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/
Untitled
J-Live Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
Tell me when you're ready
One, two, one, two
Please, man, don't get with that bullshit
So, let's do a little somethin' like this
El Shabazz, yo J, it's time to rock a rhyme
I'll rhyme it, I'll mix it, and we both do fine
Take a skeezer to the criznotch over Calvin klein
El Shabazz, yo J, our rhymes are fly
How fly? So fly that they're sweet like pie
And the pie is so fly, the girls will all wanna try
El Shabazz, yo J, it's time to rock our shit
What kinda shit? The kinda shit that made wilson flip
So you use a brush, I use a comb not a pick
El Shabazz, yo J, el Shabazz, yo J
We gonna rock this mother fucker like three the hard way
Like this y'all, this y'all, this y'all, this y'all
Dededede dededede this y'all
Yeah boy
Now that you done bought it, ha ha ha ha
Check this shit out, check this shit out
Yo, turn this shit on the other side, I'm tellin' you, the other side is liver than this side
You like this side, but you'll like the other side, 'cause the other side is better
Yo, Shabazz, is it live? It's definitely live' is it live? It's live
It's live? It's live' it's live, it's live, it's live, it's live
Like this y'all, this y'all, this y'all, this y'all
Rock it to the beat, to the beat y'all
In the lyrics of J-Live's song "Untitled," there is a playful and confident interplay between two voices, likely J-Live himself and his alter ego El Shabazz. The opening lines set the tone for the collaboration that is about to take place, as they exchange banter and prepare to dive into a rhythmic exchange of rhymes. The repeated refrain of "You ready, killer?" serves to hype up the energy and anticipation for what is about to unfold.
As the verse progresses, El Shabazz and J engage in a back-and-forth dialogue about the power and prowess of their rhymes. They boast about their ability to craft intricate and clever verses that captivate the audience. References to taking a "skeezer to the criznotch" and the girls wanting to "try" highlight a playful and flirtatious element to their lyrical skill. The comparisons to sweetness and flying heighten the sense of their confidence and swagger as they assert their dominance in the world of hip hop.
The mention of using a brush and comb instead of a pick may allude to the different approaches and styles that El Shabazz and J bring to their craft. It could symbolize their unique perspectives and methods in creating music, emphasizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to creativity. The repetition of their names and the proclamation to "rock this motherfucker like three the hard way" reinforces their unity and determination to make an impact with their music.
Towards the end of the verse, there is a shift in tone as they playfully suggest flipping the record over to experience a livelier and more dynamic side to their music. The excitement and energy build up as they affirm the liveliness and authenticity of their performance, urging the listeners to feel the beat and groove along. The repeated chants of "It's live" and the encouragement to "rock it to the beat" signify a celebration of the moment and a call to engage fully with the music. Overall, the lyrics of "Untitled" showcase a dynamic and charismatic exchange between two skilled artists as they revel in their creative collaboration and musical prowess.
Lyrics © Copyright Control
Written by: James Todd Smith, Rick Rubin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@PeeDee69
Likely the most underappreciated musical genius ever. Brown sugar is a Press Play classic. Voodoo is somewhere between a narcotic high and post-coital haze & Black messiah was proof that he didn't "just still have it", but that still had new sounds to explore and bless us with. Thanks for posting this. The 10 year old who stayed up late one night and saw this just smiled.
@trish25082001
Yes, you are so right.
@HariOm-sf1lj
💯
@nittabell5453
You are So correct that it hurts.😢
@TheOperator150
Hasnt been a song like this one since...this man was so underappreciated
@K7VR
Black folks never needed drugs to reach higher consciousness we had music
@user-do6kh7ob9w
I still love this man and his music!!! I miss the 90s and early 2000s!!! We had the best music and artists keeping Soul, R&B, and even Hip Hop Alive!!!! Now, I don't know what to say anymore. We can't keep the hip hop and R&B stations on long without turning the music. 60's,70's,80's,90's, and the early 2000's were the best music in my opinion were you can your radio on the same station all day.❤
@xmofo83x
Imagine being some dope who randomly went to this taping to see some dopey celeb interview and being absolutely blown the f**k away by this guy youve never heard of giving an all-time performance. Incredible.
@Iamppp
2:02 THE WAY I SCREAM THE HOUSE DOWN THIS PART … 🤣🔥🔥
@StefveoX
he's only singing here but somehow it still feels like he has total command of the music.