For 7WayJames, music isn’t just sound — it’s spiritual. It’s generational. It’s a calling. Raised in the church and surrounded by the rhythms of gospel, soul, and raw human experience, James’ connection to music was formed long before he ever touched a mic.
“My music journey really began as a kid in the church,” he says. “I had a general love for music, even before I was born. My mom used to play music for me while I was still in the womb.” That early exposure planted seeds that would grow deeper with time — especially under the influence of his grandfather, James Edward Farley, a preacher and guitarist whose voice and stories still echo in his heart today.
“My grandfather used to sing and play for us growing up,” James reflects. “When he was my age, he had a band called Redd and the Devils out of Montgomery, West Virginia. It was him, some of his brothers, and a couple friends. They actually got offered a record deal, but they needed their parents to sign — and their parents said no.”
That history — that untaken path — gave James something more than inspiration. It gave him a mission.
The Name: More Than Just a Stage Name
The name 7WayJames holds layers of meaning, each one deeper than the last. At the surface, it starts with faith. “The number 7 represents God,” he says. “And the biggest thing I want anyone to take from my name is that the way is God. That’s the message. God wants us to be our greatest selves — to act, not wait around for someone else to do it for us.”
But that’s just one layer. There’s spiritual symbolism woven throughout:
- 7 levels of consciousness.
- 33 vertebrae in the spine — the same age Jesus Christ was when he died.
- A brain-produced substance called the klaustrum that flows down those 33 vertebrae.
- And the belief that, like Jesus, we must descend, experience life fully, then rise again to our higher self.
“Take that as you will,” he says with a nod. “But that’s what I live by.”
The Spark: From Madisonville to the Mic
7WayJames officially began recording music at just 16, stepping into a home studio in Madisonville, Kentucky, run by his friend YVNG MXRRET. That moment marked the shift from music as a love to music as a lifestyle.
“I realized I wanted to make a career out of music when I saw how much I loved it — and how accessible it really is,” he says. “Anyone can do this. But not everyone does it with purpose.”
The Process: Emotion, Belief, and What’s Real
James’ creative process is rooted in the moment. Sometimes it starts with a beat. Other times, it starts with a belief — or a feeling too big to hold in. “I usually freestyle or write based on whatever comes to mind in that moment. A lot of it comes from emotion, but also from how I see the world.”
That raw honesty shows up clearly in his most recent release, a SoundCloud-exclusive titled “Madness of Mine.”
“The song is about that mental pressure — the madness that builds up when you’re working non-stop, getting hit with storm after storm,” he says. “I wanted to paint a visual picture of what it’s like inside the mind of a struggling artist. A real perspective on mental health.”
Despite challenges in mixing the vocals — due to the complexity of the beat (shoutout prod.cXz) — James pushed through, because the message mattered more than perfection.
“What matters most to me is that my music reaches the people who need it. This isn’t about me. This is about inspiring people who’ve gone through what I’ve gone through, and letting them know they can still make it. I was inspired — so now, I have to inspire.”
7WayJames: The Way Is God, The Mission Is Legacy
7WayJames doesn’t just make music — he channels generational dreams, spiritual truths, and raw emotion into every verse. With a name rooted in faith and a voice born from both pain and purpose, he’s not here just to entertain.
He’s here to awaken.
To remind you that your past doesn’t define you.
That God has a path for you.
And that if you’ve been inspired — it’s your turn to inspire.
CYNX MAGAZINE 