AJ McQueen Is Getting Deeper Than Ever With His New Album

The Morning Hustle Interview AJ McQueen — Source: reach media / other

AJ McQueen Opens Up on The Morning Hustle About Music, Overcoming, and Faith

AJ McQueen returned to The Morning Hustle to discuss his upcoming album, Everything’s That Deep, which is set for release on June 5. During the interview, the rapper framed the project as a deliberate move toward substance, saying he wants to bring texture, message, and feeling back to music in a way that recalls the emotional depth many listeners connect with from earlier eras of hip-hop and R&B.

McQueen said the album title reflects a larger point about modern life. In his view, people often avoid hard reflection and dismiss serious conversations as unnecessary. With Everything’s That Deep, he said he is making music for listeners who are willing to sit with truth, emotion, and meaning instead of running from it.

One of the most personal parts of the interview came when McQueen spoke about being shot at age 14. He connected that experience to years of PTSD and inner struggle, but also to the self-awareness that shaped him as a man and artist. Rather than present pain as spectacle, he described trauma as something that forced him to think deeply about survival, purpose, and identity.

McQueen used the conversation to challenge how media often presents hip-hop, arguing that negative narratives get amplified while thoughtful voices receive less attention. He said artists should lean into authenticity, not shock value, and made clear that his own work is rooted in honesty.

He also reflected on marrying young and being a virgin until marriage, using his story to push back on narrow stereotypes about Black men. On faith, McQueen said his relationship with church has evolved, adding that being the church matters more to him now than simply attending it.