Your song “Unity” featuring Big K.R.I.T. comes at a really important time with all the protests and police issues we’re having in our country. What have been your thoughts?

TJ: I made the song because I didn’t participate in any of the protests in Ferguson or none of that type of stuff, because at the end of the day I didn’t want to come across as a hypocrite. I say hypocrite from the standpoint that, as artists, you can’t show up in Ferguson or be like, “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” or “RIP Mike Brown” and then two months later you’re making a shoot ’em up, kill ’em song. It’s stupid. These niggas are retarded.

It’s really the radio’s fault, man. They don’t play the shit we need to hear. They’ll play 10 Chief Keef songs in a row, which is cool, I love Keef. But damn, can I get a fucking, Mick Jenkins, Big K.R.I.T. or J. Cole song 10 times in a row too? For balance? It’s crazy, man. So yeah man, that’s why I made the record “Unity” and released it at this time, especially with such a great artist like Big K.R.I.T. who actually stands for something.

What’s the biggest misconception of being a celebrity? 

TJ: I think the biggest misconception is that you’re not human anymore. “Oh, he ain’t human no more.” Or, “he’s not regular now” and all that shit. Like, what? You’re still human as fuck. You’re still gonna mess up. You’re still gonna do something wrong. You still can get your heart broke. All that shit.

How do you feel about the new artists coming out of Atlanta like Raury, Makonnen, OG Maco, etc.?

TJ: I love all those kids, man. Makonnen and OG Maco are on my new project [No One Is Safe] and actually, the song I did with Makonnen has been finished since before he even knew that Drake jumped on “Tuesday.” I love the new talent in Atlanta. All those artists are dope. Raury’s amazing. I’m working on a “Unity pt. 2” [or] “Black Man pt. 3” with Raury featured on that.

Will you be going on tour in support of No One Is Safe?

TJ: I’m hopefully starting the tour here in LA on Friday, if not San Diego on Sunday. Then we’re taking it to Oakland, San Fran, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Detroit, Chicago, Philly, New Jersey, New York and end it in Atlanta.

You gonna hit SXSW too?

TJ: Aw man, I’m finna fuck SXSW the fuck up. With the new project, new music, my artists — we about to tear that shit down. People not even gonna believe how hard we just went at SXSW this year. We gonna win the MVP of that shit, trust me.

Any last words?

TJ: Go check out TJamesWorld.com and support my book, listen to my music and just know that I do this for the right reasons. To help the culture.