The MindOfJson Interview: A Q&A With One Of The Most Controversial (And Most Memed) Social Media Comedians Of Our Generation

rom banned account to banned account, from getting lit to sobering up, Jason Stevens, aka Mind of J-son, has had his selfies carved into the Mount Rushmore of the post-irony movement.

The man himself, currently a New Yorker, leads an army of followers dedicated to his content of Subway fights, plates of food and anything else he deems worthy for his page. Using the same Android selfies he’s used for years, he layers text over them that detail the inner mechanisms of his mind, and maybe – just maybe – the inner mechanisms of everyone’s minds. Seen by many, known by few and allergic to sheep, we got the rare chance to talk to J-son about his life, lifestyle and the many philosophies he has on what it takes to be an Instagram creator of his caliber.

Q: Hey J-son! First of all, thanks for letting us here at Meme Insider get an interview with you. To start off, what would you say you’re known for on the internet?

A: For saying f*** the vaccine. Hahaha. For calling out b****s with wack p****. I don’t know, just some meme s***. People are crazy. There’s a lot of f***ed up people in the head out here, and I just say the things that everybody wants to say but nobody has the courage to say.

Q: Those are good answers.

A: Oh. This a test? Haha.

Q: You’re doing great. Maybe tell us a little bit about your background, like where you’re from?

A: Well, I’m Jamacian. I live in New York, not gonna say where because motherf*****s will want to find me. Can I curse on this s***?

Q: Yeah, you can curse.

A: Okay, well, I make memes they say. Half the time I’m not even trying to be funny. I’m mad as hell. I’m mad as hell half the time and lit as f*** the other half. Whenever you see me posting some beautiful stuff like, “Have a super, super day,” it means I just woke up or something.

Q: When did you make your first account?

A: Oh, I couldn’t even tell you that. It was about 2012, 2013, 2014, and it wasn’t Instagram it was on Facebook, and then a Facebook page. You know, what happened was, the first time I got mad and made a meme, people were like, “Oh, this is mean,” or whatever. There was this one day… Like, I’m not someone who gets sick, and I don’t go to the hospital and s*** like that. If I go, by the time I get there, I’m gonna die on the way because I’m gonna wait until I’m like right here. I be like, “Yo, just throw the thing that you put on the chest! Just charge it up and throw it through the window. I’m downstairs in the Uber, I’m not gonna make it upstairs!” That’s the time I go to the hospital, right about then.

So that day…I saw this documentary and they said that if your appendix burst you might die and you’ll feel some pain over there; and I felt some pain over there. So I went because I was like, “I think I have that.” Well, I was really scared and I was writing on Facebook. I was like, “Yo, I’m scared and I’m going over here…” Nobody ever said, “Oh damn, are you okay? I hope everything is good.” What the f***! So I started posting about that.

I used to post like nature and art on Facebook because Facebook was more intimate to me. I lived in three different countries, so I know people everywhere. I’d post instead of call these people because I know them in real life, but we’re just never going to see each other again because we live so far apart in Germany, Australia, Africa, all over. Nobody would acknowledge the posts of the art and stuff like that. I be busy at work when I’m posting those. But by the time I come home and start posting some dumb s*** everybody be like, “[makes a cackling sound]”. No one really gives a f*** about the finer things in life, all they want is a f***ing idiot. But I don’t know how to be an idiot, so, I made it intellectual. Imma make jokes but it’s gonna be about facts. Like sometimes I post s***, people don’t understand that the s*** that I’m saying is factual. If I come out and say some serious s***, that’s when I realized nobody gives a f*** about you in general. They just want stupid s*** to laugh at.

But I found a way that I could still be funny but not be silly. I don’t like silly. Well, silly once in a while but I like those intellectual things where it has meaning or it has sense. Like I want you to think about it a little bit. You know, I’m not gonna run outside or jump in a store naked or do all this stupid TikTok s***. I’m gonna say some valid s*** that are actual concerns about things.

Now also, when I say these things, people assume to know me based on my posts. But, sometimes, like in the past couple of weeks, I’ll just drop some controversial s***. Sometimes, I post stuff I don’t even believe in and I just let it blow up because I don’t have time to give y’all some s***, and I know I’m not even gonna have time to check my phone because I’m busy. So let them argue about that. Every time I make a post, I don’t care about the other one anymore. My mind is done with that. It’s done moved on. Imma say what I’m gonna say. I don’t meme for likes. I don't meme for shares. I don't meme for followers.

Q: When did you start amassing followers and what did you see was working?

A: I don't even know 'cause I never did it like that. I realized that… Well, this is why I’m always mad. When people read my memes and are like, “Oh. you’re an a*****e,” and s***, like, “Did I not f***ing write that at the top of the motherf***ing page?” They’re like, “Oh. you’re an a*****e.” You don’t know me in real life. What I let you see on social media is what I want you to see. Wait, why was I saying this?

Q: I asked you how did you start amassing followers?

A: Oh, I don’t have a lot of followers! What are you talking about? Are you looking at the same page as I am? Before Instagram, when I had done it on Facebook, I had the account that was private because I actually knew people on there. So, that’s where I would post, like, “I’m going to work,” or vacation pictures and s***. So I had a public page too where I used to post the memes and that’s when it was blowing up, but I still wanted people to know that, at some point, you’re going to get mad at me.

Like, there was this one time when I had just come to New York and this guy was trying to be an a***hole. I don't know if he was racist or he just had a bad day but he was like, “Oh yeah, all y'all like grape soda,” or something. Then he started talking about fried chicken or something and I was like, “You needa go to Popeye’s two blocks from here ‘cause, like, fried chicken is amazing.” You can’t hurt my feelings because you don’t matter. I think people are not like that, in general, and are then not strong enough to do that. They’ll take abuse or they will be super strong, but then the person that’s discriminating against them, that really means the s*** they’re saying… Like, “Yo, stand up to these f***ing fools.” Come out and say how you feel. Speak how you want to feel because it’s your life. It’s crazy how… that’s why I had to make a new Twitter. Because I said, f*** the vaccine… hahaha. It was a three-week-old post and I got off from work to see what was up and I was blocked. I didn’t even post something crazy! I just posted, “Good Morning,” that day, but apparently, 3 days before, I said f*** the vaccine.

Q: So, what was your reaction like the first time your account got banned? Were you surprised?

A: Well, so, there was a JSonsMind. And then there was J_SonMind. And then there was Json_sMind. And then there was a MindofJson. And then there was a MindofJson2. And then 3. That one I deleted because people were getting too crazy. There were more stalker-ish people on that one instead of people trying to be entertained. And then, someone automatically took 5. I don’t know why. They figured I was gonna get blocked soon so they’ll take 5. So that’s when I changed it to RealMindofJson. That s*** only lasted like, I think 3 months. And then, this one’s about to go, hahahaha. I don’t understand. People don’t understand like, bro, if you disagree with me… like, I don’t block your posts. If I don't believe your posts, I don't block you. I don't delete it because I hate when people are sheep. We can't have the same opinion. How fun would life be then? If everybody looked the same and dressed the same and ate the same and talked the same… No! Sometimes I wanna go have some African food and then go dance the salsa later and s***.

Now my Facebook is gone, gone. Did you know that, for two years, every single month my Facebook was banned, every single month. I would only get back on for like 3 or 4 days. There was one time, I bought a new phone with a new number. And I used a new name, a new birthday, a new address, a new phone number, a new phone… and as soon as I posted to my brain, 30 seconds later it blocked my s***! And I was like, “Damn, that is facial recognition as f***!” Because that’s impossible. I’m not even on the same wifi. It’s not the same IP address. This is a brand new everything!

I don’t get mad at stuff like that. It’s really hard to get me mad. Life has complications and a lot of stuff that you can’t fix, so, with petty stuff… I can’t get mad over stupid stuff like that. Like I say every time, you’re just gonna have to take my whole internet away but you can’t do that because I be paying that s*** months in advance. I’ll be on Instagram saying s*** all day motherf***er! Even on new accounts…

Q: Well, I feel like part of your personality online is getting banned all the time, but the other part is being someone who balances a job and making meme content. How would you say you balance working and posting?

A: Well, that’s why sometimes I don’t post all day. And that’s why sometimes with my Sunday, I actually write stuff down and I make it in advance to post throughout the day. That’s because I know I won’t have time. Like I always say, I don’t know why beautiful people think that they are ugly. I don’t know why smart people think that they’re dumb. I don’t understand. People are underselling themselves… A lot of people aren’t able to motivate themselves or encourage themselves so I need to be there for those people. Sometimes, I receive dm’s or text messages, from my co-workers or other people in my life, and they go through a lot of stuff. So what I realized is, that if I make the extra effort of posting something, even if it’s a little silly… Like the other day, I posted something funny, and I was really busy, but I thought if I posted something funny I’d make another smiling face. Maybe they’ll laugh right now and uplift themself. I feel I have to do that. That’s why I didn’t want to do the hoodies and the t-shirts thing. I didn’t even want to start it, because it’s not about that. I just think it’s funny when people laugh, man. Have you ever seen somebody that you don’t know, as you’re walking, and that person’s on their phone having the sweetest smile, like something amazing just happened, and it makes you feel like, “Ahhh, I don’t know this person, but I am so happy for this person.” You have two choices, you know? You could either break it down or build it up. And I don’t break s*** down.

Q: So, would you say you don’t feel weird mixing your real-life and your social media presence?

A: Yeah, I’ll mix it. But if you notice, when you’ll see me at work doing stupid things, all you’ll see is right here [moves camera in closer to face]. That’s because I got the jacket on that says where I work. Before, I didn’t know that people were that crazy. Some people meet somebody and they assume the worst about them. I don’t do that. I always think you’re good until you show me that you’re bad. But you gotta be careful about that…

Q: So, did somebody actually show up at your work one time?

A: Well, yeah, that was the bad one, when I stopped posting. Like I said, I didn’t know people were that crazy and petty. One day, somebody said to me on Facebook, somebody that’s not even on my friend list, they were just from one of the pages, he said, “Oh, I love you on Twitter!” And I was like, “Twitter? I don’t have a Twitter.” And then, I found out I had 4 Twitters. So then I had to make a Twitter and then report them and shut those ones down.
This person on Twitter, everything that I posted on Instagram he posted as if it was him. But then he would post like nasty nudes and videos and stuff, you know? So I wrote him and was like, “Yo, what the f*** are you doing?” and he started telling everybody that I’m the fake Twitter, and he’s the real one, and let’s go live, let’s do a video right now to show. And I’m like, “This guy’s really gonna take it this far? How are you gonna show that you’re me bro?”

So then, I texted Twitter and in 30 minutes it was gone. That idiot who made the Twitter went back through all my photos that I posted on Instagram to find out what location it is that I work at and who I work with. And I’m like, “Who got time like that bro?” So that’s why I keep it separate now.

Q: So, you say you saw someone basically stealing your identity, but a lot of your memes get reposted and repurposed on their own…

A: Oh, I don’t mind. I don’t mind when they edit it. The only time I mind is when they put my handle on it. Because, I did not say that, you know? You can use the face. You can edit what I’ve posted. I don’t care about that.

Q: When did you first see people re-editing your images?

A: One day my homegirl in Germany sent me a message. She was like, “Bro, how come somebody that lives down the block just texted me this junk?” She’s like, “J, this you right?”
I was like, “Holy s***!” All the way in Germany… And then it all started coming in after that. Like I said, I lived in 3 different countries. I have people in all parts of the world and every now and then people will hit me up. My friend’s in Greece will be like, “Yo, somebody just posted this and I was like, ‘Yo, that’s my boy J!’” And I’m like, “Seriously? People really take that s*** that seriously?”

Q: How long ago was that?

A: Oh, that was a while ago. It’s just like since Instagram got more popular, you know, because I started so long ago and Instagram wasn’t even a thing then. And then, when Instagram just came out, wasn’t it just about like f***ing foods and s***? And then people decided to post their a** and s*** and everybody started to have the f***ing time of their lives! Like, let’s put everything on this b****! Hahaha! Oh boy, I’m stupid.

Q: How have you seen Instagram change since you joined it so early on?

A: Well, I wasn’t on it when it first started. Like I said it was a “food page.” All I had was Facebook back then. I think people inspired me to go on Instagram and then I think I went to check it out. And then people found my s*** because I’m… unforgettable.

That’s some real s***. Like the other day, I was on the block at this spot and this guy came up to me and was like, “Jason!” I haven’t seen this guy in 13 years, how the f*** do you still know my name? The whole day I was like, “I know this n****. I don’t know where the hell I know him from…” And I mean like I knew him, knew him. It’s not like I used to see him and say, “Hi.” Like we used to work together for like 2 years. Oh, my god. What’s another question? I got questions too….

Q: Well, I guess I’m curious about you living in 3 countries. I never knew that…

A: Well, I’m Jamaican. I grew up there. And then my Dad used to work on cruise ships a lot so he would travel the world and everything. And then, one day, he found a nice job in Bermuda. So my Mom got all the paperwork sent there and then we lived there. My high school diploma’s from Bermuda. I was one of the first graduates from this big a** high school that they made. Bermuda’s weird because they’re independent but they’re also British, like… So it’s a weird place. But it’s a beautiful place. But it’s expensive as s***. So I lived there for a while and now I live here [New York], so that’s 3 countries. Everywhere you go you meet people. You keep in touch. It’s easier through social media. Because I still talk to people. Even the girl that asked me to the prom… I don’t think her boyfriend likes me because she had a crush on me and… Damn, she married a n**** named Jason! I’m not even kidding…

Q: Hahaha, you ever make a meme out of that?

A: Oh, s***… I should. You know, it’s funny, like sometimes when I’m talking to my friends, the people that I call a lot, we’ll video chat for like a couple of hours and they keep a pen and a paper. And they go like, “Yo, you gotta meme this. You gotta meme this.” Because sometimes it’s not that I’m thinking about a meme, it’s just that, at the craziest time, some s*** will just hit me or I’ll see some s***. If I’m lit and I’m just listening to music, that’s when you see them writing down because everything that I say or that they say, I could make a meme out of it real quick.

Q: Going back to people re-editing your memes, our records at Know Your Meme say that the first repost was in October 2016. It was a meme that said, “Where are all the good men? In the friendzone where you left them to go f___ some a____e!” Tell me about the inspiration behind that one.

A: You know, that time, I think, because sometimes they’re just real s***, you know? I’ve always had female friends. I don’t know why. I just get along with female friends. So all these friends, they just come and tell me all this s*** like, “You’re the good guy,” and they’re crying in your arms… These b*****s will come to this house and lay in your bed every Saturday and watch a comedy and shit, and then go f*** the same dude that they was mad at! You be in the friendzone dude… That was that one. Yo, I forgot about that one.

Q: Here’s another one that was pretty notable that got a lot of reposting: “Jewish p___ got me acting strange. Someone wished me Merry Christmas, I said TF is that?”

A: I’m not gonna lie because I can’t. I did not make that one.

Q: Oh my God. Explain…

A: Yeah, I don’t know. Somebody made it, haha. I always tell people that, because I care a lot. That Jewish p**** one, I did not make that one.

Q: So when did you see that one first? What was your reaction to it?

A: I don’t know, by the time I seen that one it had already blew up. Yeah… I didn’t make that one. I couldn’t lie.

Q: I know you sell t-shirts, but have you ever seen another avenue to make an income from social media?

A: I sell dick pictures… Nah, hahahaha. Not actually. And no, not really.

Q: I think our readers, in general, are interested in creators that can balance a work-life and also make memes. So, do you have any advice for other creators trying to find that balance themselves?

A: Well, I’d say there’s a time and a place for everything, just like in life. Even at work, I be acting a fool the whole time. I be having the most fun at work sometimes, but then when it’s time to be with a customer and stuff, I’m like a whole different Jason. I’ve always been that way. Like one time, I used to bartend and I was at this bar hanging out with these people. I was drinking shots. I was lit. So I was like, “Yo, I’m going down the block. I’m bartending down there, come.” So then I went 2 blocks away and they came. I was like, “Yo, what can I get you?” And they was like, “How are you not laid off your a**?” I was like, “Even though I just had fun, I’m coming to work.” So, you gotta limit yourself to get paid and that’s how you balance it. You also gotta have your me-time. The only thing you gotta do is make sure social media doesn’t become your whole life because it is not it. That’s how people, like… If the internet stops for an hour, they go insane! Like, come on. Go outside. Enjoy some fresh air. Chill. Talk to your neighbor. S***! Take a walk. Enjoy that s***.

So don’t let it take over your time and also don’t be oversensitive. Like, on Twitter, someone had commented on it like, “Oh, you should make sure you have a lot of followers before you create self-merch.” I’m like, “Who are even you?” You know, I’ve never seen something on social media and written something negative under it, or reported anything. If I don’t want to see it, I just choose, hide, or I even block them if it’s really offensive and I don’t want to see it again. I don’t follow it so I can see it and hate it. I go through Instagram looking for happy people doing happy s***. That’s the stuff I’m looking for! People are asking, “Why you posted that?” And I’m like, “What?”

Q: So, where do you see yourself and your page in 5 years?

A: I don’t care. I don’t care. And I’m not saying that in like a mean way. At the rate that this s*** gets deleted? I mean come on. Twitter and Facebook in one month? And how many times I got reported on Instagram last week? Where do I see myself in 5 years? Hahaha, I mean, half the time I can’t not post something because it’s too funny! I need to share this s***.

I do have this one thing though. I see these people with 50, 60 thousand followers and 200 likes, 10 comments. I don’t want that. I want the people that I have engaging and responding to me. That’s why I literally go through and try and respond to everybody even though sometimes I only have time to go on and post, “Have a good day,” and then be gone for the day.

Like I said, I affect people not just on social media, in real life too. I don’t know why, it’s like a whole thing. Maybe it’s because I listen and I really do care about what people say. I actually do care about how people feel. That’s why I have to be the a*****e in the f***ing memes. Because I can’t be it in real life! And there, you got it out of me.

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Jason Stevens is a content creator and social media comedian known for his Selfie Reactions. You can find him on his Instagram, @themindofjson, and on his Twitter, @TheMindOfJson. You can also support him on his Teespring where he sells fan merchandise like t-shirts and phone case, among other things.