An Artist You'd Like – Jay Electronica at What's In My Headphones

An Artist You'd Like – Jay Electronica

24Feb09

(A friend introduced me to this brother about a week ago and I had to take a listen…)

Its not easy being from the city that taught America to “Drop it Like Its Hot” or to be a “No Limit Soldier” but Jay Electronica’s influences go past the usual influences found in the city where the levees broke of New Orleans, Louisiana. Home of artists like Master P, Juvenile, Lil Wayne, Manny Fresh, Silkk Da Shocker, and a host of others that made southern rap popular in the late 90′s it is hard to stumble upon a lyricist like Jay Electronica.

Getting much of his attention for his unconventional style by using film soundtracks as background for rhymes, you can’t help but want to delve deeper into the artistry that he brings to the table with each track. In living in different places throughout the U.S. he got much of his influence from the late, great super producer J-Dilla, from Detroit. There he would record the Style Wars LP and gain notable attention through Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge), which is 15 minutes of continuous music without drums. This track was built from the soundtrack from the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, where there are 5 segments of changes in music and mood even including a snippet from the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

As he gained more notariety he was eventually introduced to Nas through his relationship with Erykah Badu, whose label he is signed to called Control Freaq records. With this, he was featured on Nas’ most recent album, Untitled, on the Queens Get the Money track. Having not produced an actual album yet, most of his music is on mixtapes that can be found on the internet.

Please take note of this rare and special talent with southern roots and an unconventional style that his led to his popularity all over the mixtape world.

Check out this mixtape to get a good idea of his style and lyrical ability – What the f*ck is a Jay Electronica?

Check out these songs: Renaissance Man, My World (Nas Salute), Dimethyltriptamine, Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge), Girlfriend

This is WHAT’S IN MY HEADPHONES…