Justin Johnson (Johnson Soldout) Interview | Respect the Dreamer
Hello world, my name is Justin Johnson aka Johnson Soldout! I’m an immaculate poet, author and music artist based out of Belleville New Jersey.
What inspired you to pursue your dream, and how did it all begin?
I think it was after I recited a poem in NYC, and someone asked if they could buy my book off stage when I didn’t even have one. At the time I hadn’t been performing that long, but it was confirmation my words were needed and desired by the people. I had been writing since I was 4, but 2017-2018 was the first time I was sharing my work with strangers. The biggest compliment I could get from my work is them saying it inspired them to go about their personal life differently or they cried because they finally felt seen. I also love when I put people on to information they weren’t privy too before reading my work. I love that I can help spread knowledge and information in a world where people are too pressed to learn history or things happening in their community.
Can you share a defining moment in your journey that shaped your perspective and fueled your passion?
I think there are many moments in my life where my perspective was shaped. Dropping out of high school was probably the biggest one that rippled into other life changing perspectives. For better or worse I got persuaded to stay in school. I still wonder if it was the right decision knowing there is a better way to go at life than becoming another talent-less and soulless pawn for the corporations. Storytelling and music was the only thing that made me happy and school wasn’t really going to help me reach my goals of being an artist. Not in the traditional sense at least.
How do you handle setbacks and keep pushing forward in the pursuit of your dreams?
Setbacks are inevitable. Honestly setbacks aren’t even setbacks depending on who you ask. Any time something doesn’t go as planned or life places a hurdle, I adapt to the situation at hand. I’m a firm believer in “adapt or die”, I can cry and be mad about it, but that’s not going to help me with the situation. My best work comes from life becoming unpleasant. To find the beauty in the madness is a cliché all great artist should be aspiring towards. I always say, “this sucks right now, but it’ll make for a great poem one day”. I think creating through the pain makes it easier. Also knowing that whatever is happening will pass at some point. Nothing worth having is met without resistance.
Are there specific individuals who have inspired you along the journey?
I’m a sponge for getting inspired by others. Whether it’s direct or indirect, I’m constantly making art based off what I’m seeing in front of my eyes. I coined my style of writing about topics not talked about often enough from the people at open mics that would constantly talk about the same three topics. It was either about Trump, depression or a really crude uninspired erotic poem. I felt the need to do more humor at the mics which gave birth to poems like Golden or Toys-R-Us Died found in my poetry book SCATTERED. Today I’m inspired by a whole slew of talented folks I’ve been lucky enough to share rooms and even stages with. In no order, Dave Noodlez, Cevser, Ace Felli, Savvy The Savior, Kid Pro, Saint James, Rashad Wright, Isabel Cruz, Jade Brown, Winter Wright, Elliot Fant, Treasure, Haunz Noire, Destiny Padilla, TJ McGowan, Phil Kay and Justina Avent are a some names that come instantly into my head. These folks keep my pen sharp or remind me I can think bigger than what I currently am.
How do you overcome self-doubt and stay confident in your abilities?
I overcome self-doubt by reminding myself this isn’t the end all be all. I used to get so stressed before a show I was headlining. Never felt like I practiced enough for it or my poems wouldn't be strong enough to invoke a reaction in the crowd. I would then go on stage and kill it 99.5% of the time. But even the very few times I flopped, I still got shows later down the road. There will always be another stage, another poem, another song, another book, another opportunity. I can’t go into things thinking this ONE amazing opportunity is the end all be all. Are there some opportunities that are life changing? For sure, however, I’d be silly to think that one instance is the only instance that’ll be presented to me. As long as I keep working and keep maintaining my creative prowess, there will always be new breaks.
Can you share a memorable success story or achievement that resulted from your determination?
Dropping my first book Scattered is a memorable success, because it made me realize I don't need permission from anyone to do anything. I was always under the impression I needed to have a fancy publishing house to get my book out. Once I learned I could self publish myself I spent time figuring out the process to get it done. It wasn't difficult, I had commissioned the cover and editing/proofreading. The hardest part was picking the poems for the book and recording the audio version of it. Releasing the book not only opened new doors for me, but it helped push other poets to finally put out manuscripts they've had for years.
What dream are you living right now?
Right now I’m happy to finally put out the music that was starting to stockpile over the last 4-5 years. I’ve elevated my spoken word to new heights by working with my producer friends. I’ve been dropping music consistently since March 2024 with the intention of dropping something at least once a month for a year. My first release in this series was MOOD ROOM produced by Ace Felli. It’s a sultry erotic piece. In April I dropped Save State. A 5 song EP all produced by the producer Savvy The Savior this topics on here are a bit more political. In May I dropped Versace Vol 1. all produced by Cevser. This EP is less political but draws on topics like perseverance, suicide and the current state of our nation. In June a project that I’ve been working on for like 2 years will finally drop! It’s another EP this time produced by Cevser as well, but also featuring the amazing talent that is Kid Pro! I’m really excited about this release because a lot of the work was made while I was dealing with getting laid off and went through a spell of depression for a few months.
What advice would you give to someone with a dream?
My advice to anyone with any inkling of a dream is to go chase it. Find the time to go and chase it. Whether it’s 10 minutes a day or 10 hours a day. Chase it, because regret will chase you for life if you don’t even make an attempt. Make an effort to eradicate the question “what if” from your vernacular and you’ll quickly see how fast the dreams will become reality.
Photography credit: Elmer Quintero
Website: http://johnsonsoldout.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnsonsoldout/?hl=en
Twitter: Johnsonsoldout
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