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.
The Blinding
Jay Electronica Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kayfa hal-uk? Kayfa hal-uk, habibi?
Once upon a time there was a likkle yout, the cub of a lion
Stored away captive a long way home from Zion
The dove Prince sang about in "Purple Rain" cryin'
'Til the midget you heard tell of on his shoulders of the giant
That boy already knighted, he ain't even out his romper
You speakin' on the kingdom, you better watch your tongue, sir
I send you where you never been, you forget where I'm from, sir
That gossip bout some bald heads, who got shit out the gun, sir
I'm brazy, I'm so brazen, I'm "Raisin in the Sun" sir
You can catch this broad daylight, you know the kingdom come, sir
That wheel inside the wheel a half a mile in circumference
It's the return of the Mahdi, it's the return of the Akhis
It's the return of lost and found tribe of Shabazz the Annunakis
It's the return of Mr Shakur spittin' out phlegm at paparazzi
That's my new style
Blinding (Hit-Boy!)
Blinding by the light
See the stars and our sun
The gift that keeps givin' like Babushka
Kush crushed up in the studio, rollin' Kate Bush up
Extra, extra, it's mister headlines
Who signed every contract and missed the deadlines
40 days, 40 nights, tryna live up to the hype
It's the road less traveled, it's the one who missed the flights
Hov hit me up like, "What, you scared of heights?
Know you sister tired of workin', gotta do her something nice"
I'm like, "Don't he know I stay up for Fallon late nights?"
She need bread, she need rice, she need threads, she need ice
Either tell it to my bank account or say it to the dice
When I lay down in my bed it's like my head in the vice
When I look inside the mirror all I see is flaws
When I look inside the mirror all I see is Mars
And the wee hours of night, tryna squeeze out bars
Bismillah, just so y'all could pick me apart?
Blinding
Blinding by the light
See the stars and our sun
(Hit-Boy!)
Jay Electronica's song "The Blinding" feat. Travis Scott contains a lot of symbolism and cultural references. In the first verse, Jay Electronica starts off with Arabic phrases "Kayfa hal-uk? Kayfa hal-uk, habibi?" which translates to "How are you?" "How are you, my love?" He then tells a story about a young lion cub who was taken away from Zion and held captive. The second half of the verse references music icons like Prince and Stevie Wonder, as well as the biblical tale of the midget on the shoulders of the giant. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for the new generation surpassing the older one.
In the second verse, Jay Electronica talks about his son Sir and his royal status. He also warns those who speak out against his kingdom, promising to send them to a place they've never been before. He then references the concept of the Wheel within a Wheel, a metaphor for the universe within the universe, and talks about the return of the Mahdi, the Islamic messiah figure. He ends the verse with a reference to the lost and found tribe of Shabazz and Tupac Shakur.
Line by Line Meaning
This shit make you wanna talk crazy, crazy, crazy, I'm tryin' to
The energy of this song is so powerful that it makes me feel like being unapologetically bold and expressive, but I'm trying to calm myself down.
Once upon a time there was a likkle yout, the cub of a lion
There was once a young person who had the potential to achieve great things, despite being held captive and far from home.
Stored away captive a long way home from Zion
This young person is being held captive in a place that is far from their homeland and cultural roots.
The dove Prince sang about in "Purple Rain" cryin'
The symbol of peace and love that Prince sang about in his song 'Purple Rain' is in tears.
'Til the midget you heard tell of on his shoulders of the giant
This young person is experiencing a difficult journey, but they are being aided by someone who is seemingly small but has immense strength and support.
Listen, I named my son Sir, so you gotta call my son, "Sir"
I named my son Sir, which is a title of respect and honor, so you must address him as such.
That boy already knighted, he ain't even out his romper
My son is already deserving of the title of 'Sir' even though he's just a baby.
You speakin' on the kingdom, you better watch your tongue, sir
If you're going to talk about my community and culture, you better be careful with your words and show respect.
I send you where you never been, you forget where I'm from, sir
I have the power to take you to a place you've never been to before and remind you where I come from if you disrespect me.
That gossip bout some bald heads, who got shit out the gun, sir
If you're spreading rumors about people with shaved heads who carry weapons, you're not dealing with just anyone, so be careful.
I'm brazy, I'm so brazen, I'm "Raisin in the Sun" sir
I'm fearless and bold, like the character in the play 'A Raisin in the Sun', and I won't back down from any challenge.
You can catch this broad daylight, you know the kingdom come, sir
I'm not hiding my actions or intentions, and you know that my people will ultimately prevail.
That wheel inside the wheel a half a mile in circumference
There's a metaphorical wheel within a wheel that is incredibly large and complex.
It's the return of the Mahdi, it's the return of the Akhis
This is a time of spiritual awakening and the coming of a prophesied leader, as well as the reunion of close friends and allies.
It's the return of lost and found tribe of Shabazz the Annunakis
The community of people who have been separated and marginalized are coming back together and regaining their power and heritage.
It's the return of Mr Shakur spittin' out phlegm at paparazzi
This is a time of artistic and cultural resistance, as Tupac Shakur did when he stood up to the invasive and exploitative media.
That's my new style
This is the direction that I'm taking my music and art in, and I'm making a statement with it.
Blinding (Hit-Boy!)
This song is incredibly impactful and intense, and it's produced by Hit-Boy.
Blinding by the light
The energy and power of this song is blinding and overwhelming.
See the stars and our sun
This song is so bright and powerful that it's like seeing the stars and sun in the sky.
The gift that keeps givin' like Babushka
My creativity and musical talent are like a traditional piece of clothing (Babushka) that continues to give value and meaning over time.
Kush crushed up in the studio, rollin' Kate Bush up
I'm smoking marijuana and listening to music by Kate Bush as I work on my art in the studio.
Extra, extra, it's mister headlines
I'm making big news and getting a lot of attention with my music and art.
Who signed every contract and missed the deadlines
I may appear to be successful and accomplished, but I've also made mistakes and missed important deadlines along the way.
40 days, 40 nights, tryna live up to the hype
I've worked incredibly hard for over a month to live up to the expectations and hype surrounding my music and art.
It's the road less traveled, it's the one who missed the flights
I've taken the path that is less popular or mainstream, and I've experienced failures and setbacks along the way.
Hov hit me up like, "What, you scared of heights?
Jay-Z contacted me and asked if I was afraid of taking risks and aiming high with my music and art.
Know you sister tired of workin', gotta do her something nice"
Jay-Z knows that my sister is tired from working hard, and he wants me to do something generous and kind for her.
I'm like, "Don't he know I stay up for Fallon late nights?"
I'm jokingly asking if Jay-Z realizes that I'm already working hard and staying up late to perform on 'The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon'.
She need bread, she need rice, she need threads, she need ice
My sister needs basic necessities like food and clothing, but also wants luxury items like jewelry.
Either tell it to my bank account or say it to the dice
If you want to offer me money or try to win it from me in gambling, I'm open to both options.
When I lay down in my bed it's like my head in the vice
Even when I'm trying to rest and sleep, I feel like I'm under pressure and experiencing tension.
When I look inside the mirror all I see is flaws
I struggle with self-criticism and have trouble seeing positive qualities when I look at myself in the mirror.
When I look inside the mirror all I see is Mars
Instead of seeing my reflection, I feel like I'm staring into a distant, unknown planet.
And the wee hours of night, tryna squeeze out bars
Late at night, when most people are asleep, I'm trying to create and write music.
Bismillah, just so y'all could pick me apart?
I'm invoking the name of Allah as a form of protection, and questioning whether my critics and detractors will always find faults in my music and art.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Timothy Elpadaro Thedford, Jacques Webster, Abraham Orellana, Chauncey Hollis, Jahron Brathwaite, Kasseem Dean, Shawn Carter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind