New times demand fresh tactics. So when Jake the Snake moved to New York in… Read Full Bio ↴New times demand fresh tactics. So when Jake the Snake moved to New York in 2008 to pen his release When in Rome, he shed his skin and emerged from underground a tougher, more enlightened J the S. Now, with a buzzing video for “Another Round” featuring Atlantic Records’ budding star B.o.B., a new street album My Will hosted by DJ Warrior & Mr. Peter Parker, and subsequent third album The Last Days coming in early 2009, J the S is determined to penetrate rap music’s commercial consciousness.

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

Shadows
J the S Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Driving in the poring rain
Wishing you would wash away
Thought I left you far behind
Back when we both said goodbye
Your in every face I see
Even strangers on the street
You live in this radio
There's nowhere that I can go

try to run, I try to hide
I leave your memory behind
Like a shadow you won't leave
I take you everywhere with me
Take you everywhere with me

I would walk across the world
A million miles from what we were
If that would free me from your chains
Help me forget your name

try to run I try to hide
I leave your memory behind
Like a shadow you won't leave
I take you everywhere with me
Take you everywhere with me

I can't shake you
I can't make you go away
And I can't take this haunting me for one more day

try to run, I try to hide
Leave your memory behind
Like a shadow you won't leave
I take you everywhere with me

try to run, I try to hide
I leave your memory behind
But like a shadow you won't leave

I take you everywhere with me
Take you everywhere with me

Overall Meaning

The song "Shadows" by J the S depicts the struggles of moving on from a past relationship. The singer is driving in the rain, wishing that the memories of his former partner would wash away, despite believing that he left them far behind when they said goodbye. However, their memory haunts him, even in the faces of strangers on the street and on the radio. He tries to run and hide from the memories but finds that they follow him like a shadow, constantly with him wherever he goes.

The repetition of the phrase "try to run, I try to hide, leave your memory behind" reflects the desperation of the singer to forget but ultimately accepting that he cannot escape his past. The metaphor of being followed by a shadow is particularly powerful as it emphasises the inescapable nature of past experiences and emotions. The final lines of the song underline the sense of hopelessness the singer feels, as they realise that there is no easy escape from the memories.

Overall, "Shadows" is a poignant song that highlights the emotional struggles of moving on from a past relationship. It showcases J the S's talent not just as a rapper, but as a lyricist who can convey complex emotions in a powerful and accessible way.

Line by Line Meaning

Driving in the poring rain
Traveling while experiencing heavy rain

Wishing you would wash away
Hoping that the rain can wash away his/her memories of the past lover

Thought I left you far behind
Believing that they have moved on from the past lover

Back when we both said goodbye
Remembering the moment they said goodbye to the past lover

Your in every face I see
Seeing the past lover's face in everyone they come across

Even strangers on the street
Noticing a resemblance to the past lover in random people

You live in this radio
Hearing songs that remind them of the past lover

There's nowhere that I can go
Feeling like they cannot escape the memories of the past lover

try to run, I try to hide
Attempting to avoid the past lover's memories

I leave your memory behind
Trying to forget the memories of the past lover

Like a shadow you won't leave
Feeling like the past lover's memories are following them like a shadow