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 Neverending Story
Jay Electronica Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The noblest of gentlemen rose up from squalor
Tall, dark, and decked out in custom-made regalia
Smellin' like paraphernalia
Hailin' from the home of Mahalia
His uptown smile was gold like of Frankie Beverly Day
His favorite song from Prince was not "Raspberry Beret"
It was "Sometimes It Snows In April"
In the cage of every unclean bird, ungrateful and hateful
The legend of the clandestine reverend from the Bricks
With the master's grip to pull the sleeping giant out the ditch
And I ain't even have to wiggle my nose like Bewitched
I just upshift the 6, convert the V4 to a broomstick
Though I tarry through the valley of death, my Lord give me pasture
If you want to be a master in life, you must submit to a master
I was born to lock arms with the devil at the brink of the hereafter
Me, the socket, the plug and universal adapter
The prodigal son who when from his own vomit
To the top of the mountain with 5 pillars and a sonnet
The autobiography read Quranic
Spread love like Kermit the Frog that permeate the fog
I'm at war like the Dukes of Hazard against the Bosses of the Hogs
Gi-gi-giggity, Alchemist put the icing on the soliloquy
Let it be forever known that I niced up to pen something considerably
Jay Elec told the flow mainly is support mainly
The fatwa he issued on al-Shaytan was delivered plainly
It's the day of Qiyamah
To the believers I bring you tidings of joy
But if you want beef I'll fillet mignon ya
You could catch me bummy as fuck or decked out in designer
On I-10 West to the desert on a Diavel like a recliner
Listen to everything from Electra
From the honorable minister Louis Farrakhan
To Serge Gainsbourg or Madonna or a podcast on Piranhas
What a time we livin' in, just like the scripture says
Earthquakes, fires and plagues, the resurrection of the dead
I'm a miracle born with imperial features
I'm a page turner, sage burner, santeria
Shango, December baby, my Orishas
Saint Hov, story takes place in ancient Egypt
They'll cut off the nose to spite the face, they'll steal ya Jesus
I can't Tahiti White that blued-eyed virgin is make believe stuff
She throw me out the house, say ye deliver us from this heathen
I say that to Ms. Tina she'll sneeze at sun, her photic reflex
They both have straightening combs, little did they know
I hold the heat next
Neither tool, can be used to fix our defects
P.S. We born perfect, fuck all the B.S
Everybody wanna be us for real, we just gotta see us
Insha'allah
I tried to turn a page, over a zillion times
"The Neverending Story" by Terius "The-Dream" Nash is a complex and introspective song that tells the tale of a legendary individual who rose from poverty and hardship to become a prominent figure in the world. The lyrics speak of a gentleman who hailed from the home of Mahalia, with a gold smile like Frankie Beverly Day, who was brought up by the faithful amid unclean and hateful surroundings. Despite his past, he had the grip to pull himself out of the ditch, upshifting his life to become a master. With the socket, the plug, and the universal adapter, he spread love like Kermit the Frog, fought against the Bosses of the Hogs, and issued a fatwa on al-Shaytan. He listened to everything, from Louis Farrakhan to Madonna, and understood that the time we live in is one of earthquakes, fires, and plagues, where the dead are resurrected.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you ever heard the tale of
Do you know the story of
The noblest of gentlemen rose up from squalor
A man came up from poverty and became incredibly dignified
Tall, dark, and decked out in custom-made regalia
He was tall, had a dark complexion, and wore fancy, custom-made clothing
Smellin' like paraphernalia
He smelled like weed or some other substance
Hailin' from the home of Mahalia
He came from the same place as the legendary singer Mahalia Jackson
His uptown smile was gold like of Frankie Beverly Day
He had an enchanting and captivating smile that shined like the brightest of days
His favorite song from Prince was not "Raspberry Beret"
He liked the song "Sometimes It Snows In April" by Prince more
He was brought up by the faithful
He was raised by devout people
In the cage of every unclean bird, ungrateful and hateful
He grew up in a difficult and corrupt environment
The legend of the clandestine reverend from the Bricks
He was a revered and secretive preacher from the urban area
With the master's grip to pull the sleeping giant out the ditch
He had the power to awaken and lift up a large group of people from a disadvantaged state
And I ain't even have to wiggle my nose like Bewitched
He accomplished this without using magic tricks
I just upshift the 6, convert the V4 to a broomstick
He was able to transform from an ordinary state to an extraordinary one with ease
Though I tarry through the valley of death, my Lord give me pasture
Despite facing many challenges and hardships, he had God's protection and provision
If you want to be a master in life, you must submit to a master
In order to become great at something, you must learn from someone who is already great
I was born to lock arms with the devil at the brink of the hereafter
He was destined to face many temptations from the enemy in his journey towards the afterlife
Me, the socket, the plug and universal adapter
He saw himself as an intermediary between different groups or ideas
The prodigal son who when from his own vomit
He was once not doing well, but eventually rose to greatness
To the top of the mountain with 5 pillars and a sonnet
He achieved a high level of success through hard work and creative expression
The autobiography read Quranic
His life story was heavily influenced by Islamic themes and principles
Spread love like Kermit the Frog that permeate the fog
He aimed to spread love and positivity in a way that could penetrate even the darkest or murkiest environments
I'm at war like the Dukes of Hazard against the Bosses of the Hogs
He saw himself as being in a constant battle against cruel and oppressive people or systems
Gi-gi-giggity, Alchemist put the icing on the soliloquy
He added a few playful noises and picked a great instrumental for this song
Let it be forever known that I niced up to pen something considerably
He was proud of his lyrical abilities and believed he wrote something great
Jay Elec told the flow mainly is support mainly
Jay Electronica believed in helping and supporting others through his music
The fatwa he issued on al-Shaytan was delivered plainly
He spoke out directly against evil and negative influences
It's the day of Qiyamah
It's the day of judgment and resurrection
To the believers I bring you tidings of joy
He had good news to share with other faithful people
But if you want beef I'll fillet mignon ya
He was confident in his abilities and could easily defeat anyone who challenged him
You could catch me bummy as fuck or decked out in designer
He could either look shabby or be dressed very well, depending on the day or occasion
On I-10 West to the desert on a Diavel like a recliner
He was traveling on a fast and stylish motorcycle towards an arid destination
Listen to everything from Electra
He enjoyed listening to music from a wide variety of artists
From the honorable minister Louis Farrakhan
He respected and admired Louis Farrakhan, a well-known Islamic leader
To Serge Gainsbourg or Madonna or a podcast on Piranhas
He listened to a range of genres, including French pop music, American pop music, or podcasts about nature
What a time we livin' in, just like the scripture says
He recognized that the world was going through a challenging time, similar to what was described in religious texts
Earthquakes, fires and plagues, the resurrection of the dead
There were many natural disasters and diseases affecting the world, with religious themes of life and death intertwined
I'm a miracle born with imperial features
He was born with qualities that made him stand out and appear majestic
I'm a page turner, sage burner, santeria
He was either reading or writing captivating stories, burning fragrant herbs for religious purposes, or practicing the Afro-Caribbean religion of Santeria
Shango, December baby, my Orishas
He was born in December and worshipped the Yoruba god of thunder, Shango, as well as other deities in the Santeria tradition
Saint Hov, story takes place in ancient Egypt
Like the legendary rapper Jay-Z, his story was set in ancient Egypt
They'll cut off the nose to spite the face, they'll steal ya Jesus
People will do cruel things even if it ultimately harms themselves, and they will try to take away what is most precious to others
I can't Tahiti White that blued-eyed virgin is make believe stuff
He cannot make something fake or pure, and he recognizes that the concept of a white and virginal woman is often a fabrication
She throw me out the house, say ye deliver us from this heathen
Someone kicked him out of their home and asked him to protect them from evil
I say that to Ms. Tina she'll sneeze at sun, her photic reflex
If he said the same thing to Beyonce's mother Tina, she would simply dismiss it or react incredulously
They both have straightening combs, little did they know
Even though people had different ideas about what was best, they ultimately did not realize that they had much in common
I hold the heat next
He has the firepower and skills to overcome any challenge
Neither tool, can be used to fix our defects
Neither weapons nor superficial solutions can solve our deeper flaws or problems
P.S. We born perfect, fuck all the B.S
He believes that every person is born perfect, and rejects any negative messages or influences that try to bring them down
Everybody wanna be us for real, we just gotta see us
Many people aspire to be like him or others like him, but he believes that it is important to acknowledge and appreciate who we really are
Insha'allah
May God bless and protect us
I tried to turn a page, over a zillion times
He has tried to move on from his past or make progress countless times, but often faces difficulties or setbacks in doing so
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: Alan Maman, Jay Electronica, Lito Nebbia, Mirta Elsa Defilpo, Shawn Carter, Terius Youngdell Nash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@josem7402
Jay idk if you’ll ever read this but 2020 completely changed my point of view on this universe.
My best friend put me on more of your music and I have been dissecting almost every verse you’ve written.
Your music was literally the key for me to open my eyes and consider where we are in space, time, and what we’re here for.
I would take jogs while high and your music would make me feel “godly” it made me feel closer to my purpose.
Needless to say you made me realize how every atom on this universe is connected, how our consciousness is connected to everything, how to follow the right road by following the sparrow. How to trust your intuition and how to manage yourself as a man.
I am a firm believer in your music and the messages you’re telling us.
But most importantly in my opinion, you helped me get rid of the dark cloud that resided in my heart. You made me believe in myself Jay.
Shout out to the 5 percenters. Shout out to the rest of the believers.
I’m ready to fulfill the 3 acts on my own life. I can’t wait to see you fulfill your prestige, true magic.
Thank you 🤲🏽🛸❤️🕋
@JayElectronica
🕋 🛸 #AWrittenTestimony💞
@RICHGTV305
J A Y E L E C T R O N I C A Happy Holy Day Moor Islam ☪️
@cariannacosmetics3068
J A Y E L E C T R O N I C A 🙏🏾
@TheGnosis
Global Empire TV Thank you for sharing G. Who knows, maybe one day we’re hear The Word and Jay Elec on a track…Inshallah
@orelalcantar937
What an honor🙏🏽
@shaggyjxnes
why no tracks with MF DOOM ??
@natestarz7109
So I listened to Jay Electronica on mushrooms the other night…What an intense experience. It was about 2am in the morning, rain drizzling outside. I turned my music on shuffle, and The Neverending Story came on. The second his voice came on, his words completely captured my attention. His voice sounded more powerful than usual. What I pictured was a shaman, or a prophet sitting in front of a fire, sharing his wisdom. Seconds after he spoke the line “I was born to lock horns with the Devil at the brink of the hereafter” thunder hit and it started raining harder than before. It was overwhelming and kind of spooky, but an experience nonetheless.
@mistaree5731
wow!!
@superjr2893
Dope shit hip hop
@mgt8074
An overwhelming event indeed