’m allergic to mushrooms, random isn’t it?

What do you have planned for the future, after music, during, whatever?

I think my plans for music kind of go without saying. I’d really like to meet that special lady and get married, insh’Allah, within the next year or two. Honestly, something I’ve wanted to do is start a martial arts’ school back home in Pittsburgh and give the youth an outlet, someplace that will act as a safe haven from all the social ills around them. To be honest, I want to help initiate an NPO that sends brothers and sisters on Hajj to Mecca, I don’t even like saying that, because I don’t want any credit for that stuff, that’s just a passion I have. It may seem like a bit of a contradiction from Islam, but I’d really like to turn pro at fighting, either boxing or MMA, do some type of professional pugilism. I want to do more than just rap. There is so much out there for me not to want to be able to do. I want to go back to school too, that’s my main focus right now.

Name 5 MCs that influenced you, and helped you craft your sound.

I won’t go in any particular order, but here we go:

Kardinal Offishall. That brother right there has shown me what it means to work. He’s shown me how important versatility is, and also that you may have to come to terms with being too nice for your own good, so use that, run with it, and make people recognize, even if it takes over a decade. He helped put a country (Canada) on the map in terms of Hip Hop! C’mon man, Kardi is one of the illest ever. I put him in my top 10 easily.

Common. Outside of being one of the best ever, he really helped me focus on my delivery. Once I heard the “6th Sense”, I knew my delivery was hot butt cheeks. I had to switch my whole game plan. Com’ was mad smooth too, him and I rhyme about a lot of the same topics, and he showed me that you don’t have to be crazy preachy, just be real with it. For the record, Fundamental has been telling me my delivery needed work after hearing that record.

Ghostface Killah. Ghost is in my top 5. I’m a confrontational and really aggressive guy. Ghost embodies to me, what is “THE raw MC”. Ironman taught me how to really spit bars, hard body, lyrically sharp but obvious bars, on some “yo nigga I will punch your face off on some abstract shit and then write 5 verses about it”. Ghost is one of the most slept on legends of all time. I don’t think he’ll ever get his proper credit.

Big Punisher. Pun showcased the epitome of the lyrical salesmen. He sold records, and was still more lyrical than any back pack underground dude out at the time. Pun made me want to be better than every MC breathing. When I do features, I go out of my way to ruin the cat’s record for him. If I don’t get the spotlight, I’ve failed. Pun bodied every single dude, on every record he was ever on. RIP Pun.

It’s hard for me to name the last one, but I’m going to keep it funky. There are a lot of people that helped make me the MC I am today, but Nas didn’t on a lyrical level. However, he is the main reason I rap. Like, I never wanted to sound like Nas. I still try to sound like the aforementioned, but not Nas. Nas makes me happy to be a hip hop fan. He showed me how important it is to respect someone’s craft that much. I have never been to a Nas show, but I doubt I’d want to go. I don’t want all those distractions keeping me from listening to all of that legendary dopeness.

What’s your favorite video of all time?

Nas – “Nas Is Like”. Hands down. That video to me is the visualization of Hip Hop. Every time I see that video, or even hear that song, I go into rap mode. I could be beating face and if that video came on, I’m writing raps in my head [laughs], it doesn’t get any more Hip Hop than that video right there. Half man, half amazing!

How do you balance day to day life, with being an MC?

To be completely honest, I’m still unemployed, so writing raps, recording, performing on stage, and hosting rap battles – that’s the stuff that pays my bills, right now (kind of). That is my day to day life. I pray 5 times a day, listen to Hip Hop all day, watch videos of cats I look up to, analyze their live show and practice my stage presence in my bedroom. I rap every chance I get. I am Hip Hop.