Jhared Swain, also known by Jha Asjawn, and Joseph Worrel, whose stage name is Jo, have surpassed the expectations of musicians by creating music together while living in different states.
Swain is a fourth-year business administration major at Florida A&M, as well as a musician and a producer. Worrel is a sophomore business management major with a focus in entrepreneurship at North Carolina A&T State University.
Swain and Worrel met while at NCA&T their freshman year, creating their brand PROH — people respect our hustle. The brand is dedicated to their promotion through social media, clothes, and music.
Swain has had a passion for music since he was a child; as he got older his passion for music grew. Swain believes he is different from others because his love for music makes him want to become more versatile. His eagerness to learn has benefited him because now he can appreciate all aspects of the musical process.
“When I was younger I couldn’t afford piano lessons, so I remember watching Alicia Keys play the piano and trying to teach myself,” Swain said. “I’m nice at this [music] because of my passion I am going out to learn new things. I will sit on YouTube for hours watching tutorials trying to perfect my craft.”
Worrel, the son of a musician, has always had a passion for music as well. When he was 7 he helped his dad write songs for his album. In middle school, he began playing the guitar.
“The freedom and the lifestyle. Not the flashiness of the lifestyle. The creativeness of being an artist is what attracted me to doing music professionally. It’s always fun as a musician,” Worrel said.
Swain and Worrel both work and attend school in different states. This can make it difficult at times for them to do their music.
“It’s difficult with us being in two states but it shows the passion we have for making this work,” Worrel said. “We are still putting out new music together despite the distance. We are already a powerhouse being far away. If we were together we would only be better.”
Despite the distance being an obstacle for them, it also allows them to promote themselves to a larger market. Swain can promote PROH in Florida while Worrel promotes the brand in North Carolina. They come together to promote themselves in Atlanta.
India Rhodes, a first-time listener, said, “Their flow is nice in the song ‘Let Me Explain’ and the difference in styles complements each other. I’m eager to see the progress they make this year.”
As Swain and Worrel’s fan base grows their dedication and desire to expand their knowledge of the music increases as well. The two are consistently promoting their work on all social media platforms and they plan on dropping new music in May.