Braggin' Writes
J-Live Lyrics
For underground metaphors
You can scrape an inch below the turf, for what it's worth
My style's been developed in the core of the Earth
The exhale's volcanic, the inhale is seismic
So brothers just panic when he Live one arrives with
The natural ability to run through your crew
From 2-1-4 to 2-1-3 to 2-1-2
In other words, from Dallas, to L.A., to the place where J stay
So you can talk your trash on how you're wettin MC's
with mad blood stains but I'll bet you can't stand the rain
I look upon your brain with disdain
Go back and reflect on my endeavors black I can't complain
It's like a raw deal, consistent with the way I make you feel
The ends stay revealed while the means I conceal
And those who try to steal get decapitated
You want to snatch my H2O type flow, but it evaporated
I displays my credentials over instrumentals
And my potential, increases at a rate that's exponential
It's detrimental questioning my thesis
The penetration's exact, like amniocentesis
I rip your rhyme to pieces after draining out your fluid
My vocab is fluent yours is evident of being truant
I know you want to make moves but son you best to take a second look
Before my knight takes your rook
[Chorus]
Cause everybody's rapping, and only few can flow
So why the hell they trying to deal with Live I don't know
I handle true MC's on their block or at their show
So if you come with bull kid, keep it on the low
Cause yo, I got the hairsplitting, self-written unbitten style
that leaves the competition running scared and shaking in their pants
You best to set it off cause black it ain't no second chance
once I'm open, all you doing is hoping that the Live one
will put the mic down, but son don't try to snatch it after
The laughter won't cease from the comparison, how dare you son
Step around the booth when I'm on
The microphone magician says poof, you're gone with the wind
There's no trace of your friends cause you don't know where the
beginning ends or where the end begins
But you see that's the difference, you get sold, I get paid
Black I told you, get paid
If you're broke I'll have to rain on your parade
You belong in Special Ed if you think you Got It Made
J-Live with the mic is like the chef with the blade
Cause suckers get sliced and sauteed
Yeah, you thought your joint was fly but the flight was delayed
because
[Chorus x2]
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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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." Read Full BioJ-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/
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/
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Ulises Pérez
For underground metaphors
You can scrape an inch below the turf, for what it's worth
My style's been developed in the core of the Earth
The exhale's volcanic, the inhale is seismic
So brothers just panic when the Live one arrives with
The natural ability to run through your crew
From 2-1-4 to 2-1-3 to 2-1-2
In other words, from Dallas, to L.A., to the place where J stay
Everyday is mayday
So you can talk your shit on how you're wettin' MC's
With mad blood stains but I'll bet you can't stand the rain
I look upon your brain with disdain
Go back and reflect on my endeavors black I can't complain
It's like a raw deal, consistant with the way I make you feel
The ends stay revealed while the means I conceal
And those who try to steal get decapitated
You wanna snatch my H2O-type flow, but it evaporated
I displays my credentials over instrumentals
And my potential, increases at a rate that's exponential
It's detrimental questionin' my thesis
The penetration's exact, like amniocentesis
I rip your rhyme to pieces after drainin' out your fluid
My vocab is fluent, yours is evident of being truant
I know you wanna make moves but son you best to take a second look
Before my knight takes your rook
Cause everybody's rapping, and only few can flow
So why the hell they trying to deal with Live I don't know
I handle true MC's on their block or at their show
So if you got some bullshit, please keep it on the low
Cause yo, I got the hair-splittin', self-written unbitten style
That leaves the competition running scared and shaking in their pants
You best to set it off cause black it ain't no second chance
Once I'm open, all you doing is hoping that the Live one
Will put the mic down, but son don't try to snatch it after
The laughter won't cease from the comparison, how dare you son
Step around the booth when I'm on
The microphone magician says poof, you're gone with the wind
There's no trace of your friends cause you don't know where the
Beginning ends or where the end begins
But you see that's the difference, you get sold, I get paid
Black I told you, get paid
If you're broke I'll have to rain on your parade
You belong in special ed if you think you got it made
J-Live with the mic is like the chef with the blade
Cause suckers get sliced and sauteed
Yeah, you thought your joint was fly but the flight was delayed
Because
Cause everybody's rapping, and only few can flow
So why the hell they trying to deal with Live I don't know
I handle true MC's on their block or at their show
So if you got some bullshit, please keep it on the low
Cause everybody's rapping, and only few can flow
So why the hell they trying to deal with Live I don't know
I handle true MC's on their block or at their show
So if you got some bullshit, please keep it on the low
Cause yo, I take the grey matter of pretenders
Through my mental blender, and then return to sender
My pen don't pretend to offend
I intend to render MC's, hanging loose like a fender bender
I recommend regardless of your gender
That you strike fucking with J-Live from your agenda
And remember that whoever lends a helping hand to defend ya
Will get burned to a cinder
As I end the, reign of wack MC's with their suicidal tendencies
Rendering me sick, with the thoughts of killing enemies
But then I return to reality
Metaphorically murdering MC's when they battle me
You can't rattle me
I'm not your average snake slithering through the grass
I surpass the serpent as I head to class
You consider me crass as I wax that ass; style's no joke
But you best belive I gets the last laugh
BLACK MEN TALK RADIO
this joint can bump on the radio today and change the entire game
ReeferFatness
Bring it please, wipe these wack ass flows with it.
derickg73
"You belong in special ed , if you think you got it made ". Sick verse right there.
Spook Killskillz
@Justthe2ofusTV that's not a dis. It's called a reference
Justthe2ofusTV
@slick blaster dissing special ed
ffeda
@slick blaster Now why would you think that...??? he just used it to make clever line. Why does everything has to start the negativity
slick blaster
Is he dissin ?
xvillian
J live with the mic is like a chef with the blade, cause suckaz get sliced and sauteed 🔥
Joseph Baumgardner
he does it all at the same time scratches and raps, I seen it live
0G35
Timeless. People rocking this in 2026