The Notebook: Jay Electronica
Posted: Friday, March 19, 2010 by The Urbalists in Labels: exhibit a, exhibit c, jay electronica, just blaze, nas, new orleans, southern rap, the notebook
Who would've thought a couple of years ago that Jay Electronica would be in the position that he's currently in? Originally hailing from New Orleans (admittedly not the mecca of complex, thoughtful lyricism in hip-hop music), Jay Elec has defied and broken any last stereotype of the typically predictable, under-lyrical, over-swaggerred Southern rapper by dropping a couple of interesting tracks and projects over the past 2 years, most notably "Act I - Eternal Sunshine" and even producing Nas' incredible intro "Queens Get The Money", from his Untitled album.
But how things have evolved for him since dropping the already-classic "Exhibit C" is almost unheard of for an underground so-called "lyrical" act. Going from "barely known" to being called the second coming of Nas is quite the leap indeed after just one song. "Exhibit C" even managed to crack iTunes' Top 10 Most Downloaded list when it was first released back in December. Since then, we've seen a multitude of rappers, from the obscure to the famous, trying to recreate their magic over that Just Blaze beat, most of them to no avail. Some even got clever and tried to spit on the previously released but just as stellar "Exhibit A", which had dropped in late 2008. But how nice is Jay Elec, really? We'll let you be the judge of that with our very first Notebook column. Below you'll find the song and also the lyrics for those you like to follow.
Lyrics:When I was sleepin on the trainSleepin' on Meserole Ave out in the rainWithout even a single slice of pizza to my name Too proud to beg for change, mastering the pain When New York niggas were calling Southern rappers lame But then jacking our slang I used to get dizzy spells, hear a little ring The voice of an angel, telling me my name Telling me that one day I'ma be a great man Transforming with the Megatron Don, spittin out flames Eatin' wack rappers alive shittin' out chains
I ain't believe it then, nigga I was homeless
Fightin', shootin dice, smokin weed on the cornersTryna find the meaning of life in a Corona Till the Five Percenters rolled up on a nigga and informed him "You either build or destroy. Where you come from?" "The Magnolia projects in the 3rd ward slum" "Hmmm... its quite amazing that you rhyme how you do And how you shine like you grew up in a shrine in Peru." Question 14 - Muslim Lesson 2: Dip diver, Civilize a 85er I make the devil hit his knees and say the Our Father Abracadabra! You rockin with the True and Living Shout out to Lights Out, Joseph I, Chewy Bivens Shout out to Baltimore, Baton Rouge, my crew in Richmond While y'all debated who the truth was like Jews and ChristiansI was on Cecil B, Broad Street, Master, North Philly, South Philly, 23rd, Tasker 6 Mile, 7 Mile, Hartwell, GratiotWhere niggas really would pack a U-haul truck up Put the high beams onDrive up on the curb at a barbecue and hop out the back like "what's up!" Kill a nigga, rob a nigga, take a nigga, bust up That's why when you talk the tough talk I never feel ya You sound real good and you play the part well But the energy you givin off is so unfamiliar... I don't feel ya
Nas hit me up on the phone, said "What you waitin on?"Tip hit me up with a Twitt, said "What you waitin on?"Diddy send a text every hour on the dot sayin"When you gon drop that verse, nigga, you taking long"So now I'm back spittin that He Could Pass A Polygraph
That Reverend Run rockin Adidas out on Hollis AveThat FOI, Marcus Garvey, Nikki Tesla I shock like a eel, electric feel, Jay Electra
They call me Jay Electronica... Fuck that.Call me Jay ElecHannukah Jay ElecYarmulkeJay ElecRamadaan Muhammad AsalaamicaRasoulAllah Supana Watallah through your monitorMy Uzi still Weighs A Ton check the barometerI'm hotter than the muthafuckin' sun check the thermometer I'm bringing ancient mathematics back to modern manMy momma told me never throw a stone and hide your handI got a lot of family, you got a lot of fansThat's why the people got my back like the Verizon manI play the back and fade to black and then devise a planOut in London, smoking, vibin' while I ride the tramGivin’ out that raw food to lions disguised as lambsAnd, by the time they get they seats hotAnd deploy all they henchmen to come at me from the treetopsI’m chillin out at TweetstockBuilding by the millionsMy light is brilliant
nice post!!!! i like it!!! from Sensei