Music Essentials: Jon Bellion

Visionary Music Group signee Jon Bellion is one of the freshest talents to hit our radar. The 24-year-old is highly skilled and well-rounded in his craft; he produces, raps, sings, writes his own music, as well as for other renowned artists. Last September he released his third free project, titled The Definition, which showcased his musical versatility as well as his unique sound — inspired by the likes of J Dilla, Kanye West, Coldplay, John Mayer and André 3000. This week, he shares with us his Music (and lifestyle) Essentials, revealing a few of his must-have items when hitting the road or in the studio. When it comes to production, Bellion sticks with the old-school workflow with his special J-Dilla edition SP-1200 sampler; he is also keen on capturing pristine vocals with his Neumann TLM 103. For footwear, Bellion dons a pair of Margielas his stylist had gotten for a “fell off the truck” price. Bellion makes sure that his Nintendo 3DS is loaded with the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake, a game that is “therapeutic” to him especially during long rides or flights. The road life can get grimy, so he also brings a few lifestyle/hygiene/health items along: a beard brush, Melatonin sleep aid, Big League Chew, and the Holy Bible. At the moment, Bellion says he “is deep in [his] next project”; we’ll be sure to keep you updated with that.