From the Halfway House to Big Cat Records: CIRCLE SMALL JULI Is Poppin Out
Atlanta has never had a shortage of artists with stories to tell, but CIRCLE SMALL JULI is not interested in creating a story just to make a record. He has already lived enough of one. After years of going in and out of jail and eventually serving six years in prison, Juli reached a point where something had to change. For him, that change was music.
“Music felt like the only way out for me,” Juli says. “I had a lot of felonies and kept going to jail. It was the only positive thing happening, so I locked in with music.”
Juli has been making music since 2017, but his journey has not followed the traditional path of an aspiring rapper. His music comes directly from the streets, incarceration, freedom, mistakes, consequences and the everyday experiences that have shaped the man he is becoming.
“I rap about what I did yesterday,” he says.
That mentality is at the heart of his music. Juli considers himself a trap artist, but he is not simply rapping about a lifestyle from the outside looking in. His records are pieces of his own life.
One of those moments became the inspiration behind “Poppin Out.”
The song was conceived while Juli was living in a halfway house after incarceration. His bunk mate got into trouble and, as a result, restrictions were placed on their living situation. Juli found himself stuck inside when all he wanted to do was step outside, put on a fresh outfit and enjoy the freedom he had worked so hard to regain.
He wanted to pop out. Instead, he made a song about it.
What could have been another setback became inspiration. The experience also reinforced a lesson Juli had already learned the hard way: the people around you can have a direct impact on your own life, even when you are trying to do the right thing.
This time, he refused to allow somebody else’s decisions to determine his next move. That mindset is part of what brought Juli into the fold at Atlanta’s Big Cat Records, the independent label co-founded by Marlon “Big Cat” Rowe and known for its place in Southern hip hop history. Big Cat Records helped introduce Gucci Mane to a larger audience during the early stages of his career, releasing his 2005 debut album, Trap House.
Now, Rowe sees something in Juli that cannot be manufactured.
“Juli has something you cannot teach: authenticity,” says Marlon “Big Cat” Rowe. He knows the streets, but more importantly, he understands that his story does not have to end there. What impressed me was his hunger, his work ethic and his willingness to turn his life experiences into something productive. Big Cat Records has always been about recognizing talent before the rest of the world catches on, and I believe Juli has the story, sound and determination to build something special.”
For Juli, signing with a label carrying that kind of Atlanta history represents another chapter in a life that could have gone in a very different direction. His musical influences tell you exactly where his sound and mentality come from. Juli names Yo Gotti, Future, Kilo Ali, Finesse2tymes and Young Dro among the five artists who have influenced him most. But Juli is not interested in becoming the next version of somebody else.
He wants listeners to hear him, his life, his mistakes, his streets, and ultimately his growth. When asked what his day to day life looks like now, his answer is simple: “No sleep.” The jail cells have been replaced with phone calls. The downtime has been replaced with meetings, studio sessions, appearances and conversations about business. The energy that once went into surviving the streets is being redirected toward building a career.
And Juli is thinking beyond becoming a successful rapper. Five years from now, he envisions himself running his own record label, signing artists and becoming an outlet for people from the streets who have talent but may not have access to the music industry.
“Circle Small Juli has a powerful story, and I believe his authenticity, talent and determination will take him far beyond the streets that shaped him.” Says, Lynn Hobson, Publicist
His philosophy is summed up in one sentence:
“You ain’t rich til you get someone else rich.”
It is a powerful statement coming from someone whose journey has taught him just how valuable an opportunity can be. With new music in motion and an album on the way, CIRCLE SMALL JULI is building his career one record and one real life story at a time. He is not hiding where he comes from. He is using it.
The same experiences that once threatened to keep him trapped are now becoming the foundation of his music. And if “Poppin Out” is any indication, Juli is ready to take everything he has lived through and turn it into something bigger. This time, CIRCLE SMALL JULI is not waiting for permission to come outside.
He’s poppin out.
