Jay Electronica has yet to release a full-length album but has released two official singles to date, "Exhibit A" and "Exhibit C," which won a Sucker Free Summit Award for Instant Classic. His music so far has been made available through the internet, either through being leaked to what URB magazine describes as "obscure web forums", or through an appearing and disappearing MySpace page (currently two seem to be in existence, at /jayelect and at /jayelectronica). Erykah Badu has questioned whether he ever will release, in her words, "actual albums". From New Orleans, LA he has lived in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Denver, and Detroit, where he recorded his Style Wars-era music with several J Dilla beats, meeting the producer subsequently to ask for permission to use the recordings as a demo. Detroit is where Electronica met producer/engineer Mike "Chav" Chavarria, who introduced him to both J Dilla and Mr. Porter, and who is now a regular collaborator.
Jay Electronica first gained significant attention through Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge), made available on a MySpace page in 2007. It is 9:13 continuous minutes of music, without drums, built from Jon Brion's soundtrack to the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. There are five segments or movements, marked by changes in music and mood, raps by Electronica, and occasional snippets of sampled dialogue (children arguing in Kurdish, Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka). The first segment is spoken word by Just Blaze and Erykah Badu describing the artist over piano music. The nature of the piece of music, along with the nature of its appearance, led to a slow build-up of interest in Electronica as an enigmatic figure. Songs circulating online as the Style Wars EP gained wider circulation, and other songs, such as the dream-inspired "Dimethyltryptamine", soon appeared. In January 2008, Gilles Peterson's 90-minute Gilles Peterson Worldwide was devoted to the rapper. Hiphopdx.com in 2008 called him "arguably...the most talked about new emcee last year ... at times...more like a myth or urban legend than an actual rapper", and URB ran a cover story on the artist under the banner "Jay Electronica: A Spotless Mind:: An MC’s mystery revealed", which referred to his wanderings as his being "like some sort of hip-hop Jack Kerouac".
Jeff Weiss' piece for the L.A. Weekly, "Jay Electronica: Much Better Than His Name Would Suggest", acknowledged that the rapper could be fairly described as "one of the most buzzed about rappers of 2008", but attempted to temper the hype somewhat, describing Act 1... as "ambitious, wildly original, if not slightly pretentious", while endorsing only to an extent the comparisons URB had made (referencing an "abstract rhyming style") to rappers like Nas and Pharoahe Monch.
According to URB, Act II: Patents of Nobility will feature Nas, and will be the second of a putative trilogy. URB also reported that digital EPs with both Guilty Simpson and producer 9th Wonder were planned. His most recent music as of November 2008 is the Just Blaze-produced track "Exhibit A (Transformations)".
According to a Filter TV interview, Jay Electronica has partnered with Decon to release his debut project. It is being described as a multi-media release and footage from the project which was partially shot in Nepal and Dubai has begun to surface online. The first clip to leak is titled "Dear Moleskine" and can be found on YouTube, the track was produced by Just Blaze and the clip was directed by Jason Goldwatch from Decon. In June of 2009, Decon and Jay's "The Dogon Society" released "Exhibit A" digitally. "Exhibit C" was released on iTunes December 16, 2009 and quickly shot to the top 10 of the iTunes Hip-Hop charts. The following week it was chosen by Hot 97's DJ Enuff as the Heavy Hitter pick of the week. On February 9, 2010, it was announced Jay Electronica will appear at the 2010 Bonnaroo Music Festival. Further proof of the continuing buzz about this artist saw On Jay Electronica sell out 2 nights at the Jazz Cafe Jazz Café, London (UK) on Feb 17, 2010.
Jay Electronica continued his scattered release practice, dropping "A Million In The Morning" on April 4, 2010. The song features a weary Electronica trying to keep himself awake to escape his nightmares.
On April 30th, Jay Electronica debuted "The Ghost of Christopher Wallace" via his Twitter. The song features P Diddy and is produced by London beatsmith Quincey Tones, who is known for producing such acts as Young Jeezy and Royce da 5'9".
On 12th November 2010, Jay-Z announced that Jay Electronica was officially the newest member of his own 'Roc Nation' record label/management company, which boasts such acts as J. Cole and Willow Smith.
Jay has been travelling the world and was in London, United Kingdom for an extended period of time completing his debut album 'Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn)'.
Jay Electronica and Erykah Badu have a child together, a girl named Mars Merkaba, born on February 1, 2009.
Colors
Jay Electronica Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Won't help to rebuild a city after a hurricane
Your house and your spouse
Your two car garage, the spinners under the range
Lead a nigga to believe he mastered the game
And if you dont have any of the above said material goods than you inferior
Chickens say your lame
So niggas go rob a liquor store to get em a chain
Like convict, dopeman, oh thats them niggas
And if you think theyre really happy go and ask them niggas
I promise you they lie
Position they fingers to throw they hood up in the sky
To tell you man look I
Know what im doin is wrong but how can I survive
And when they hear songs like this to get by they cry
For a split second
Then its back the snappin they fingers to that hit record
Let's meditate for a second
In "Colors" Jay Electronica comments on the cyclical nature of poverty in American cities. The first verse sets up the idea that people are chasing material wealth as a measure of success, but this ignores the fact that even having those things can't protect you from natural disasters like hurricanes. He goes on to say that those who don't have these material goods are deemed inferior by society, leading to desperation in those who feel like they have to rob or harm others to gain these symbols of success. Jay points out that this is a trap, perpetuated by a consumerist society that perpetuates this idea of success and places value on material goods.
Line by Line Meaning
Gucci prada and vera wang
Expensive clothes and brands
Won't help to rebuild a city after a hurricane
Material possessions can't help in times of crisis
Your house and your spouse
Your home and partner
Your two car garage, the spinners under the range
Luxury cars and accessories
Lead a nigga to believe he mastered the game
It gives a false sense of success
And if you dont have any of the above said material goods than you inferior
The society considers those without material possessions inferior
Chickens say your lame
Women judge men based on material possessions
So niggas go rob a liquor store to get em a chain
People resort to theft to acquire material possessions
Shoot up a house party for nothin to get em a name
Violence is glorified in the society
Like convict, dopeman, oh thats them niggas
Criminals are idolized in the society
And if you think theyre really happy go and ask them niggas
People who lead a life of crime aren't truly happy
I promise you they lie
They lie about their happiness
Position they fingers to throw they hood up in the sky
Symbolic gesture to show pride for their neighbourhood
To tell you man look I
To prove their point
Know what im doin is wrong but how can I survive
They are aware of their actions being wrong but feel they have no choice
And when they hear songs like this to get by they cry
Certain songs touch their emotions
For a split second
Brief moment
Then its back the snappin they fingers to that hit record
They return to listening to upbeat songs
Let's meditate for a second
A call for reflection and introspection
Contributed by Daniel Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
John Doe
Gucci, Prada and ?
won't help to rebuild a city after a hurricane
Your house and your spouse
your two car garage with spinners under the Range,
would lead a nigga to believe he mastered the game
And if you don't have any of the above said material goods then you inferior
? will say you're lame
Some niggas will rob a liquor store to get em a chain
Shoot up a house party for something to get them a name
"Like Convict", "Dope Man", "Ah That's Them Niggas"
And if you think they really happy go and ask them niggas
I promise you they'll lie
Position they fingers to throw they hood up in the sky
But tell you "Man look I know what I'm doing is wrong but how can I survive?"
And when they hear songs like this to get by they cry... for a split second
Then it's back to snapping they're fingers to that hit record
Let's meditate for a second
NYG1991
50 seconds of lyrical bliss from the great Jay Electronica!
Jamal Miller
Act 2 is officially complete!!!!
Nigel McGraw
1. Elec will drop more shit when he feels it. he said in july that Act II was done, just waiting to drop it. 2. some of his dope shit's short because sometimes when something's great it has to end before it starts to suck, like how the joker said that heroes who live long enough only live long enough to see themselves become a villain. 3. this has been released, it's on the attack of the clones mixtape.
Apollo G
shit that didn't age well ^^^
Jose Lopez
wtf why is all his cool shit really short?
Jeff C
FOR FUCK'S SAKE WHERE DO THEY HIDE THIS GUY?? 2012 NEEDS JAY ELECTRONICA!
Nathaniel Ryles
Dope
Sorriz
I wish this lasted loner/ is there a full version?
gavpac911
godamn jay release somethin
GeniusHood
Please tell me this song will be released soon.