Hendricks was born in Flatbush, Brooklyn, to Jamaican parents. He spent the majority of his childhood in Flatbush before moving to Alabama at age 13, where he says he experienced a significant amount of racism, later affecting his music. Hendricks moved to Louisiana and enlisted in the United States Air Force at age 18. He served a tour of duty in Iraq and also spent time in Kuwait, Germany, Japan, and North Africa before being honorably discharged. Though he previously claimed to have a master's degree in journalism, Hendricks has since clarified that, though having studied the subject while deployed, he was not officially awarded a degree. In April of 2021, Hendricks revealed through social media that he had "a sexually, verbally, and physically abusive childhood."
Hendricks developed an interest in music production at the age of 15, and he began producing after he learned how to sample. Describing his production, Hendricks says "When I was first making beats, no one liked the beats. To this day I give people beats and they're just confused." He says "I started rapping because no one liked my beats." Noting that he started producing before he started rapping, Hendricks said "I'm a producer first kind of, and then a rapper second but I take both of them seriously."
His music has mostly been described as experimental hip-hop but has been said to incorporate a wide range of genres into his music such as trap, R&B, and noise rap. In an interview with Cambridge Union, Hendricks noted that his biggest influence is Kanye West. He states that one of his earliest influences was the rock group Hanson. He has also cited Ol' Dirty Bastard, Throbbing Gristle, MF DOOM,Lil B, Chief Keef, Ice Cube, Rick Rubin, Cam'Ron, Björk, Janelle Monáe, Radiohead, The Backstreet Boys, and Arca as influences.
During his military stay in Japan, he was producing and writing music under the name Devon Hendryx. In 2015, after moving to Baltimore, he began to make music under his moniker JPEGMAFIA, under which he released his mixtape “Communist Slow Jams” in April of 2015. Only a month later, he released his mixtape “Darkskin Manson,” inspired by the Freddie Gray protests in Baltimore happening right as he had moved there.
Following a number of mixtapes, Hendricks released his debut studio album, “Black Ben Carson,” in February 2016 via Deathbomb Arc featuring a much harsher, distorted sound than his other projects. Four months later, he released a collaborative EP with fellow Baltimore-based rapper Freaky, titled "The 2nd Amendment.” After less than 3 years living there, Hendricks moved from Baltimore to Los Angeles to record his next studio album. In January 2018, he released his second studio album “Veteran.” In an article on Bandcamp, he said “I wanted to show I'm not just a one-trick pony. I always do weird shit. I usually just keep it to myself. This time, I just let the filter go." At the time of its release, “Veteran” was considered JPEGMAFIA's most experimental album to date, receiving widespread critical acclaim.
After the release of Veteran, Hendricks started working on his next album. He recorded 93 songs but whittled it down to only 18 tracks. He mixed and mastered it at the end of Vince Staples' tour, posting percentage updates frequently on his Instagram. Prior to the release, he would label the project as a "disappointment" in interviews and his social media. The first single from the album, "Jesus Forgive Me, I Am a Thot," was released on August 13, 2019. He promoted the album by uploading a series of listening sessions to his YouTube channel where friends and artists such as Denzel Curry, Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco), and Hannibal Buress discussed and reacted to cuts off of the album. “All My Heroes Are Cornballs” was released on September 13, 2019, to further critical acclaim, and was his first album to chart. In October 2019, he embarked on the JPEGMAFIA Type Tour to support his album.
In 2020, Hendricks released several singles across the span of the year, and compiled them into an EP, aptly titled EP!. It was released on Hendricks' Bandcamp page on November 6, and on streaming services with the addition of one extra single on December 10. On February 12, 2021, Hendricks released his second extended play, EP2!. On October 2, Hendricks announced his album, LP!, which was released on October 22, 2021, his birthday.
On January 15, 2023, Hendricks made a hint on his social media that he was working on a collaborative project with fellow rapper, Danny Brown. On January 20, 2023, Hendricks officially announced three albums will be dropping the same year. On February 10, 2023, Hendricks announced on his Twitter that the collaborative project with Danny Brown was finished, and is working on his second album for the year. On February 28, 2023, on The Danny Brown Show, both Hendricks and Brown announced that their collaborative project was named SCARING THE HOES, and played a sneak peek of the first single on the project.
On March 13, 2023, the first single of the project called “Lean Beef Patty“ was released to streaming services, and Hendricks announced that the collaborative project is set to release on March 24, 2023. The second single “SCARING THE HOES“ was released to streaming services three days before the release date of the album along with a music video. Three days later, the collaborative album "SCARING THE HOES"was released.
I Cannot Fucking Wait Until Morrissey Dies
JPEGMAFIA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tom (Tom), Varg (Varg), Morrissey (yeah)
Bunch of timid white who can't fuck with me (okay)
My daddy told me these white can't keep a key (woo!)
Fifth in his face, got him singing C (damn)
Never (woo!) Mind, you or me (okay)
Fuck a Johnny Rotten, I want Lil B (man)
Fuck you niggas talkin', this a killin' spree (dang)
Pull up on a cracker, bumpin' Lil Peep
God (God) damn (damn), holy sheet
Got my reparations, bought some jewelry (yo)
Ayy, I'm a left-wing Hades
26 with a fresh .380
We show you exactly how we do it down in the country, baby
This Alabama though, huh
Watch make you go cock-eyed
Racks make you walk wop-sided
And you know I rock real diamonds
You ain't even gotta look at 'em
On my dick, 'cause I'm edgy
Sit ya pale ass down, have a Pepsi, yeah
I'm way past flexing
Feel the dab in my chest, this is venting
Now maybe I'm s-, okay
The song "I Cannot Fucking Wait Until Morrissey Dies" by JPEGMAFIA is a provocative and controversial track that takes aim at Morrissey, a British singer and former frontman of The Smiths. The lyrics are filled with references to other musicians such as Varg Vikernes and Johnny Rotten, as well as witty insults that are targeted towards white people. The overall tone of the song is confrontational and aggressive, with JPEGMAFIA asserting his dominance over those that he considers to be his inferiors.
The lyrics in the song are best understood as a commentary on race relations and cultural appropriation within the music industry. More specifically, the song exposes the inherent racism and hypocrisy of many white musicians, who often appropriate aspects of black culture without showing any respect for the history and struggles of black people. By taking aim at Morrissey, who has a long history of making controversial and insensitive comments about race and immigration, JPEGMAFIA is making a statement about the need for greater accountability and awareness among white musicians.
Line by Line Meaning
I do it, I do it, do it (it really don't matter to me dawg)
I don't care what others think, I do what I want and that's just how it is
Tom (Tom), Varg (Varg), Morrissey (yeah)
Referencing well-known figures in music, highlighting Morrissey's age compared to the others
Bunch of timid white who can't fuck with me (okay)
I see myself as superior to these timid white musicians
My daddy told me these white can't keep a key (woo!)
My father warned me that white people can't be trusted with important things
Fifth in his face, got him singing C (damn)
Threatening someone with violence by putting a fifth of liquor in their face, making them sing or speak incoherently
Never (woo!) Mind, you or me (okay)
I don't care about the opinion or thoughts of others, or that of myself
Fuck a Johnny Rotten, I want Lil B (man)
I don't care about older, more famous musicians like Johnny Rotten, but prefer current, lesser-known artists
Fuck you niggas talkin', this a killin' spree (dang)
I don't want to hear anyone else's opinion or talk, as I'm focused on destroying all competition
Pull up on a cracker, bumpin' Lil Peep
I'll gladly confront a white person while listening to Lil Peep, to assert dominance
God (God) damn (damn), holy sheet
Expressing mild surprise or amazement
Got my reparations, bought some jewelry (yo)
I've received compensation for past injustices, and spent it on luxurious items
Ayy, I'm a left-wing Hades
I'm like the Greek god Hades, but with left-leaning political beliefs
26 with a fresh .380
At 26, I have a new .380 caliber gun
We show you exactly how we do it down in the country, baby
I'll demonstrate how things are done in the rural areas of the country
This Alabama though, huh
I'm specifically referring to the state of Alabama
Watch make you go cock-eyed
My flashy watch will make you stare, with a potentially uncomfortable expression
Racks make you walk wop-sided
Having a lot of money will make you walk differently, as if you're limping
And you know I rock real diamonds
I wear authentic diamond jewelry
You ain't even gotta look at 'em
My diamonds are so noticeable, you don't even need to stare to know they're real
On my dick, 'cause I'm edgy
People are obsessed with me because I'm unique and unconventional
Sit ya pale ass down, have a Pepsi, yeah
I'm telling someone to calm down and drink a Pepsi, using their skin color as an insult
I'm way past flexing
I'm not just showing off anymore, I'm actually succeeding
Feel the dab in my chest, this is venting
I'm taking a dab of marijuana, and it's helping me release pent-up emotions
Now maybe I'm s-, okay
I might be acting strange or erratic, but I don't care
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Barrington Hendricks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind