Jake spent his first years in the West Indies, where his father hustled and both parents mingled with the popular musicians of the time. Domestic and economic situations changed for the family, so they relocated to Massachusetts. Throughout his youth, Jake was introduced to criminal elements on the street and at home. A volatile domestic situation and flawed role models inspired a notebook full of rhymes and dedication rarely seen in young artists.
Despite coming up in Boston behind underground icons such as Mr. Lif and Esoteric, J the S remained faithful to blacktop Hip Hop. As a result, he became a regular show opener for artists like Kool G Rap, AZ, Cormega, The Beatnuts, Boot Camp and Wu-Tang. To date, Snake has amassed a solid foundation. Before he could legally buy alcohol, he graduated from the local battle circuit and begun to script vicious narratives.
In just four years, J the S dropped two internationally distributed full-length albums and a pair of venomous mixtapes, landed singles on Rap Network, Rap Attack Lives and CMJ charts, and enjoyed rotation on more than 300 college radio stations including Boston’s renown WERS, where he earned “Artist of the Month” honors in June 2007. Beyond his East Coast ethos, J the S is also marked by his experience as a middle school teacher and his socially progressive mission, which has landed him on bills alongside dead prez, Brand Nubian and KRS-One.
“I love and rep Boston, that’s my home,” J expresses, “but I also grew up in the West Indies, on the islands of Nevis and Montserrat, then around other parts of New England, so I feel lucky to have a little broader perspective on things. There is a lot of Hip Hop and urban music history in Boston, and a lot of variety to this day. I strive to walk my own path, and I feel proud as an artist coming out of Boston carving my own lane. Because I've lived other places, I’ve been able to travel through this music, and I try to make music for the world. I want to talk about issues that everyone can relate to.”
On the strength of his 2006 album, Strategy of the Crown, which featured guests including Ras Kass, Trife da God and Devin the Dude, J the S followed up with his DJ Vlad-hosted Year of the Snake Vol. 2. The sequel to his Peter Parker-hosted Vol. 1, the mixtape proved that he could rock consecutive projects with – or without – headliner associates. Featuring limited assists from Boston cronies such as Loose Notes and his own Greater Good crew, J the S gave fans enough original material to choke on until his next endeavor.
In March of 2008, J the S dropped the project When In Rome. Beyond cameos from the likes of Joell Ortiz, Skyzoo, Slaine and Ras Kass, the powerful street album introduced rap fans to an MC whose pilgrimage to Hip Hop’s pinnacle was a long, disciplined and rewarding journey. The Joell Ortiz assisted single “Do You” peaked as 1 song nationwide on the two premiere college radio charts nationwide, Rap Attack Lives and Rap Network, aside from garnering commercial radio attention and mixtape love.
Despite the recent apathy of Hip Hop fans seeking that “missing” piece to the music, J the S feels confident that he delivers the right balance of what people want and what they need in the genre. “When people say 'something is missing', it’s usually those who are bored with the state of music, or aren’t getting what they want from the music at the time,” he explains. “I have my personal opinions of what’s missing from Hip Hop right now, so I try to bring those missing elements - but everybody wants different things. What I bring to the table is a mix of the story telling and picture painting, so you can visualize what I'm speaking on, so you can feel like you're right there with me. I bring a voice of pain, of intelligence, and of hunger to improve.”
J’s new project My Will is a street-friendly prelude to his upcoming full-length album The Last Days. Presented by DJ Warrior and Peter Parker, My Will features original production from the likes of MGI, Stu Bangas and Raf Moses, and impactful guest appearances from Saigon, Kool G Rap, B.o.B., Donny Goines, Emilio Rojas and The Greater Good crew.
“My Will is a perfect transition for my album The Last Days, because there are a lot of messages that I have on this project that segue into the concept of my official album,” asserts J. “I feel The Last Days is my best work to date, no question. When it hits, it's gonna be serious - but these are serious times, right?”
He might be an anomaly, but J the S is poised to be a factor in Hip Hop’s return to form, while expanding his realm with new sounds. If he can pull it off in Boston, where pushing Golden Age street styles is less common than being a Republican, he can do it anywhere.
www.myspace.com/jtheshiphop
Freeze
J the S Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could see it was a rough-cut Tuesday
Slow-motion weekdays stare me down
Her lipstick reflex got me wound
There were no defects to be found
Snapshot image froze without a sound
Her face still focused in my mind
Test-strip, proof-sheet love is hard to find
Friday night we'll dance the spotlight grind
Stop-time heart for me if she's not mine
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame, now freeze
Now I'm lookin' at a flashback Sunday
Zoom lens feelings just won't disappear
Close-up darkroom sweet-talk in my ear
Her hot-spot love for me is strong
This freeze-frame moment can't be wrong
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame, now freeze
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame, now freeze
Freeze-frame
Freeze-frame
Like a freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame
It's like the freeze, she's breeze
Freeze-frame
It's like the freeze, she's
Freeze-frame
Freeze-frame
Freeze-frame
In J the S's song Freeze, the lyrics depict the struggle of a man who is unable to commit to a relationship. The song starts with the artist acknowledging the promises he made to his significant other, how he was willing to put everything on hold for her, and how the conversation they are about to have is overdue. However, as the song progresses, it becomes evident that he is not ready to settle down, and his behavior is getting out of control. He acknowledges that he is not ready for a long-term commitment, even though he feels ready when he is with her. He asks her to freeze, implying that she should wait until he becomes a better man and is ready to give her the commitment she deserves.
The artist seems to be going through an internal struggle, torn between his love for his partner and his unwillingness to commit. He admits to his past hurts and how they have made him scared to lead and afraid of love getting the best of him. Despite how hard it is for his partner to hear and how much she might want him to change, he pleads with her not to change or leave, but to freeze for the time being until he is ready to commit to the relationship.
Overall, Freeze is a song that expresses the artist's emotional conflict between love and commitment. It highlights the importance of patience and understanding in any relationship and the need for individuals to grow and evolve before being comfortable with settling down.
Line by Line Meaning
I know I said I would roll with you
I promised to be with you
Put my lifestyle on hold for you
I was willing to change for you
All them sweet things that I told you
I said many nice things to you
This conversation is overdue
We need to talk about our relationship
Getting too wild to respect the vow
I'm becoming too reckless to keep to my promise
I just ain't ready to settle down
I don't want to commit to a serious relationship
My name too big in the ghetto now
My reputation is too prominent in this neighborhood
Feels like I'm ready when I'm holding you
I feel like I want to be with you
But it's so many honey's what I'm supposed to do?
But there are many other women, what should I do?
Keep sending them apology notes to you?
Should I continue apologizing to you?
All I need is for you to freeze
I need you to stop changing or leaving
This is hard on me
This situation is difficult for me
I don't wanna leave
I don't want to go away from you
But in the mean time take back the keys and
But for now, give me back the keys and
Don't change
Don't become different
Don't go
Don't leave
Just freeze!
Just stay the same
I know girl it's a lot to ask!
I know it's asking for a lot
Tell me what other choice I have
What else can I do?
When you love someone reach back
When you love someone, respond to them
Girl I hope you understand
I hope you can comprehend
Promise I'll be back for you
I promise to come back to you
When I become a better man
When I'm more mature and responsible
Why I gotta do this?
Why do I have to act like this?
I ain't sure
I'm not certain
Why I gotta wild out?
Why do I have to be reckless?
Iono
I don't know
I know how it feels
I know the feeling
I been hurt before
I have experienced pain in the past
I know you disappointed you expected more
I understand that you're upset, you wanted more from me
I'm loosing a good one and that's fo'sho
I'm losing a great person, that's for sure
I be tryina fight but it calls me yo
I'm trying to fight my urges, but they're strong
Please don't change the locks on tha door
Please don't lock me out
Quit cryin' 'cause it ain't yo fault
Stop crying, it's not your fault
Blame it on the streets of New York
Blame it on the environment of New York City
Young L gotta walk this walk girl
I have to go through this situation, girl
I know it's rough but I need your support
I know it's difficult, but I need your help
You said it all last time that we fought
You already expressed your feelings during our last argument
So don't talk baby hold that thought and
So, don't say anything, hold that thought, and
What would you think if I told you that I
How would you react if I told you that
Knew that I was breaking your heart
I knew I was hurting you
Want to explain but where should I start?
I want to clarify, but I don't know how to begin
Wake up every morning with a different girl
I wake up next to a different woman every day
Cause I don't wanna settle down before I see the world!
Because I don't want to commit before exploring the world
Know exactly what you need indeed
I know what you require
Hate to follow but I'm scared to lead
I dislike following, but I'm afraid to lead
Too scared love will get the best of me
I'm too scared of falling in love and getting hurt again
I know deep down by the zest of me
I know in my heart
Hopefully some day I can give you that ring
Hopefully one day I can propose to you
But until then just do this one thing
But until then, do this one thing
I mean listen, I like you
I mean, I enjoy spending time with you
It's not like I forgot about you
I haven't forgotten about you
Know what I'm sayin'
Do you understand what I'm saying?
I just gotta get this out of my system
I just need to get rid of these urges
Knowhadimean?
You know what I mean?
Iono if I'm ready for a relationship,
I don't know if I'm ready for a committed relationship
You know what I'm sayin'
Do you comprehend what I'm conveying?
Matter of fact I promise you
In fact, I promise you
Freeze!
Stay the same
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Peter Wolf, Seth Justman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jerryhaider1625
I watched this video for the first time, although I have heard the song many times. The song seems to view a woman being a centerfold as something negative. I don’t. Only pretty women get to be centerfolds.
I’ve never seen nor heard of an extra fat or an ugly woman who is selected to be a centerfold.
Being a centerfold is an honor similar to being selected to be Miss America, although there are more hoops to jump through to be Miss America than just looking pretty.
I think that his blood runs “cold” simply because it rhymed with other words : that he his memory has just been “told” that is angel was a center ”fold”.
Maybe his memory should have just been told that she’s still not too “old” to be a very pretty center ”fold”. ... and to be valued like a special coin of “gold”. etc.
“gold”. When my awareness had been told in a local news story that my angel would be a future centerfold, my blood certainly did not run cold.
The song has a catchy tune with rhyming words but it’s description of a fake event and a fake reaction are ridiculous.
When I heard that my angel would be a centerfold, I was pleasantly surprised. Not too many guys can say that they had a female playmate as a kid who later became the playmate of the month in July 1987!
@smokinjz
I could see it was a rough cut Tuesday
Slow motion weekdays stare me down
Her lipstick reflex got me wound
There were no defects to be found
Snap shot and it froze without a sound
Thursday morning was a hot flash factor
Her face still focused in my mind
Test strip proof sheet love is hard to find
Friday night we danced the spotlight grind
Stop time heart for me if she's not mine
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, I freeze, yeah
Now I'm looking at a flashback Sunday
Zoom lens feeling just won't disappear
Close up, dark room, sweet talk in my ear
Her hot spot love for me is strong
This freeze frame moment can't be wrong
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, I freeze, yeah
Can't be wrong
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, I freeze, yeah
Freeze frame, oh yeah
Freeze frame, yeah
I freeze, you freeze
Freeze frame, yeah
Freeze frame, yeah
Freeze frame, yeah
I freeze, you freeze
Freeze frame, yeah
Freeze frame
@NevilleRollerDrome
J. Geils signed to play for $20,000 at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown before Freeze Frame hit big. The album hit and they kept their commitment to our small campus of 2,000 students. It was a great show and they played like there were 20,000 of us. A class act and a great band!
@rayjohnson2387
I saw the freeze frame tour at the convention center in Indianapolis...U2 was the opening band...I don't think there was more than 2,000 people there
@terrycarthy4433
@@rayjohnson2387 ; great memory ! I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan in Melbourne, Australia, in October '84...not many there. He didn't seem to care, God bless him.
@rayjohnson2387
@terrycarthy4433 yea ..and concerts didn't cost a fortune back then...saw the rock n roll marathon in 80...it was...Mother's Finest...Angel...Humble Pie and Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush....was $6.00 lol
@terrycarthy4433
@@rayjohnson2387 ; I saw James Brown in 1996 for $36 ! Was in seriously good form, the joint was just movin'.
@sabrinasetzler689
❤❤❤
@PureJoyful
Who's still here 2024? Another great classic 💯
@camzinke5028
Me
@oscarl.ramirez7355
word.
@rhalld
one of my favorite bands from the 80's still listening in 2024