Starting out as a rapper, DJ and multi-media & event producer Jason Almeida, perhaps better known by his stage name Where's Nasty, has been fostering a creative scene in his home state of Rhode Island since he was a kid. From hosting parties in Providence to collaborating with brands like Converse and institutions like RISD, Almeida's entrepreneurial spirit has led to bedrocks in his local community and beyond like stay silent, Crib, and the Day Trill festival to name a few. In our latest Pirate Radio, we catch up with Jason for a trip down memory lane, learn how his Cape Verdean heritage has made him the person he is today, get the low down on must-hits in the Providence area, and so much more.

How did you get started as a DJ and how did this connect with multimedia & event production?
Before I started DJing, I was a rapper. Growing up DJ equipment was really expensive and not something that I could just ask my mother to buy me so I just started with making my own music. I would record myself on this microphone that was built into the monitor of my Compaq Presario home PC over instrumentals I’d get on CDs from Skippy Whites. Platinum Insturmentals. J Armz. Sickamore, etc.

Eventually, I started making my own mixtapes with my music and other relevant music trying to emulate Big Mike and Kay Slay mixtapes. I would burn them and sell them at school.

My junior year of high school I linked up with boys DanDan and Stan C to throw a party. My intention was to do this promote my music but hundreds of kids came out from all over Rhode Island. From that point on, we knew we had to keep doing these parties because people kept asking us when the next one would be. That’s really what led me down this path.

What is stay silent and what is its mission?  
stay silent is a creative company founded by myself and my partner Sabrina that focuses on producing events, multi-media content, and products. Our mission through our work is to be a platform, a global cultural reference point, and a contributor to the Providence and greater New England creative community.

Can you talk about your connection to Cape Verde and how it's influenced your taste in music, art, and creative work?
Both of my parents are Cape Verdean so it laid the foundation for me as early as I can remember. My father passed away when I was 7 so I get a lot of my taste from being raised by my mother and all of the stuff that my father hoarded that I was able to look through.

Like many Cape Verdeans, my mother left Cape Verde at an early age to work abroad so she speaks many languages and has experienced several cultures. Having family throughout West Africa and different parts of Europe made me aware that the world was bigger than what I saw in my neighborhood.

In my household, it’s like we were thinking bi-lingual in terms of culture. Inside the house, it was Cape Verde and wherever else my mom lived. Outside the house was America. When I started DJing I always thought about music from a global perspective. My original DJ name was International Nasty.

Your list of partnerships keeps growing, from Converse to ’47 Brand to us, what’s it like working with a diverse collection of companies? Are there any particular projects you have fond memories of?
It’s been dope to work with these different companies because where I’m from it’s very hard to get recognized outside of our borders for what we have to contribute. Whenever one of those partnerships happens it’s a reminder that it’s possible to have an impact without having to live in a major market.

One of my favorite memories was going to Paris Fashion Week in June 2022 with Bodega for the release of the New Balance. I remember when I first got there and me and my boy Bernabe were riding bikes through Paris - I felt so alive. I felt like I was living doing something so simple.

You show a lot of love for PVD and Rhode Island, what makes this place so special to you?
Rhode Island is so special because you are 25-30 minutes max from doing literally anything. You can go to El Patio and eat Matunick Oyster Bar in the same day. The range is crazy.

When people visit the area for the first time what are some ‘must sees /does’?
Drive down Broad St. Hit Thayer St for East Side Pocket (Falafel Cesar Wrap is my shit). Go see Xury for some gear. Hit Courtland Club for a drink. Go to a party at Crib (shameless plug). Leave the party a little early and head to the white truck in front of Lovera for a patelito and chinola mixed with lemonade.

What was/is 2DopeBoyz and how did it get started? How were you able to land the guests that you did? Do you have a dream guest?
2DopeBoyz is a legendary blog started by boy Meka and his partner Shake. Meka and I used to DJ a lot of parties together all over the country so I’d always be talking to him about different artists that I rocked with. At the time I was doing interviews with regional artists for Expressions so I just wanted to talk to whoever I thought was interesting and people should know about.

At the time many of those artists weren’t who they have grown to be so it was more of me just being a fan of those artists and reaching out to them.

Til this day I still wish I could’ve interviewed Fatmany Key and Two9. I just felt like it really would’ve captured that era perfectly.

In your creative journey, how have personal style and fashion played a role?
Personal style and fashion are very important to me because it’s an extension of how I represent myself. I think getting fly every day is a form of self-care. I do it to feel good. Look good. Feel good. Play good.

Are there any projects you have coming up that you are especially excited for?
This whole year we’ve been celebrating 10 years of stay silent, which is a company that I co-founded. It’s pretty much been the vehicle and home for all of my events and creative work. Throughout the 10-year celebration, we’ve been producing special editions of our signature events so that’s been really exciting.

Can you talk about the mix you put together for this Pirate Radio episode?
The past times I’ve been on Bodega Pirate Radio they have been recordings of my sets at live events so the energy and the intention is usually very different. At the events, I’m trying to get the most energy out of people and adjusting to any audibles that may be thrown at me on the spot. With this episode, I wanted to touch on the spectrum that I listen to and play through the different events that I produce with stay silent. If you were to just look at the track listing, how does playing dancehall, amapiano, and Westside Gunn make sense in the same set? It doesn’t have to as long as it feels right.

Do you have any advice for the next generation of creatives looking to forge their own path and successfully do their own thing?
Don’t be afraid to suck at something. Try it. Suck at it. Go into your basement, your room, or wherever you feel comfortable being creative, and just keep trying. Just put it out into the world. Keep learning and refining. I’m still learning and adjusting.