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/
Wax Paper
J-Live Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, a little more, I gotta be kinda low on this one
Yo, as I start from scratch about this born suspect named Nic
A street legend, pulling hits was his infatuation
From birth his first spoken word was "Tech"
So by the age of 12 you could guess what would dominate his conversation
He had a twin brother borns in the part
Taking turns letting off shots to move crowds
With the needlepoint aim and the infrared sights so they ruled the night
His tone arm stayed tipped with the nickle-plated
So even in the crossfire they were never faded
It was debated but the still play was overrated
But they negated all competitors that tried to state it
Very few crossed the line and made it
Without a scratch, for every new batch there was a new catch
Often, people asked Nic why his revolver wouldn't stop
He replied "Everybody wants me in the coffin"
His pitch ass tried to get live at a red light
He received 33 from a 45
By the green light, the change in his heartbeat tempo
Proved to Nic that nobody was exempt
So, he took his game from the PJ centers
To the clubs, constantly getting caught up in the mix
Slipping through the fingers of the system
Waiting in the cut to see who'll be the next man to try and diss him
Til one day, Nic was playing sniper again
Quiet but deadly, picking off his prey from the roof when
All of the sudden he had the illest vision
It got him amped, he stood up straight and started woofing
His twin bro simply had no idea
That the killer Nic was reevaluating his career
When his thought process made him defiant
Equilizing similar victims from one major client
The concept hit him in a Flash
There was much more to this lifestyle led than petty cash
But his brother just couldn't understand
That every move they made was planned by the unseen hand
So Nic flipped the script from the new to next school
Transformed the game and rearranged the rules
Self-employed, but quest made a transition
Cornered the market by taking out your competition
Well Nic's brother didn't have the same ambition
He'd rather catch his victim than his fellow suspects
But he agreed something had to change so as they discussed this
He realized his life like "Poetic Justice"
So Nic's right hand man broke left
To become one of the well-known 5 Fingers of Death
Similar ends with new means and motivation
Cause now it's volunteer work to vent his frustration
They both grew with time and skills became refined
At once saw it's essential to read between the lines
They both like to see their prey dead
But one was addicted, to seeing a pale body filled with lead
See Nic's brother had a signature move
So folks would know he was the one out to get 'em
It's like he pulled the trigger to the rhythm
Just to make you think that your fate,
was signed and sealed in permanent ink
And don't let the motive be anything more than cold-blooded
Cause then he'll put two times the effort in the caper
When diamond-tipped shells will drop jewels in your dome
Pull out your heart, and wrap it up in wax paper
In J-Live’s song Wax Paper, the rapper tells the story of two twin brothers, Nic and his unnamed brother, who start off their career as notorious street legends. Nic was obsessed with guns and killing, which dominated his conversations since a young age. Both brothers were DJs and would take turns letting off shots to move crowds. Nic had a signature move where he would shoot to the rhythm just to make sure his victims knew that he was the one who was out to get them. Nic’s brother wasn’t as obsessed with killing people as he was, which caused a disagreement between the two. However, they agreed that something needed to change. Nic had an epiphany and realized that he could corner the market by taking out the competition, and thus transforming the game and rearranging the rules. Meanwhile, Nic’s brother became one of the well-known 5 Fingers of Death, doing volunteer work to vent his frustrations. Nic’s story ends with him pulling out the heart of his victims and wrapping it up in wax paper.
The lyrics of Wax Paper are very insightful and tell a captivating story of two twin brothers who start off their careers as notorious street legends. It speaks of obsession, conflict, and epiphany. It shows how two people from the same background can grow up to have different ambitions and how they can come up with different solutions to solve the same problem. It also shows the transformation of Nic as he sees that there is more to life than just killing people for petty cash. The wax paper becomes symbolic of the end of Nic’s story as it represents the finality of his victims' deaths.
Line by Line Meaning
Check, turn up my mic a little
Adjust the volume of my microphone slightly
Yeah, a little more, I gotta be kinda low on this one
Raise the volume a bit more, I prefer a quieter delivery for this track
Yo, as I start from scratch about this born suspect named Nic
I will begin with the story of Nic, a man who was seemingly destined for a life of crime
A street legend, pulling hits was his infatuation
Nic was known as a notorious killer who enjoyed taking lives
From birth his first spoken word was "Tech"
Nic was exposed to firearms from a very young age
So by the age of 12 you could guess what would dominate his conversation
Nic's obsession with guns only grew stronger as he grew older
He had a twin brother borns in the part
Nic had a fraternal twin brother who grew up with him in the same neighborhood
One was dark, one was light, neither was right
Nic and his brother were different in appearance but shared a similar history of violence
Taking turns letting off shots to move crowds
Nic and his brother were skilled marksmen who used their weapons to intimidate and control others
With the needlepoint aim and the infrared sights so they ruled the night
Nic and his brother were so precise with their shots that they were virtually untouchable in the dark
His tone arm stayed tipped with the nickle-plated
Nic's firearm was always loaded and ready to fire
So even in the crossfire they were never faded
Nic and his brother were never harmed, even when caught in the midst of gunfire
It was debated but the still play was overrated
Others may have thought that Nic and his brother's tactics were unnecessary or excessive
But they negated all competitors that tried to state it
Despite the criticisms, Nic and his brother remained undefeated and in control
Very few crossed the line and made it
Those who attempted to challenge Nic and his brother rarely survived
Without a scratch, for every new batch there was a new catch
Nic and his brother continued to evade and overcome anyone who threatened their reign of terror
Often, people asked Nic why his revolver wouldn't stop
Nic's enemies were puzzled by his ability to keep firing without pause
He replied "Everybody wants me in the coffin"
Nic was aware of the constant danger he faced and lived with the understanding that death was always a possibility
His pitch ass tried to get live at a red light
One of Nic's targets foolishly attempted to challenge him at a traffic stop
He received 33 from a 45
Nic killed the man with 33 shots from a .45 caliber firearm
By the green light, the change in his heartbeat tempo
The man's heart rate increased as he realized he was about to die
Proved to Nic that nobody was exempt
The man's death served as a reminder to Nic that anyone could be a target
So, he took his game from the PJ centers
Nic expanded his operations from the projects to more upscale environments
To the clubs, constantly getting caught up in the mix
Nic and his brother began to frequent nightclubs, where they continued to attract attention and instill fear
Slipping through the fingers of the system
Nic and his brother were proficient at evading law enforcement and avoiding incarceration
Waiting in the cut to see who'll be the next man to try and diss him
Nic and his brother were always on guard and ready to eliminate anyone who posed a threat or insulted them
Til one day, Nic was playing sniper again
Nic resumed his habit of shooting people from a distance
Quiet but deadly, picking off his prey from the roof when
Nic was able to kill his targets without being detected or seen
All of the sudden he had the illest vision
Nic had a sudden epiphany or realization
It got him amped, he stood up straight and started woofing
Nic became excited and began to talk boastfully
His twin bro simply had no idea
Nic's brother was unaware of Nic's change in attitude or plans
That the killer Nic was reevaluating his career
Nic was beginning to question his lifestyle and contemplate a different path
When his thought process made him defiant
Nic's introspection led him to become more defiant and rebellious
Equilizing similar victims from one major client
Nic decided to use his skills to eliminate those who threatened his community
The concept hit him in a Flash
Nic suddenly realized that he could use his abilities to do good rather than harm
There was much more to this lifestyle led than petty cash
Nic understood that there was more to life than just money and power
But his brother just couldn't understand
Nic's brother was still committed to a life of crime and violence
That every move they made was planned by the unseen hand
Nic believed that there was a guiding force or destiny that determined their actions
So Nic flipped the script from the new to next school
Nic changed his approach to life and began to pursue a different path
Transformed the game and rearranged the rules
Nic became a positive influence in his community and changed his own life for the better
Self-employed, but quest made a transition
Nic became an entrepreneur and began to pursue new ventures
Cornered the market by taking out your competition
Nic outcompeted his rivals by offering better services or products
Well Nic's brother didn't have the same ambition
Nic's brother was content with his old way of life and did not share Nic's newfound goals
He'd rather catch his victim than his fellow suspects
Nic's brother prioritized eliminating their enemies over supporting their community
But he agreed something had to change so as they discussed this
Nic's brother recognized that their lifestyle was unsustainable and needed to be reevaluated
He realized his life like "Poetic Justice"
Nic's brother understood that their actions had consequences and could not continue indefinitely
So Nic's right hand man broke left
One of Nic's closest associates, who shared his desire for change, left the group
To become one of the well-known 5 Fingers of Death
The man joined a group of skilled fighters and became respected for his abilities
Similar ends with new means and motivation
Nic and his brother both continued to pursue their goals, but with different approaches and motivations
Cause now it's volunteer work to vent his frustration
Nic's brother channeled his energy into positive activities and sought to help others
They both grew with time and skills became refined
As they continued on their paths, Nic and his brother improved their abilities and gained new perspectives
At once saw it's essential to read between the lines
They both learned to see beyond the surface and understand the deeper meaning behind people's actions
They both like to see their prey dead
Despite their differences, Nic and his brother still shared a desire to eliminate their enemies
But one was addicted, to seeing a pale body filled with lead
Nic's brother had become addicted to killing and deriving pleasure from it
See Nic's brother had a signature move
Nic's brother had developed a unique style or technique when killing his targets
So folks would know he was the one out to get 'em
Nic's brother wanted his targets to know they were being hunted by him specifically
It's like he pulled the trigger to the rhythm
Nic's brother had developed an almost musical style when firing his weapon
Just to make you think that your fate,
He did this to instill fear and make his targets believe that they were doomed
was signed and sealed in permanent ink
Nic's brother wanted his victims to believe that their death was inevitable and unchangeable
And don't let the motive be anything more than cold-blooded
Nic's brother had no moral justification for his killings; his motives were purely malicious
Cause then he'll put two times the effort in the caper
If his targets had a specific motive or reason for their actions, Nic's brother would become even more determined to eliminate them
When diamond-tipped shells will drop jewels in your dome
Nic's brother used expensive or high-quality ammunition when killing his targets
Pull out your heart, and wrap it up in wax paper
Nic's brother enjoyed killing and causing pain to others, and would often take gruesome trophies from his victims
Contributed by Austin G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.