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/
Brooklyn Public Part 1
J-Live Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bed-Stuy
It's representing of
Brownsville
It's representing of
Bushwick
It's dedicated to
Fort Greene
Brooklyn
Or better yet the whole
New York
Or better yet the whole
America
It's going out to all
Worldwide
[Refrain:]
Welcome to Brooklyn Public
One of the hardest places to work
So please don't apply
Unless you really love it
It's nine to five or rather eight to three
It's really five to nine, A to P
If it's your job place nothing above it
You make more in other places
With higher property tax and less faces
But if that's what you covet
You ought to ask yourself if this is where you want to be
To help you by I'll try to paint a picture of it
One class, 31 students, 32 chairs, 25 desks
I guess they gotta share
19 textbooks and most are missing pages
Junior high: three grades, but six different ages
Teaches and janitors double as deans
Deans double as security guards and crime scene investigators
Older teachers need respirators. At elevators
The bad odors from the back stairs are made of
Gutter (garshavegas?) used condoms and puddles of piss
Try not to slip there in a fire drill
Every now and then a scandal might reach the paper
For every story, there's thirty in the category
Hard work and progress are on display in the hallways
Demoralized and vandalized every day
Lessons cut short to prep for tests that only test how well you prep
Man, no wonder why the score's a mess
Knuckle-heads begging for detention or suspension
Truthfully told, they really only crave attention
Some kids showing up unprepared and dirty
'Cause their parents gotta punch in by seven thirty
Shit, some other parents seven thirty
They put the wrong kids on pills to be still
Fiending for refills
Principals with no principles
Priorities political
Pedagogical planning is pitiful
Low on tolerance, high on ridicule
Even the infirmary's inhospitable
Assembly required
Metal detectors seeming unjust but inspired by shots fired
Terms like zero-tolerance and lock-down
Aging out, if you ask me, does not sound
Like education
But I suppose that's a 'cause and effect'
When the city spends more on incarceration
[Refrain]
Grown-up, roam the halls with me
So many characters
Some sweet some shifty
Some loud some quiet
Some trusting, some don't buy it - don't try it
Some'll try to squash beef and some start riots
Some are motivated some are lazy
Some are geniuses some are crazy
The line between is hazy
Some'll love you some'll hate you
Some'll need you some'll spite you
Some are thankful, some are ungrateful
Yo, some are there and really care
About what's being learned and taught
They fought through it when they got stuck
Some are there 'till the bell rings
Run through the day without thinking
'Cause they really don't give a fuck
Some'll run some'll fight
Some'll tell, some might change the world
Some are early to the grave or jail
Some are so complicated, some are so simple
Some are students, some are teachers
Some are principals
[Refrain]
Come upstairs, keep roaming the halls with me
Some many characters, some sweet some shifty
Like I said, some are complicated some are simple
Some are students, some are teachers
Some are principals
The littlest thugs walk like they are invincible
Comical, just look at little Dexter
Yo, he got the type of Napoleon complex to
Step in front of Devon, twice his size, just to get him vexed but
Devon's a gentle giant
Thirteen, five foot eleven
His mom's a nurse and his dad's a reverend
Every now and then he gets irreverent...
In the song Brooklyn Public Part 1, J-Live pays homage to the borough of Brooklyn, specifically to four neighborhoods: Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, Bushwick, and Fort Greene. He dedicates the song to Brooklyn, New York, and even to the whole of America. The refrain welcomes listeners to Brooklyn Public, one of the hardest places to work, and advises those who do not love it not to apply. The song then goes into vivid detail about the challenges of working in a Brooklyn public school. J-Live describes the overcrowded classrooms, shortage of textbooks, and the grim smells of stairwells that consist of gutter, condoms, and pee. He also talks about the challenges that students face, including poor preparation, disinterested teachers, and the administration’s focus on testing rather than actual learning.
The song paints a bleak picture of the realities of working in or attending Brooklyn public schools. However, J-Live also includes characters that students and teachers encounter daily. These characters range from kind to wicked, engaging to distant, and ambitious to lethargic. It is a microcosm of the diversity in the borough of Brooklyn. The song is meant to shed light on the struggles and challenges of public education in Brooklyn, but also to celebrate the people who make up the community.
Line by Line Meaning
It's dedicated to
This song is a tribute to
Bed-Stuy
A neighborhood in Brooklyn that is often called by its full name: Bedford-Stuyvesant
It's representing of
This song is a representative homage to
Brownsville
A neighborhood in Brooklyn that is often referred to as Brownsville
Bushwick
A neighborhood in Brooklyn that is often called by its full name: Bushwick
It's dedicated to
This song is a heartfelt tribute to
Fort Greene
A neighborhood in Brooklyn that is often referred to as Fort Greene
A matter fact I hold
In actuality, I represent and embrace
Brooklyn
A borough of New York City that J-Live holds dear
Or better yet the whole
To be more precise, not only Brooklyn but all of
New York
A city in the United States that J-Live loves and represents
Or better yet the whole
To be more specific, not only New York but all of
America
A country that the song represents and honours, globally
It's going out to all
This song is addressed to and inclusive of all people everywhere
Worldwide
All parts of the world, without exception
Welcome to Brooklyn Public
This is an introduction to Brooklyn Public
One of the hardest places to work
Brooklyn Public is a difficult place to work, marked by a variety of challenges
So please don't apply
Unless you are truly dedicated to this environment, please don't work here
Unless you really love it
It's only when you really love working here that you'll be a good fit
It's nine to five or rather eight to three
The school day starts at 9am and ends at 5pm, or actually from 8am to 3pm
It's really five to nine, A to P
The truth is that classroom preparation and grading extends the school day from 5am to 9pm, and runs from A to P grading periods
If it's your job place nothing above it
There's nothing more important than this profession if it's your job
You make more in other places
There are other areas where your salary will be higher
With higher property tax and less faces
These other areas have higher taxes and fewer people than here
But if that's what you covet
If you're seeking material wealth and nothing else
You ought to ask yourself if this is where you want to be
You should take a pause and really consider whether or not this is the right place for you
To help you by I'll try to paint a picture of it
To help you understand what Brooklyn Public is really like, let me describe it
One class, 31 students, 32 chairs, 25 desks
There are not enough desks and chairs for every child in a classroom with 31 students
I guess they gotta share
They are forced to share and make do with what they have
19 textbooks and most are missing pages
There are not enough textbooks or even enough complete textbooks in this school
Junior high: three grades, but six different ages
At the junior high level, there are three grades with an age range often extending across six years
Teaches and janitors double as deans
Teachers and janitors both also serve as deans at this school
Deans double as security guards and crime scene investigators
Deans also have to double as security guards and crime scene investigators
Older teachers need respirators. At elevators
Some older teachers have respiratory issues and need special accommodations like respirators, shared also by elevators
The bad odors from the back stairs are made of
The smells that come from the back of the building are a mixture of
Gutter (garshavegas?) used condoms and puddles of piss
Foul odours that contain everything from discarded condoms and urine to open sewage in the gutter
Try not to slip there in a fire drill
Even in a fire drill, it's important to watch your steps and avoid slipping
Every now and then a scandal might reach the paper
Occasionally, a scandal from this school might make the headlines
For every story, there's thirty in the category
Behind these one-scandal-per-news sources stories, there is a trail of similar untold stories, thirty times more to be precise
Hard work and progress are on display in the hallways
In the halls, the hard work and progress of the students are evident
Demoralized and vandalized every day
However, this is often overshadowed by the prevalent vandalism and demoralization that exist every day
Lessons cut short to prep for tests that only test how well you prep
Sometimes, classroom lessons are forced to be cut short in order to prepare for tests that only assess how well you were able to prepare for them
Man, no wonder why the score's a mess
It's no surprise that the grades and test scores are poor considering these conditions
Knuckle-heads begging for detention or suspension
Some students are deliberately seeking or provoking punishment, like detention or suspension
Truthfully told, they really only crave attention
Their negative actions and behaviour pattern are reflective of their deep-seated craving for attention. It's their only way of seeking attention
Some kids showing up unprepared and dirty
Some students come to class filthy and disheveled
'Cause their parents gotta punch in by seven thirty
This is often because their parents have to be at work early, by 7:30 in the morning
Shit, some other parents seven thirty
There are some parents who have to be at work by 7:30am too, but for different reasons
They put the wrong kids on pills to be still
Sometimes the school-system wrongly suggests to parents that their kids suffer from ADD, ADHD etc.. and parents put them on pills as a status quo fix for unconventional behaviour instead of addressing the real underlying factors
Fiending for refills
Some students become addicted to these pills and keep asking for more
Principals with no principles
There are some principals in the school with no ethics and no willingness to address underlying issues
Priorities political
Often, their priorities are shaped by political alliances rather than the actual needs and issues of the school's students
Pedagogical planning is pitiful
The planning for the school's curriculum is often subpar and not effective at engaging students or supporting overall student achievement
Low on tolerance, high on ridicule
Instead of being patient and understanding, some educators and administrators in this school are quick to critique and ridicule their students
Even the infirmary's inhospitable
Even the school's infirmary is inhospitable and unwelcoming for the child's needs
Assembly required
The school and its educators often have to spend time and energy working on student's before they're ready to receive the intended message
Metal detectors seeming unjust but inspired by shots fired
While some might see the metal detectors at the entrance of the school as an unjust or intrusive way to keep track of students, these machines are there for a very good reason, as sometimes actually guns and other weapons are taken from students trying to bring them to the school
Terms like zero-tolerance and lock-down
In certain cases when there is immediate threat to student safety the school needs to use words like 'zero-tolerance' and 'lock-down' to maintain order and get appropriate reactions from the students and faculty
Aging out, if you ask me, does not sound like education
An aging school system that cannot keep up and meet the needs of the evolving times, isn't education really
But I suppose that's a 'cause and effect'
However, this current state of affairs and inadequate education system is but a result of some deeper processes in society
When the city spends more on incarceration
The funding and resources for education are not enough when the government spending is aimed at incarceration more so than education
[Refrain]
This is the song's chorus or refrain that repeats through the song
Grown-up, roam the halls with me
Join me in walking around these school halls to see what it's really like here as an adult
So many characters
There are so many different personalities in this school
Some sweet some shifty
Some people are kind and earnest, while others are deceitful or unreliable
Some loud some quiet
Some are outspoken and expressive, while others are quiet and reserved
Some trusting, some don't buy it - don't try it
Some people here are able to trust easily, while others are skeptical and guarded
Some'll try to squash beef and some start riots
Some individuals will try to resolve conflicts, while others will only escalate them into riots
Some are motivated some are lazy
Some of the students are motivated to learn, while others are not inclined to put in the effort
Some are geniuses some are crazy
Some students possess immense intellect and talent, while others are unpredictable or unstable
The line between is hazy
The line differentiating between these distinct traits is often blurred or undefined
Some'll love you some'll hate you
Some people will like you, while others will hate or resent you
Some'll need you some'll spite you
Some individuals will require your help, while others will reject and spite you
Some are thankful, some are ungrateful
Some students and people are grateful for their situations, while others experience the opposite of gratitude
Yo, some are there and really care
Some people working or attending this school are truly invested in their education and welfare of this school
About what's being learned and taught
They are concerned and passionate about what is being taught and learnt in the school
They fought through it when they got stuck
When these people face struggles or barriers to learning, they persevere and work hard to overcome them
Some are there 'till the bell rings
Some people are only present at this school until the end of the day
Run through the day without thinking
They just go through the motions of the day, without much reflection or engagement
'Cause they really don't give a fuck
Because they don't sincerely care
Some'll run some'll fight
Some students will be highly motivated and work hard, while others will be difficult to engage or motivate
Some'll tell, some might change the world
Some students will have the courage to speak up and advocate for themselves, and others will become changes agents in their community and the world
Some are early to the grave or jail
And some will become victims of tragic circumstances and end up dying prematurely, going to jail or engaging in criminal activities
The littlest thugs walk like they are invincible
Even the youngest delinquents in the school seem to act as if nothing can stop them
Comical, just look at little Dexter
The way some of these children act can almost seem like a comedic act, like a character like Dexter
Yo, he got the type of Napoleon complex to
He has the type of complex that Napoleon is often attributed to, namely an inferiority complex that manifests as aggression and exaggeration of one's own abilities or importance
Step in front of Devon, twice his size, just to get him vexed but
He isn't afraid to take on someone twice his size and provoke them, just to sow discord or create a disturbance
Devon's a gentle giant
Devon may be large in size, but he is gentle and kind
Thirteen, five foot eleven
Devon is thirteen years old, but already stands at five foot eleven inches tall
His mom's a nurse and his dad's a reverend
Devon's mother is a qualified nurse, while his father is a priest or pastor
Every now and then he gets irreverent
Occasionally Devon may act disrespectfully or unknowingly break social norms
Contributed by Grace G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Colin Tylor
one of my favs great story telling
GJS666
Great track. Simple as!!!
trebor0123
J live is ill all his stuff is fucking epic !
Timothy Barson
dope!