Jamal J’s ‘My Armada & the Bitter Waters of Marah’: A Conversation with the Poet of Babylon [INTERVIEW]
Jamal J. doesn’t approach albums simply as track-lists - he builds environments. My Armada & the Bitter Waters of Marah arrives more like a passage than just an album, pulling listeners into a dense, ethereal world shaped by biblical symbolism, historical imagery, and deep self-reflection. Across its sprawling soundscape, Jamal positions himself as both narrator and subject, balancing esoteric reflection with razor-sharp braggadocio while confronting accountability, growth, and spiritual unrest. The album that feels intentional and uncompromising, guided by a pen he trusts implicitly and a refusal to dilute his vision. In the conversation below, Jamal J. breaks down the meaning behind the album’s title, the philosophy driving his sound, and what it means to truly enlighten without forcing anyone to listen.
My Armada & the Bitter Waters of Marah feels like a world more than just a collection of songs. When you started this project, what were you thinking in terms of world-building or narrative space?
For this album in particular, I wanted everyone to feel doused in the music… to feel lost in it. That’s why the intro is so long. In order to teach a lesson or to get people intrigued without interruption, you kind of have to catch them off guard and say things so controversial in a way that’s so captivating. I feel I did that with a “spacey” and an “ethereal” type of sound. The cries and sounds of the waves underneath the production kind of bring you closer and closer to the subject matter helping build that world as you go further into the album, despite how inconspicuous the rest of the album is.
The title itself feels symbolic and heavy with meaning - what does ‘My Armada & the Bitter Waters of Marah’ represent to you personally?
Initially, Puzzle, my manager and the executive producer of the album, wanted the title to be “Marah”, which was a flip on my “breakout” single “Haram” released in 2023. It carried biblical connotations, which worked well, but being the type of person that does the absolute most, it felt incomplete. I wanted it to be longer and memorable instead of it being heavily associated with my early works. The title itself is like what Drake said to Dot... “a mother fucking quintuple entendre, some shit people wouldn’t even understand.” It ties back to who I have in my corner, the intro itself, the album artwork, which depicts liberated slaves inside a captured Spanish ship, and themes from the biblical aftermath of Moses splitting the Red Sea... digesting the “bitter waters.”
How do you feel your style has changed since your last album ‘Babilu (Redition)’?
This was an inevitable evolution. Just pure mastery of my pen. Some things just can’t be explained.
What personal experiences, ideas, or moments in your life most directly inspired the lyrical themes across ‘My Armada & the Bitter Waters of Marah?’
I can definitely say songs like “Icarus Laughed as He Fell” and “The NOI Carry My Contraband” are manifestations of the track “Dichotomy.” Everyone that knows me knows about my knowledgable persona, ‘The Poet of Babylon.’ I can dive deep into esotericism and self reflection while simultaneously basking in braggadocio. I don’t ever shy away from vulnerability, but I wanted to focus more on taking accountability of why I am the way I am today. Doing that, I created the “Icarus” track. So, to answer your question, I had to do a lot of growing up by facing my insecurities and fear of accountability as far as my contributions to family issues, substance abuse and fighting the urge to be someone I’m not.
Your beat selection feels very intentional. When you’re choosing or building beats, what do you listen for emotionally or sonically that tells you a track belongs in your world?
This, unfortunately, can’t be explained. I’d be doing the idea of creativity a disservice by explaining what I feel in concrete words... because it just isn’t as black and white or concrete as one may think. All I can say is that I have to spiritually be in tuned with sonics of each instrumental I use. I’ll NEVER just use a beat because it sounds good enough.
You work with artists who all bring distinct voices - like Israel Jones, Raheim Supreme, and Sol Chyld for example. What do you look for in collaborators?
Israel, Rahiem and Sol are all honorable artists that I’ve gained healthy relationships with. I couldn’t have expected anything less as far as their contributions to each track. I only ever send a track to people I feel would either compliment the project as a whole or, at the very least, match the given track. They all exceeded my expectations and I’m forever grateful for their contributions. They’re amazing emcees... true to Hip-hop.
What do you hope someone feels or understands after sitting with this record for a while?
To be real with you, I want people to know there is only ONE Poet of Babylon, primarily. I know my pen is unmatched. I honestly feel like Saitama from “One Punch Man.” As far as self reflection, the goal is to help enlighten as many people as possible. Dick Gregory said, “Once you wear the glasses you can’t ever take them off... and you can’t ever force anyone to wear them.” That stuck with me, but I knew, at the very least, that I could help guide people to state of enlightenment. It’d help me with my journey there as well.
What does “success” look like for you personally as an artist?
Drugs, money and bitches. I’m kidding! Success to me is living comfortably while having creative control over my art. Success is happiness. Nothing else to it.
What’s on the horizon for you next in music in the new year?
I celebrate the new year in the Spring, but to answer your question... I’d like to travel a whole lot more and experience more than just relationships and maneuvering through familiar obstacles. I really want to rap about things people wouldn’t be able to dream of rapping about... nothing superficial, but things that aren’t often talked about. I want to experiment with different sounds and expand my versatility. One thing in particular that I’d like to try is to create an album with live instruments that you don’t usually hear in Hip-hop. I’ll forever be an album guy. I love putting together a single body of work.
Listen to Jamal J.’s new album My Armada & the Bitter Waters of Marah here now:
