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.
Retro Electro
Jay Electronica Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
sucka emcees better call me sire
I wont stop rockin til the moon retire
til the prophecys fulfilled and the earth catch fire
nope, I aint trying to be goin back into poverty
workin a nine to five and be hopin i hit the lottery
nope, I came too far to turn back on my
heels like a windmill and head back home-a
parlaying up in V.I.P. playin' the corner
Im hot like a sauna
I spit a hot shot off of the top you're a goner
somebody call the coroner
these wack emcees is D.O.A.
They label you as a hater when you see yo' way
but, if you dont give a damn we dont give a fuck
you can catch me in the third ward throwin it up
you might find me in the nine where they don't mind dyin
screamin five-o in the back of the line
everytime that i fall up in the spot i shine
heel up wheel up bring it back home rewind
I just wanna keep the peace like a budhist
but niggas wanna kiss me on ma cheek like Judas
nigga, lets do this
I leave em left out left ill left clueless
they feed off of rumors til I hit em with the trueness
they dont hate me
they hate god I aint make me
im just a little nigga on the mic with a breakbeat
what have yall lames done for me lately
nada, i keep on movin and dont bother
the flows h20 they drown in the water
step right up and come down to the slaughter
see me in the third ward six fo impala
brush off my shoulder and pop my collar, holla
see i dont even walk like a piiimmmp, talk like a mack all i do is rap....
uh, you other motherfuckers is wack and thats a actual fact (thats a actual fact)
you sucka emcees bow down like west side, connec-tion
my pimp arm is way too strong I bring pressure
wildin like Stalin when he reigned over Russia
never ever scared but I aint bonecrusher
more like benito, adolfo
who can spit greater and rip the dictator nigga I thought so
no one, raps red China I'm the shogun
ass-ass-in
tear a emcees ass and
spit with a passion
im on stage laughin
they couldnt swallow the whole
I gave em fractions
war with the dragon
man you know the m-o
me and mr porter in the cadillac limo
Detroit vi-a the streets of the N.O.
New Or-le-ans
the corleone
I'm on the porch with a straw hat and a cordless phone
mink king on my humble throne I'm in the zone,
hot shot and then I'm gone.....
In Jay Electronica's song Retro Electro, the rapper boasts of his skills and virtuosity in the rap game. He alludes to the fact that despite the challenges he faces daily, he won't give up on his dreams and go back to poverty. He compares himself to Jeffrey Dahmer, a serial killer who devoured people. However, Jay does not devour people, but he eats up fellow emcees on stage with his skills. He is determined to keep on racking up wins on stage until he retires and the moon is no more. Jay is also proud of his roots and does not shy away from representing his community. He mentions the Third Ward, where he throws it up, and the Ninth Ward, where they don't mind dying.
However, Jay is not all about boasting, as he reveals in the second verse of the song. He desires peace and harmony, like a Buddhist. But instead of being greeted with peace, people turn on him like Judas. Despite it all, Jay notes that he is not one to be easily scared, and he stands up for what he believes in. He even likens himself to powerful, historical figures like Stalin or Benito Mussolini, in how they ruled with an iron fist, but Jay does it all with his rap game.
Line by Line Meaning
somebody stop me, lord im on fire
I am unstoppable and full of energy, nothing can bring me down.
sucka emcees better call me sire
I am a superior rapper and others should recognize that.
I wont stop rockin til the moon retire
I will never stop making music until the end of time.
til the prophecys fulfilled and the earth catch fire
I will be committed to my music until the end of the world.
nope, I aint trying to be goin back into poverty
I have worked too hard for my success and will never go back to a life of poverty.
workin a nine to five and be hopin i hit the lottery
I am not content with having a regular job and relying on luck to become successful.
nope, I came too far to turn back on my
I have gone too far in my music career to give up now.
heels like a windmill and head back home-a
I won't give up and run back home like a coward, I am committed to my music career.
I eat a emcee up like Jeffrey Dahmer
I am a fierce rapper that can take down any other rapper with ease.
parlaying up in V.I.P. playin' the corner
I am living the high life and enjoying the spotlight of my success.
Im hot like a sauna
I am on fire and unstoppable in my music career.
I spit a hot shot off of the top you're a goner
My rapping skills are unbeatable, I am a force to be reckoned with.
somebody call the coroner
I am so good that the competition is dying.
these wack emcees is D.O.A.
The rappers I am competing with are completely hopeless and out of their league.
They label you as a hater when you see yo' way
People often label you as a hater when you speak your truth and go against the norm.
but, if you dont give a damn we dont give a fuck
If you are unbothered by negative opinions, then we don't care about them either.
you can catch me in the third ward throwin it up
You can find me performing and representing my hometown with pride.
you might find me in the nine where they don't mind dyin
I am willing to take risks and put myself in dangerous situations to succeed in my music career.
screamin five-o in the back of the line
I am not afraid to call out injustice and police brutality, even if it puts me at risk.
everytime that i fall up in the spot i shine
I always stand out and make an impact wherever I go.
heel up wheel up bring it back home rewind
I am so good that people always want to hear me again, and I am always willing to show off my skills again.
I just wanna keep the peace like a budhist
I don't want to cause drama or conflict, I just want to make music.
but niggas wanna kiss me on ma cheek like Judas
Even though I try to avoid drama, others are more interested in betraying me for their own gain.
nigga, lets do this
I am ready to face whatever challenges come my way and compete at the highest level.
I leave em left out left ill left clueless
My skills are so advanced that others are left confused and unable to compete with me.
they feed off of rumors til I hit em with the trueness
Others may spread rumors about me, but I always come back with the truth and prove them wrong.
they dont hate me
People may criticize me, but it's not because they truly hate me personally.
they hate god I aint make me
People may resent me for my success and feel that I was given an unfair advantage or talent.
im just a little nigga on the mic with a breakbeat
I am just a small rapper with big dreams and the talent to back it up.
what have yall lames done for me lately
Others may criticize me, but they haven't done anything to help me or prove themselves.
nada, i keep on movin and dont bother
Others may try to bring me down, but I won't let it affect me and I will continue to succeed.
the flows h20 they drown in the water
My rapping skills are so advanced that others can't keep up and fail to compete with me.
step right up and come down to the slaughter
I am so confident in my skills that I am willing to compete against anyone who challenges me, and they are doomed to fail.
see me in the third ward six fo impala
I am proud of my hometown and showcase it in my music.
brush off my shoulder and pop my collar, holla
I am so confident and cool that I can casually brush off any negativity and continue to succeed.
see i dont even walk like a piiimmmp, talk like a mack all i do is rap....
I am not trying to be a gangster or a pimp, I am just focused on my music career.
uh, you other motherfuckers is wack and thats a actual fact (thats a actual fact)
All other rappers are inferior to me and can't compare.
you sucka emcees bow down like west side, connec-tion
Other rappers are intimidated by me and recognize that I am superior.
my pimp arm is way too strong I bring pressure
I have a lot of influence and power in the music industry and can bring pressure to get what I want.
wildin like Stalin when he reigned over Russia
I am living my life to the fullest and not afraid to take risks, even if it means upsetting others.
never ever scared but I aint bonecrusher
Despite taking risks, I am not afraid of anyone and have confidence in myself.
more like benito, adolfo
I am more like a powerful dictator who commands respect and fear from others.
who can spit greater and rip the dictator nigga I thought so
I am so powerful and skilled that I can take down even the most intimidating of opponents.
no one, raps red China I'm the shogun
No one can rap as well as I can, even in other countries or cultures.
ass-ass-in
I am a skilled assassin when it comes to rap battles.
tear a emcees ass and
I completely destroy the competition and leave them humiliated.
spit with a passion
My rapping skills are genuine and come from a place of true passion and love for music.
im on stage laughin
I have so much fun and joy while performing and showcasing my skills to the world.
they couldnt swallow the whole
Others can't handle my skills and often can't keep up with my rapping.
I gave em fractions
I only show a fraction of my true skills to my competition, knowing that they can't handle all of it.
war with the dragon
I am not afraid to take on even the mightiest of opponents and will do anything to succeed.
man you know the m-o
My methods and strategies for success are well-known and highly effective.
me and mr porter in the cadillac limo
I live the high life and enjoy luxury and success with my collaborators and friends.
Detroit vi-a the streets of the N.O.
I have roots and connections in both Detroit and New Orleans and represent them both in my music.
New Or-le-ans
I am proud of my hometown and represent it with respect and love.
the corleone
I am powerful and respected in the music industry, like the fictional mafia family from The Godfather.
I'm on the porch with a straw hat and a cordless phone
I enjoy the simple pleasures of life, even as a successful musician.
mink king on my humble throne I'm in the zone,
I may be successful and powerful, but I remain humble and focused on my music.
hot shot and then I'm gone.....
I come in hot and leave a lasting impression wherever I go, but am always focused on the next step in my music career.
Contributed by Riley M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Allwaysexcel
"They don't hate me, they hate God. I ain't make me." One of the hardest bars since Stillmatic.
Trill Clinton
He will DEFINITELY blow up
Sean Dafny
damn this shit really taking a nigga back aint heard dis in so long dem was the real grind days i tell ya
lukecage99
"They don't hate me, they hate god, I ain't make me" DAMN.
TonightAtTheRialto
hot as fuckin fire
Jelani Butcher
@lukecage99 why have i been HOOKED on that line since i heard it!!??
Sean Dafny
nigga smart af
Richard Gupta
absolute poo pants