J-Zone Explained

J-Zone
Landscape:yes
Birth Name:Jarrett A. Mumford[1]
Birth Date:26 February 1977[2]
Origin:Queens, New York City, U.S.
Genre:Hip hop
Years Active:1993–present

Jay Mumford (born Jarrett A. Mumford; February 26, 1977),[2] better known by his stage name J-Zone,[3] is an American record producer, drummer, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, and writer from New York City.[4] [5]

Career

Known for his quirky lyrics and trash talk style of rapping, J-Zone released a string of idiosyncratic and critically acclaimed albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s that acquired a cult following.[6] [7] Of these, the 2001 release Pimps Don't Pay Taxes, was particularly noted; it featured rappers Huggy Bear and Al-Shid, for whom he would subsequently produce a number of 12" releases.[8] In 2003, The New York Times cited his J-Zone, S.A. Smash concert in Brooklyn, New York as a noteworthy pop and jazz concert in the New York metropolitan region.[9]

Not finding commercial success, J-Zone eventually walked away from rap, and in 2011 published the book Root for the Villain: Rap, Bullshit and a Celebration of Failure.[7] The book has been well received; the Los Angeles Times Music Blog stated that "Like his albums, it's equal parts hilarious, self-effacing and sharp. He's the sarcastic older brother putting you up on game. It's a love letter to rap laced with sulfur, the flip side of Dan Charnas' similarly excellent The Big Payback."[3] The Washington Post Going Out Gurus blog called it "a must for every curmudgeonly grown-up hip-hop head",[7] while Nathan Rabin writing for The A.V. Club called it "one of the funniest and most honest books ever written about the modern music industry and its luckless casualties."[4]

In 2013, J-Zone returned to music with the release of the album, Peter Pan Syndrome,[10] which was listed as the 17th best album of 2013 by Spin.[11] After learning to play drums seriously during his hiatus from music, J-Zone released the drum break album, Lunch Breaks, in 2014.[12]

In 2016 J-Zone landed a spot playing drums on new tunes from the 1970s funk band Manzel, his band The Du-Rites with Tom Tom Club guitarist Pablo Martin, and for personal drum break kits for Danger Mouse and others.[13]

J-Zone has continued working as a session drummer in recent years, appearing on Lord Finesse's Motown State of Mind album in 2020,[14] in addition to his drums being sampled on the 2020 Madlib single, "Road of The Lonely Ones".[15]

In 2022, J-Zone was the drummer for live shows and select recordings for The Black Pumas guitarist Adrian Quesada's Boleros Psicodelicos album.[16]

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

Guest appearances

Productions

Books

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A BAD TRIP . ASCAP . American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers . April 27, 2023.
  2. Web site: I turn 41 today but pops turns 70, so it's all about the OG today.. Twitter. February 26, 2018. May 29, 2018.
  3. News: Weiss . Jeff . Rap & Books: Underground iconoclast J-Zone 'Roots for the Villain' . Los Angeles Times. January 6, 2013.
  4. Web site: Rabin . Nathan . J-Zone lost his Wikipedia page—and his interest in being a rapper . . January 3, 2013 . January 6, 2013.
  5. Web site: Stream The Du-Rites J-Zone & Pablo Martin Are The Du-Rites. Stereogum. Tom. Breihan. October 21, 2016. November 3, 2016.
  6. Web site: J-Zone lost his Wikipedia page—and his interest in being a rapper. The A.V. Club. Nathan. Rabin. January 3, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130306002312/http://www.avclub.com/articles/jzone-lost-his-wikipedia-pageand-his-interest-in-b,90361/. March 6, 2013. February 19, 2018.
  7. News: Hahn . Fritz . Nightlife Agenda: Holiday cocktails, rare beers and Nerd Nite . . January 6, 2013.
  8. Web site: 2012 . J-Zone * New Music And Songs * MTV . . https://web.archive.org/web/20131227121419/http://www.mtv.com/artists/j-zone/ . dead . December 27, 2013 . January 6, 2013.
  9. News: Sanneh . Kelefa . Pop and Jazz Guide . . May 30, 2003 . E23 . January 6, 2013.
  10. Web site: J-Zone's 'Peter Pan Syndrome': The Grumpy-Old-Man Rap You Need in Your Life. Spin. Brandon. Soderberg. September 11, 2013. March 10, 2016.
  11. Web site: J-Zone, Peter Pan Syndrome (Old Maid). Spin. November 22, 2013. March 10, 2016.
  12. Web site: J-Zone learns the drums and drops Lunch Breaks. Wax Poetics. November 10, 2014. March 10, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160310132945/http://waxpoetics.com/news/j-zone-learns-drums-classic-miking-techniques-drops-lunch-breaks/. March 10, 2016. dead.
  13. Web site: J-Zone's Wild Ride from Rapper to Funky Drummer. The Village Voice. August 16, 2018. August 8, 2019.
  14. Web site: Old Artists are Still Crafty. Passion of the Weiss. August 12, 2020. April 23, 2022.
  15. Web site: The 5 Best Songs of the Week. Stereogum. December 18, 2020. April 23, 2022.
  16. Web site: August 25, 2022 . Adrian Quesada: "I put tremolo on everything". . 2022-12-22 . Premier Guitar . en.

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