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/
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/
Can I Get It%3F
J-Live Lyrics
Verse 1
-------
It was a summer mornin' at the age of eighteen
I'll start the story in the shower singin' Microphone Fiend
Tryna figure my routine for the day
There's mad things to do with no delay
In preparation for this jam around the way
I'm steppin' out the shower
Crossin' out the calendar
Pickin' out the afro and pullin' out the gear
I hear the same sounds every mornin'
Sports centre, the traffic
Your mom dukes screamin' in my ear
Dipped, yet my thoughts slip
Thinkin' that my plans just barely coincide with my money clip
But get a grip 'cause by the end of the day, bro
Your pockets'll be a-ight, even before the crowd says 'A-yo!'
I jet up to Lex, take the 6 to the are
My journey wouldn't feel as far if I had a car
5-O was there, so I paid my fare
But I didn't care 'til he gave a glare, who you tryna scare?
I'm passin' flyers to a crew of fly young sisters
A chicken from my past is actin' crab, so I had to diss her
My head bops and my fingers pops 'til I reach my stop
Then I mush my way through to the record shop
Can I get it one time for the selector?
Does he come correct in your sector?
Indoors or an outside jam
Can I get it if ya understand?
Verse 2
-------
As I exit stage right, lookin' forward to the night
It's official, Imma have this party packed tight like toilet tissue
What's the issue? I'm never comin' wack
We never lack the latest flavour, keepin' crates stacked
Buyin' records by the pack
With my knapsack filled as I chilled
On the see-Train, simple and plain, let me explain
I had to check my man Gee for his m-i-see
'cause the way we be mine simply couldn't maintain
As usual Gee was on C.P Time
But he came through with this mic, plus this bleeder light, right
My next step was to transport the system
Let's see, between me and my peeps five deep
We still had no ride
So I hailed a taxi, since the yellow's don't stop
And it don't quit, you know we went gypsy
Arrivin' on the scene at about eight-fifteen
To the same routine, some sheisty brother frontin' on my green
Never that, nah mean? Check this out, black
Skip the non-sense 'cause Imma say this just once
I want the money we discussed last week
Plus you're payin' for my ride
I'll take my loot upfront with no stunts, bro
Put your chequebooks away, no pay no J
No J no sound play, you make no profit, understand?
Plus your name was on the flyers so your rep'll be dead
What he said? Not a thing, he put the cash in my hand...
Can I get it one time for the selector?
Does he come correct in your sector?
Indoors or an outside jam
Can I get it if ya understand?
Can I get it one time for the selector?
Does he come correct in your sector?
Old school or a new school jam
Can I get it if ya understand?
Verse 3
-------
On the line perplexed, fixed to flex 'cause you're far from next
And the next one to bump you from the back gets his chin checked
But I don't know about that 'cause I'm already in there
And I got ya grinnin' when you hear your favourite record spinnin'
So skip it, 'cause now you're bouncin' to the door
But if you're riffin' with the bouncers
You'll be bouncin' straight up off the floor
So if you're mad at the security
(Sadat X: It don't mean jack to me...that's how it's supposed to be)
As I mix Walk on By over Passin' Me By
Seem like everybody puffin' but I'm contact high
Off this fresh new wax, with the real brown sugars makin' eye contact
React, what's the haps? It's digits or excuses?
I'm pullin' out the pen and she supplies the data
Flavour, but for now I got tracks to spin
So if you're stayin' til the end we can handle this later
Torturin' the fader, the Tech 12 freaker
The bass from the amps shake the stickers off the speaker
I don't claim to have the loudest sound in town
But from the inside it felt like the ground shaked from Lenox to Bleecker
Circles form, dance contests
Most know how I do while the rest make requests
But Imma play what you want to hear anyway
So get your boogie on and parley
Can I get it one time for the selector?
Does he come correct in your sector?
Old school or a new school jam
Can I get it if ya understand?
Can I get it one time for the selector?
Does he come correct in your sector?
Outside or an indoor jam
Can I get it if ya understand?
-------
It was a summer mornin' at the age of eighteen
I'll start the story in the shower singin' Microphone Fiend
Tryna figure my routine for the day
There's mad things to do with no delay
In preparation for this jam around the way
I'm steppin' out the shower
Crossin' out the calendar
I hear the same sounds every mornin'
Sports centre, the traffic
Your mom dukes screamin' in my ear
Dipped, yet my thoughts slip
Thinkin' that my plans just barely coincide with my money clip
But get a grip 'cause by the end of the day, bro
Your pockets'll be a-ight, even before the crowd says 'A-yo!'
I jet up to Lex, take the 6 to the are
My journey wouldn't feel as far if I had a car
5-O was there, so I paid my fare
But I didn't care 'til he gave a glare, who you tryna scare?
I'm passin' flyers to a crew of fly young sisters
A chicken from my past is actin' crab, so I had to diss her
My head bops and my fingers pops 'til I reach my stop
Then I mush my way through to the record shop
Can I get it one time for the selector?
Does he come correct in your sector?
Indoors or an outside jam
Can I get it if ya understand?
Verse 2
-------
As I exit stage right, lookin' forward to the night
It's official, Imma have this party packed tight like toilet tissue
What's the issue? I'm never comin' wack
We never lack the latest flavour, keepin' crates stacked
Buyin' records by the pack
With my knapsack filled as I chilled
On the see-Train, simple and plain, let me explain
I had to check my man Gee for his m-i-see
'cause the way we be mine simply couldn't maintain
As usual Gee was on C.P Time
But he came through with this mic, plus this bleeder light, right
My next step was to transport the system
Let's see, between me and my peeps five deep
We still had no ride
So I hailed a taxi, since the yellow's don't stop
And it don't quit, you know we went gypsy
Arrivin' on the scene at about eight-fifteen
To the same routine, some sheisty brother frontin' on my green
Never that, nah mean? Check this out, black
Skip the non-sense 'cause Imma say this just once
I want the money we discussed last week
Plus you're payin' for my ride
I'll take my loot upfront with no stunts, bro
Put your chequebooks away, no pay no J
No J no sound play, you make no profit, understand?
Plus your name was on the flyers so your rep'll be dead
What he said? Not a thing, he put the cash in my hand...
Can I get it one time for the selector?
Does he come correct in your sector?
Indoors or an outside jam
Can I get it if ya understand?
Can I get it one time for the selector?
Does he come correct in your sector?
Old school or a new school jam
Can I get it if ya understand?
Verse 3
-------
On the line perplexed, fixed to flex 'cause you're far from next
And the next one to bump you from the back gets his chin checked
But I don't know about that 'cause I'm already in there
And I got ya grinnin' when you hear your favourite record spinnin'
So skip it, 'cause now you're bouncin' to the door
But if you're riffin' with the bouncers
You'll be bouncin' straight up off the floor
So if you're mad at the security
(Sadat X: It don't mean jack to me...that's how it's supposed to be)
As I mix Walk on By over Passin' Me By
Seem like everybody puffin' but I'm contact high
Off this fresh new wax, with the real brown sugars makin' eye contact
React, what's the haps? It's digits or excuses?
I'm pullin' out the pen and she supplies the data
Flavour, but for now I got tracks to spin
So if you're stayin' til the end we can handle this later
Torturin' the fader, the Tech 12 freaker
The bass from the amps shake the stickers off the speaker
I don't claim to have the loudest sound in town
But from the inside it felt like the ground shaked from Lenox to Bleecker
Circles form, dance contests
Most know how I do while the rest make requests
But Imma play what you want to hear anyway
So get your boogie on and parley
Can I get it one time for the selector?
Does he come correct in your sector?
Old school or a new school jam
Can I get it if ya understand?
Can I get it one time for the selector?
Does he come correct in your sector?
Outside or an indoor jam
Can I get it if ya understand?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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