Randy McPhly is a native of East Palo Alto, California, a city known for producing what he calls “high rates of brilliance, resilience and talent.” Those words — brilliant, resilient and talented — can also be used to describe Randy himself; the musical juggernaut also spearheads community outreach programs, many of which are facilitated through music.
Although he is known as Randy, he was named Isaiah by his mother. That didn’t stop him from wondering what would have been if he went by Randolf, and he continues to tap into his mother’s influences when it comes to making music.
“My mom slapped a lot of neo soul…Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu always stood out,” Randy McPhly said. “I don’t think people understood how impactful The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was to hip-hop…she can rap and her bars were clever and powerful.”
As for “JDM 2” itself, the EP is made up of personal anecdotes that not only make listeners want to know more about Randy himself, but his mission too.
“JDM, known in the car world to mean ‘Japanese Designed Motors,’ is an acronym for ‘Just Do More’ [which] is the philosophy of the project,” Randy explained.
Having spent much of his early career teaching youth how to use art and rap in order to process trauma and hardships that often come with growing up in rough neighborhoods, Randy knows how it feels to be stuck somewhere you don’t want to be.
However, he’s managed to un-stick himself and rather than focus on himself, he is looking to spread love outward to all who feel the same way.
“[My] work focuses on coping with loss and striving for self-actualization as a Black man in America,” Randy said.
Only two things are really on Randy McPhly’s mind when it comes to future endeavors: Music and outreach. Since relocating to South Central Los Angeles, Randy has begun creating sonic art to help those in his new community process loss, feel seen and grow as humans. It’s all part of a great plan coming together quite brilliantly for a man with a lot of good things on his plate.
