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/

Watch Sun Watch
J-Live Lyrics

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Taking taking take off your clothes
Oh no, oh no no, uncle Joe
Watch out for uncle Joe
Hey, take off your clothes
Watch out for uncle Joe
Hey, hey shh, watch, watch out
Watch out for uncle Joe
Take off your clothes, take off your clothes

Hey, hey watch out for uncle Joe
Uh oh, uh oh
Watch out, watch out
Watch out for uncle Joe
Uh oh, uh oh
Uh oh, take off your clothes
Watch out, watch out
Watch out
Watch out for uncle Joe
Hey, hey watch out
Shh, don't tell mommy
Mommy doesn't understand
Shh, take a look, sit down
Shh, shh sit down
Watch out, watch out
Watch out, watch out
Watch out, watch out
Watch out for uncle Joe
Watch out, watch out
Watch out, watch out

Watch out
Watch out for uncle Joe

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to J-Live's song "Watch Sun Watch" are sparse and repetitive, but they convey a sense of caution and unease. The repeated phrase "watch out for Uncle Joe" serves as a warning, suggesting that there is an individual named Uncle Joe who poses a potential threat or danger. The repeated urging to "take off your clothes" could imply a sense of vulnerability or submissiveness in the face of this danger.

The lyrics also reference a child saying "shh, don't tell mommy" and "mommy doesn't understand." This suggests a situation where the child feels the need to keep secrets and hide something from their parent, possibly due to fear or discomfort. The line "shh, take a look, sit down" implies a directive to observe or be quiet, further emphasizing the secretive and potentially manipulative nature of Uncle Joe's presence.

The repetition of the phrases "uh oh" and "watch out" further heighten the sense of unease and danger. These repeated warnings serve as a reminder to be cautious and vigilant, especially in Uncle Joe's presence. The lyrics create a tense and unsettling atmosphere, suggesting that this is not a safe or comfortable situation for the person being addressed in the song.

Overall, these lyrics seem to explore themes of vulnerability, manipulation, and the need for caution in potentially harmful situations. The repetition of phrases and the sparse nature of the lyrics create a sense of urgency and tension, reflecting the unease surrounding Uncle Joe and the need to be on guard.

Line by Line Meaning

Taking taking take off your clothes
Removing your clothing

Oh no, oh no no, uncle Joe
Expressing concern about Uncle Joe

Watch out for uncle Joe
Being cautious of Uncle Joe

Hey, take off your clothes
Requesting the removal of clothing

Hey, hey shh, watch, watch out
Drawing attention to the need for caution

Take off your clothes, take off your clothes
Reiterating the need to remove clothing

Uh oh, uh oh
Signaling a potential problem

Watch out, watch out
Being vigilant and alert

Uh oh, uh oh
Indicating another potential problem

Uh oh, take off your clothes
Another warning to remove clothing

Watch out, watch out
Continued vigilance