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/
Don't Play
J-Live Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(laughing)
(Chorus)
Don't play games with J cause you'll see
On the sidelines your fans be on mine (Repeat)
It's been a long time coming
As we dead all the damn debate
Anticipate this change gon come
You damn straight
Non stop till my name preceded by the great
I get around like digital Pac
And been around like the ice cream truck on your block
And hold it down with a squirt gun deep in your sink
Spittin around tight wisdom making you think
If you around light sweetheart you can reflect
Don't put it down cause you need art you can respect
I know it sound not quite like what you expect
Type underground meaning not just after the check
If you predict this mist you can hardly detect
Will draw you up plus six then you stand correct
Lost and found no joke if you sleep or neglect
Then suck a dick till it's poking out the back of your neck
Now bring it in
Chorus
I heard nice guys finish last
But see this theory doesn't quite explain the reason I'm
Letting y'all rat racers leave the gate ahead of time
And still politely waiting for you at the finish line
Some people find it so amazing how I put a rhyme
Together and bring it to life like Dr. Frankenstein
I hope you can handle the truth cause see I'm frank with mine
So it be seeming like I'm actin kinda stank at times
But see my lines are built for battle like a tank design
Runnin through obstacles like popeye through spinach time
I got some rules and regulations to diminish crime
And if you follow em you could become a friend of mine
Some catch amnesia with their lyrics and remember mine
Then they forget that it's a tool I use to speak my mind
But then they even got the nerve to try to freak my rhymes
But they get ate like they was paint and I was turpentine
Now bring it in
Chorus
It's been a long time going
But you still got a bounce in your neck
Till your problems feel neglect
It's incorrect if you still detect all of the stress
From the folks that expect to divide your check
See that's the shit that be making you think
Soon as your ship comes in you'll be ready to sink
The mind state got some scared of leaving their block
Phobiatic they'll be going out like Biggie and Pac
Now meanwhile some will swing it and it come out great
Find a shorty give you wop till you can't see straight
Tell her bounce in the morning she won't even debate
Call her back next night and she just can't wait
Peep the former home alone now he feel irate
Trying to front upon the style that the Live create
You hear the same word twice and wanna file a complaint
Well check the order of the line that'll set things straight
Now bring it in
Chorus
The song Don't Play by J-Live is a hip-hop track with elements of activism and social commentary. At the start of the song, J-Live warns listeners not to play games with him or his fans will come for them. He then goes on to talk about his journey as an artist and how his music is not just for the sake of money or fame, but also about bringing about change. He encourages people to reflect on their actions and not be afraid to step out of their comfort zones.
Throughout the song, J-Live touches on various topics including the pressure of the music industry, the importance of being true to oneself, and the fear of leaving one's own community. He also references pop-culture icons like Tupac and Biggie, using their legacies to draw a comparison to the struggles faced by many artists today.
Overall, the song is a call to action to listeners, urging them to take responsibility for their actions and to strive for a better future. By sharing his own experiences and insights, J-Live encourages listeners to think critically about the world around them and to play an active role in creating positive change.
Line by Line Meaning
You over did it homes (laughing)
J-Live laughs at someone for overdoing it.
Don't play games with J cause you'll see
On the sidelines your fans be on mine (Repeat)
J-Live warns others not to mess with him because they will lose their fans to him.
It's been a long time coming
But the blood doesn't flow with the wait
As we dead all the damn debate
Anticipate this change gon come
You damn straight
Non stop till my name preceded by the great
J-Live says it's been a long time coming for him to make a change and he won't stop until he's recognized as great.
I get around like digital Pac
And been around like the ice cream truck on your block
And hold it down with a squirt gun deep in your sink
Spittin around tight wisdom making you think
If you around light sweetheart you can reflect
Don't put it down cause you need art you can respect
I know it sound not quite like what you expect
Type underground meaning not just after the check
If you predict this mist you can hardly detect
Will draw you up plus six then you stand correct
Lost and found no joke if you sleep or neglect
Then suck a dick till it's poking out the back of your neck
Now bring it in
J-Live talks about being everywhere and spitting out wise words. He also talks about not putting down art that isn't mainstream and how people who don't pay attention will get left behind. He ends with a vulgar insult and tells the listener to come back for more.
I heard nice guys finish last
But see this theory doesn't quite explain the reason I'm
Letting y'all rat racers leave the gate ahead of time
And still politely waiting for you at the finish line
J-Live says he's not the typical nice guy that finishes last, but is letting others win and is waiting patiently for them at the end.
Some people find it so amazing how I put a rhyme
Together and bring it to life like Dr. Frankenstein
I hope you can handle the truth cause see I'm frank with mine
So it be seeming like I'm actin kinda stank at times
But see my lines are built for battle like a tank design
Runnin through obstacles like popeye through spinach time
I got some rules and regulations to diminish crime
And if you follow em you could become a friend of mine
Some catch amnesia with their lyrics and remember mine
Then they forget that it's a tool I use to speak my mind
But then they even got the nerve to try to freak my rhymes
But they get ate like they was paint and I was turpentine
Now bring it in
J-Live describes how his rhymes come to life and are made for battle. He also discusses his rules to stop crime and how people forget that his rhymes are used to express his opinions.
It's been a long time going
But you still got a bounce in your neck
Till your problems feel neglect
It's incorrect if you still detect all of the stress
From the folks that expect to divide your check
See that's the shit that be making you think
Soon as your ship comes in you'll be ready to sink
The mind state got some scared of leaving their block
Phobiatic they'll be going out like Biggie and Pac
J-Live acknowledges that it's been a long time coming, but tells the listener not to get weighed down by stress or the expectations of others. He also warns them not to be afraid to leave their comfort zone.
Now meanwhile some will swing it and it come out great
Find a shorty give you wop till you can't see straight
Tell her bounce in the morning she won't even debate
Call her back next night and she just can't wait
Peep the former home alone now he feel irate
Trying to front upon the style that the Live create
You hear the same word twice and wanna file a complaint
Well check the order of the line that'll set things straight
Now bring it in
J-Live describes how others have success with women, but some people still criticize his style. He tells them to check the order of his lines if they have a problem with repetition.
Contributed by Nathaniel W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.