J-Live was born and raised in Uptown Manhattan, New York City. After making… Read Full Bio ↴J-Live was born and raised in Uptown Manhattan, New York City. After making a home for himself in Brooklyn upon graduating from SUNY at Albany, J relocated to Philadelphia in 2003. "Moving to Philly was more for the family than any kind of career move. But the whole music scene here and the hip hop community here have embraced me with open arms since I arrived. I've gotten a lot of support from so many different artists and dee jays. This city is jam packed with talented and beautiful people."

J-Live started his career by releasing solid 12" such as "Longevity", "Braggin' Writes", and "Hush the Crowd", which earned him a spot in The Source's "Unsigned Hype" column.

Recorded mostly at J's own Triple Threat Studios in Philadelphia, The Hear After actually seems to have taken on a life of its own. Guest vocalist on the album, include up and coming artist, Kola Rock, Cvees, and the soulful sounds of Virgin recording artist, Dwele. The album features production by Floyd the Locsmif (Atl), Hezekiah, James Poysner (Philly), Probe DMS, Fire Dept., (NYC), Oddisee (DC), and J-Live himself. "The title is a play on words. People think of the here after as the after life or somewhere you go when you die. Like heaven or hell. Me personally, I see heaven as being at peace with yourself while you're alive. I see hell as the path you choose in life as opposed to a place you go after death. The album is called The Hear After because I'm at peace with myself musically, and I've been through hell to get that way. This is what you "hear after" all that has transpired so far. This is what I've been working to accomplish since the last album."

Like J's last two full length records, The Best Part and All of the Above, The Hear After covers a wide range of thoughts and emotions both musically and with its subject matter. "If you were to look at the whole thing, you would see a story line about an artist trying to maintain and expand his career and still be there for his family. That was the biggest struggle while making the record, and its no coincidence that it's a theme that becomes obvious listening to it. But there are songs about almost every aspect of my life from growing up in the city, to raising kids, touring heavy, building and teaching, politics, party and bullshit. I can't just spit about one thing for a whole record. That's not my style."

J-Live has been rhyming and mixing since the age of 12 but he has made much more of a name for himself as an MC than as a DJ. "I definitely focus on rhyming more. Growing up doing both it was easier on the pockets to be an MC. Records and equipment can get expensive. But I love spinning." One of the highlights of his entertaining live show is when he rhymes and beat juggles on the turntables simultaneously, performing his classic, "Braggin' Writes." J-Live is also known to produce beats.

J-Live has always used music to get his messages across. He explains, "I grew up listening to everything from BDP to NWA, to PE [[artist]Public Enemy], Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, Nice and Smooth. Whether the music was pimped out, gangsta, militant or whatever, rappers had something important to say to kids like me. And I listened intently. As a 5%er, I can't imagine how much of an influence hip hop had on the way I see the world."

Case in point, J's favorite song on the album, "Audio Visual" is so descriptive it's a song "in 3-D". From the quirky, key accents to the thick-ass bottom running throughout the song, J-Live paints a colorful, picture of his life on and off the mic. "Brooklyn Public" is his ode to his days as an educator. Earlier in his career, J-Live taught middle school English/Language Arts in Brooklyn for a few years.

Making music for the walkmans as well as the Jeeps, J-Live made a mature, sonically sophisticated album. "I feel like I represent hip hop's middle class. Seems like everybody's either crying broke or screaming rich or both. I try to speak to the people in between. The everyday hard working fun loving hip hop heads."

Year Formed: 1995
Official Site: http://www.j-livemusic.com/

All of the Above
J-Live Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yo yo yo
Right about now your mind is mine and my mind is yours
If you down for the cause that I'm kickin' in effect is effective music
Let it blink at the street like your first slow stick and go
Right about now my mind is mine and my mind is yours, to enjoy the shinin'

I'm inclined to give more than just a piece of my mind at love
See this is all of the above

Yo, right about now, my mind is yours and,
Your mind is yours, for a gain or a loss,
Whether accept or reject, perfect or defect

Turn up or rewind, turn down and eject
The point is, you're free as a bird
I know this because somehow, someway is this shit you heard
And the time and the place where bullshit's preferred

The odds of even opportunity is absurd
But yo, right about now I'm on your dial
Your deck, your straight table, and oh yeah, your mind
Even physically consider me the sweat on your nose
The tone in your voice, the funk in your toes
The chill in your spine, the stoppage of time
As if the matrix was inserted in your chest like you was Optimus Prime

I be the, glint in your eyes and the sight of the blind
And you be the, living reason why I'm writing this rhyme
I be the, dap in your hand that you give to your man
When you open what you open mouth covered by your other hand

Brother its the first time that you heard, second time that you played
Or the third when you finally understand
Right about now I be MC J-Live, although I wear many hats
And several titles, its vital, the recital is recognized,
That hip hop will never be idle, when its right about now

Right about now I hope you recognize that the name of the song
Is not Right About Now, but All of the Above
The soundtrack is courtesy of, DJ Spinna,
So be careful when you enter the realm,

We all real but feelings are so strong
They clouded from the facts if you not on track
And the fact is even being yourself takes practice
When you front too hard, you never get it back

But the, question is, who am I? Who is this?
Is it live, is it real, is it here, is it deep,
Can you summarize with letters
Like (J-B-K-N-Y-D-O-D-D-J-M-C)
Is it, deeper than digital, un-crunchable
With your 0's and 1's,

And never get the whole sum
Is it, residual into where you're coming from?
Smaller than the prodigal son, the old gettin' dumb
Is it full of your breast, of the old worldness?

And gettin' chewed up (on chest?)
Just to relieve the sufferin' or
Tryin' a party till the headlights go off
The heads light up when I go off

Is he tougher than nails, or sharp as a tack
Approximate, or right and exact, Is he pro-dope, or anti-wack
Conscious or slack, representin' yellow, brown, and black
Strong enough to attack, or wise enough to hold back

"Yes"
The answer precisely,
Whether it be hard like Shao Kahn, or soft as Tai Chi,
It's the balance of life, you call it equality
Yins and yangs rivalry slash comradely

Its the speed of thoughts, calculated musically
Celebrated naturally, elevated constantly

Right about now you can bubble in A to Z
'Cause its question and the answer, and the album is me

Overall Meaning

In J-Live's song "All of the Above," he uses introspective lyrics to challenge his audience to consider the power of their minds. His verses are filled with metaphors, expressing the idea that our thoughts, emotions, and perspectives are all interconnected. He points out that even our smallest actions can have ripple effects on the world around us. Through the song, he encourages listeners to embrace their own unique identities and to cultivate a sense of balance in their lives.

In the first verse, J-Live establishes that our minds are not only our own, but they are also connected to one another. He compares his music to a "slow stick" that blinks like a streetlight, drawing attention to the ideas he presents. In the second verse, he expands on this idea of interconnectedness, saying that our minds can be used either for gain or for loss. He emphasizes that we are free to choose our path, even if that sometimes means rejecting what others might expect of us.

Line by Line Meaning

Yo yo yo
Introduction to the song

Right about now your mind is mine and my mind is yours
In this moment, we are connected and sharing thoughts

If you down for the cause that I'm kickin' in effect is effective music
If you support the message behind my music, it will have a powerful impact

Let it blink at the street like your first slow stick and go
Let the music radiate out into the world and inspire like the first time you lit a slow-burning cigarette and watched it glow

Right about now my mind is mine and my mind is yours, to enjoy the shinin'
In this moment, we are both experiencing the beauty of life in our own unique way

I'm inclined to give more than just a piece of my mind at love
I am driven to express my deep affection through more than just words

See this is all of the above
This is everything mentioned and more

Yo, right about now, my mind is yours and,
Once again, our minds are connected in the present moment

Your mind is yours, for a gain or a loss,
You have control of your own mind and can use it to your advantage or detriment

Whether accept or reject, perfect or defect
Regardless of whether it is accepted or rejected, the message is flawed and imperfect

Turn up or rewind, turn down and eject
You have the power to control the way the music affects you

The point is, you're free as a bird
You have complete freedom and control over your own mind and actions

I know this because somehow, someway is this shit you heard
You have heard this message before and know it to be true on some level

And the time and the place where bullshit's preferred
In situations where lies and deceit are accepted, this message still rings true

The odds of even opportunity is absurd
The chances of being given a fair opportunity in life are incredibly low

But yo, right about now I'm on your dial
In this moment, I am immediately accessible and on your level

Your deck, your straight table, and oh yeah, your mind
I am present in all aspects of your life, including your thoughts

Even physically consider me the sweat on your nose
I am so close to you that I am physically present on your body

The tone in your voice, the funk in your toes
I am present in your emotions and your enjoyment of life

The chill in your spine, the stoppage of time
I can affect your physical sensations and perception of time

As if the matrix was inserted in your chest like you was Optimus Prime
I have the power to affect you at a fundamental level, like a machine inserted into your chest

I be the, glint in your eyes and the sight of the blind
I am the spark that ignites your passion and the light in your darkness

And you be the, living reason why I'm writing this rhyme
You are the inspiration for my creative expression

I be the, dap in your hand that you give to your man
I am the positive energy that you share with others

When you open what you open mouth covered by your other hand
When you express yourself honestly, even while trying to be considerate of others' feelings

Brother its the first time that you heard, second time that you played
This message may be new to you, but it will resonate with you even after multiple listenings

Or the third when you finally understand
You may need to hear this message multiple times before truly comprehending it

Right about now I be MC J-Live, although I wear many hats
In this moment, I am J-Live, but my identity encompasses many roles and aspects

And several titles, its vital, the recital is recognized,
My diverse experiences and talents are essential to the performance

That hip hop will never be idle, when its right about now
Hip hop is a constantly evolving art form, especially in this moment

Right about now I hope you recognize that the name of the song
At this point, I want to bring your attention to the title of the song

Is not Right About Now, but All of the Above
The true meaning of this song encompasses much more than just the present moment

The soundtrack is courtesy of, DJ Spinna,
The music in this song was created by DJ Spinna

So be careful when you enter the realm,
This song contains powerful messages and emotions that can have a profound impact

We all real but feelings are so strong
We are all authentic, but our emotions can be overpowering

They clouded from the facts if you not on track
If you are not focused and grounded, your emotions can distort your perception of reality

And the fact is even being yourself takes practice
It can be difficult to truly be yourself, and it requires dedication and effort

When you front too hard, you never get it back
If you try too hard to be something you're not, you'll lose touch with your true self

But the, question is, who am I? Who is this?
The central question of this song revolves around identity and self-discovery

Is it live, is it real, is it here, is it deep,
These questions ask whether our experiences are authentic and meaningful

Can you summarize with letters
Is it possible to fully express our experiences and emotions through language?

Like (J-B-K-N-Y-D-O-D-D-J-M-C)
This acronym represents various aspects of J-Live's identity and experiences

Is it, deeper than digital, un-crunchable
Can our experiences and emotions be fully understood or captured by technology?

With your 0's and 1's, And never get the whole sum
Even with the most advanced technology, our experiences can never be fully quantified

Is it, residual into where you're coming from?
Do our experiences leave a lasting impact on our identities and perspectives?

Smaller than the prodigal son, the old gettin' dumb
Our personal experiences and perspectives are small in the grand scheme of things, and as we age we may become less receptive to new ideas

Is it full of your breast, of the old worldness?
Do our experiences and perspectives reflect traditional or outdated ways of thinking?

And gettin' chewed up (on chest?)
Our experiences can be emotionally and mentally exhausting

Just to relieve the sufferin' or
We may have experiences that are painful or difficult to endure

Tryin' a party till the headlights go off
In an effort to enjoy life and forget our troubles, we may party until dawn

The heads light up when I go off
When J-Live performs, his listeners are filled with excitement and energy

Is he tougher than nails, or sharp as a tack
J-Live's identity and experiences may include both toughness and sharpness

Approximate, or right and exact, Is he pro-dope, or anti-wack
J-Live's identity includes elements of precision and quality, and he supports what is positive and unyielding in hip hop

Conscious or slack, representin' yellow, brown, and black
J-Live's identity includes both mindfulness and carelessness, as well as a representation of diverse cultures and experiences

Strong enough to attack, or wise enough to hold back
J-Live's identity includes both strength and wisdom, to either take action or refrain from it depending on the situation

Yes
This is the affirmative answer to the question of J-Live's identity

The answer precisely,
This answer is exact and accurately describes J-Live's identity

Whether it be hard like Shao Kahn, or soft as Tai Chi,
J-Live's identity includes both toughness and softness, like the contrasting characters in this reference

It's the balance of life, you call it equality
True identity requires a balance of all aspects of life, creating a sense of equality in experience

Yins and yangs rivalry slash comradely
The push and pull between different aspects of our identities creates both conflict and unity

Its the speed of thoughts, calculated musically
J-Live's thought processes and creativity are expressed through music

Celebrated naturally, elevated constantly
J-Live's identity is continuously celebrated and elevated through his music

Right about now you can bubble in A to Z
You can experience the full spectrum of life and identity, from A to Z

'Cause its question and the answer, and the album is me
This song is both a question and an answer, encompassing the entirety of J-Live's identity and experiences

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TRACKS