Polyglot Jankins

The artist formerly known as P.D.A. returns to Tulsa

Anthony Jenkins, aka JANKINS, carries himself with a curious blend of unwavering confidence and self-deprecation. While the two seem contradictory, a healthy dose of insecurity creates a level of self-awareness in Jankins that contributes to his success. 

Locals may know him as P.D.A., his stage name from 2002, when he got his start rapping in Tulsa, until around 2012 shortly after moving to north Hollywood. Jankins released six projects as P.D.A. before wiping the slate clean.

“I felt I had done all I could do as P.D.A. ... I had met with multiple major labels who had all turned me down … Warner Brothers, Universal, Atlantic. They all really enjoyed the music and thought I had some hit records, but I didn’t have the numbers, I didn’t have the fan base. Everything is a numbers game,” said Jankins.

Under his new identity, Jankins made the decision to market himself to the masses by buying into the current hip-hop climate. This was done by accumulating a sizable Internet following and ensuring its continued growth by churning out new singles weekly. 

“Hip-hop nowadays is so quick, one song will last about a week, (so) I put out a song per week for about two years.”

This method proved effective, and Jankins’ YouTube and SoundCloud hits propelled into the thousands and beyond. His most popular video on YouTube has reached an astounding 1.6 million views, accomplished through the cunning marketing ploy of posting a song under the guise of a Childish Gambino track: “Sweatpants Feat. Jankins.” 

While salty viewers tend to express their hostility through trolling the comment box after falling for “click bait,” Jankins, instead, was met with an abundance of positive feedback and online fist bumps for his creative contribution to the popular track. 

“[Gambino] could have had it removed like he did a lot of the other ones … But they let it stay,” Jankins said. 

In the language of music, Jankins is a polyglot. His magnetic stage presence is grounded in a theatre background that had him singing and performing at a young age. Jankins’ love for theatre and opera expanded into songwriting, piano playing, drumming, beat production, and rapping.

“I really do believe that a stage show should be a stage show. I don’t think anyone should just stand up there and sing, or just rap, or just talk. It needs to be pieced together, it needs to have a beginning, middle, and an end, it needs to have visuals, something to give to somebody … I really do try to put on a show, that’s an aspect I’ve learned from being in choir and Broadway shows.”

Jankins provided his audience with just that when he debuted his latest seven track EP Just Don’t Die at Blackbird on Pearl on December 3. Just Don’t Die is a project that gives fans a more eclectic listening experience, extending beyond clever bars and danceable beats. It encompasses a wider range of Jankins’ talents and passions—such as singing and thoughtful wordplay.

“When I was doing the mixtapes, I was trying to do something that sounded like everyone else … it went well and I got millions of views and everybody really dug it, but that’s not really what I like to do,” he continued. “I wanted to do something I hadn’t heard before, so this is more about what I like to do rather than what the world wants to hear.” 

While a shift such as this could be perceived as risky by many, Jankins’ effort to stay true to himself outweighs any sort of satisfaction internet success could provide. 

“I think if somebody started to listen to me in the first place, they must have a different taste for music. So just like anybody else, they will either dig it, or not. And as much as I hope they do, because, of course, I want everybody to love my music, their opinion doesn’t affect how I approach the next song.”

Despite spending a significant amount of time away from Tulsa, Jankins never lost the love and support of his fellow Tulsans. 

“The best part about looking forward to a new Jankins release is knowing he’ll be in a completely new space than he was before,” said friend and collaborator Ron Hodge, AKA Ron Ron. “He is hands-down the most creative person I’ve ever known. If any of the tawdry misfits and mountebanks from Tulsa make it, it will be him.”

Plans for Jankins’ next album are already in the works, as he continues to reintegrate himself back into the local hip-hop scene.

For more from Mary, read her article on the Phoenix Bros. new EP, Firehaus.