Off the bat, this DCist writer has to make a full disclosure statement: I’ve known Jamall Bufford for some years now, dating back to my time in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Back then, he was Buff1 of the Athletic Mic League. Now, he’s still affiliated with the League, but he’s also a bona fide solo act with two albums, Pure and There’s Only One, under his belt. This new chapter in his career has led Buff1 to work with the likes of Grammy-nominated producer (and Eminem confidant) Mr. Porter, Waajeed and Three Stars alum Zo!.
Presently, Buff1 is on the road with two of his Athletic Mic League partners, Mayer Hawthorne (a.k.a. DJ Haircut) and 14KT as a part of Hawthorne’s “Lonely Hearts Club Tour.” Last week, he took some time out from his day off prior to a sold out show in Colorado to speak to DCist about his career and what to expect when the tour stops off in D.C. at DC9 on Sunday, October 4th.
How’s the tour been and where are you at now?
The tour has been great. We’ve had a few sellout shows. Los Angeles sold out. San Francisco sold out. Portland sold out. We haven’t done New York or Toronto yet, but they’re sold out. We’re in Denver right now.
Are you still living in Ann Arbor?
Yes and no. For the past year I’ve been splitting time between Ann Arbor and Los Angeles.
How’s life in L.A. been?
I love L.A. It’s sounds cliché but there are more venues, a lot more people. One of the downsides of being in Michigan is that there’s not a lot of people or venues. You have to space your shows out because people saw you last week and won’t come this week. There’s also the other realm of opportunities with movies, commercials, and things like that. If you meet the right people, anything can happen.
What was it like being making the transition from your group work with Athletic Mic League to your solo projects?
At first it was tough because I was used to being with a team. I was OK with that. They asked me to do a full length album and I was iffy at first. I put out two mixtapes, The One and Only and Small City, Big Name, and got a good response. Once I got in the groove of it, I found that I loved it.
