J. Stalin, real name Jovan Smith, is a rap musician from the Cypress Villag… Read Full Bio ↴J. Stalin, real name Jovan Smith, is a rap musician from the Cypress Village housing projects in West Oakland. In 2007, he signed to Zoo Entertainment Production Company run by artist Mekanix, who described his style as a variant of Hyphy known as "Go". He is also the Owner of Livewire Records, President of Town Thizzness ENT, which is a sub-division of the late Mac Dre's Thizz ENT.

J. Stalin claims in an interview that he was born into poverty and earned money as a child by selling candy bars on the BART trains. Around age 13, he began recording and selling rap music. A member of Oakland's hyphy culture, he is described by a local magazine as a "rapper and sideshow participant".

Although young and boyish-looking, J. Stalin adopted a tough rapper persona. He references Joseph Stalin in his stage name because they shared the same initials, and "he was short like me, but he was always smashin' on everybody." In a recent interview he remarked about his home and lifestyle, "This is West Oakland, man. This is the bottoms right here." He went on to say that the crime rate in his neighborhood was so high, the city had remodeled the housing units in his housing project to remove the back doors so that criminals could not escape from home raids by the police.

J. Stalin's first widely released performances arose when a DJ Daryl, a local recording studio owner, placed him on a track he was recording. A colleague of Daryl's, Richie Rich, was impressed enough to put J. Stalin on three tracks in his 2002 album Nixon Pryor Roundtree album and two more as a member of Rich's group, the Replacement Killers. He later recorded and performed with artists such as G-Stack, Beeda Weeda of the Hieroglyphics collective, Keak Da Sneak and San Quinn, E-40, The Luniz, The Team, The Frontline, Mob Figaz, Yukmouth, Numskull, Shock G, and others. As of 2006 he had released roughly 7 mixtapes and had four releases scheduled for 2007.[1] Mekanix and Zoo Entertainment released "On Behalf of the Streets" in early May 2007. J. Stalin is the President of Town Thizzness, and the owner of Livewire Records. He is also the front man in his group, Livewire Da Gang. The Livewire Gang consists of many artists from various neighborhoods in North, East, and West Oakland. Some of these artists include, Shady Nate, Jay Jonah, Philthy Rich, Stevie Joe, Lil Rue, Lil Blood, Ruben Stunner, R.O.B., Ronald Mack, Kiwi, HD, Major D, and Mayback.

Tell Me
J. Stalin Lyrics

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暗い街に生まれ
祈る事といえば
いつか見た青空へ
飛び立つことだけ
サイコロの目に俺が出たのか
長距離電話のベルが鳴る
不安と期待を体に詰めて
この街へやってきた

汚れた駅のなかで
悲しみを覚え
嘘と真の体を持った女も知った
Please Please Tell Me Why
いつからこうなったのか
もう帰る家も無いのか
今の俺たちには

針の山を越えて
拳の雨くぐっても
いつか見た青空を
抱きしめてみたいけど
古い約束を金に換えて
新しい見栄と歩き出す
そんな自分に驚きながら
ナイフの刃研いでばかりいるよ
Please Please Tell Me Why
いつからこうなったのか
もう帰る家も無いのか
今の俺たちには
Please Please Tell Me Why
いつからこうなったのか

もう帰る家も無いのか
今の俺たちには

Overall Meaning

These lyrics are from the song "Tell Me" by J. Stalin. The song talks about the struggles and hardships of growing up in a dark city and the desire to break free and reach for the blue sky. It conveys a sense of uncertainty and anticipation for what lies ahead.

The first verse describes the singer's birth in a dark city, where the only thing they know to pray for is the chance to someday fly to the blue sky they once saw. The mention of rolling dice suggests the randomness or luck that determines one's fate. The ringing of a long-distance phone call signifies a moment of uneasiness and excitement as the singer packed their worries and expectations and arrived in this city.

In the second verse, within the filthy train station, the singer experienced sadness and learned about women who carried both lies and truths within them. This suggests encounters with deceit or manipulation. The repeated plea of "Please Please Tell Me Why" reflects a deep longing for answers and understanding, questioning how they ended up in this situation and if there's no home to return to anymore.

The third verse depicts a challenging journey, symbolized by crossing over a mountain of needles and enduring a rain of fists. Despite these obstacles, the singer still desires to embrace the blue sky they once saw. However, they compromise their old promises for money, adopting a false sense of superiority and starting a new path. This realization surprises the singer and they admit to constantly honing the metaphorical knife's edge, suggesting a relentless and dangerous existence.

The repeated plea for answers in the chorus reflects the ongoing confusion and desperation of the singer, questioning how they ended up in this situation and if there is no home left for them anymore. The lyrics emphasize the struggle and disillusionment faced by the singer and those around them in their current circumstances.

Line by Line Meaning

暗い街に生まれ
I was born in a dark city

祈る事といえば
Speaking of praying

いつか見た青空へ
Towards the blue sky I once saw

飛び立つことだけ
Only to take flight

サイコロの目に俺が出たのか
Was I the one chosen by the roll of the dice?

長距離電話のベルが鳴る
The bell of a long-distance phone call rings

不安と期待を体に詰めて
Filling my body with anxiety and hope

この街へやってきた
I came to this city

汚れた駅のなかで
In the midst of a dirty station

悲しみを覚え
I learned sorrow

嘘と真の体を持った女も知った
I also knew women with a mix of lies and truths