[2020 Day 5] J.I.D

[Jaz]

J.I.D

"My cologne's like the Lord's breath"

Official | Wikipedia | Twitter

General Info

Members: Destin Choice Route, vocals

Biography: Born on Halloween in the Year of Our Lord 1990, J.I.D was a gifted athlete who to Hampton University on a football scholarship before getting kicked off the team. In 2010 he formed the collective Spillage Village with EarthGang, Hollywood JB, and JordxnBryant, and started releasing both solo and collective work. After releasing several mixtapes and consistently raising his profile, he signed with Interscope Records via J. Cole's Dreamville imprint and released his debut album The Never Story in 2017, to critical acclaim.

Summer 2018 boded good tidings for J.I.D as he was featured on the cover of XXL's Freshman Class issue and appeared on Denzel Curry's album TA13OO before releasing the singles to his second album DiCaprio 2, "151 Rum" and "Off Deez". The album was released in November 2018 and was featured on "Best Album of the Year" lists for Complex, NPR Music, and Vibe.

In 2019 he continued to release music, most notably on various features and Dreamville's Revenge of the Dreamers III album.

Discography:
EPs: Lucky Buddha, DiCaprio
LPs: The Never Story, DiCaprio 2

Style and Influences

Genre: Hip-hop

Sounds like: Kendrick Lamar's voice with Busta Rhymes speed and cadences.
Associated Acts: EarthGang, J. Cole

Similar Bonnaroo Artists: Denzel Curry perhaps?

J.I.D sets himself apart from his contemporaries with his complex and varied cadences and lyrical witticisms. Though I wouldn't necessarily use the word melodic to describe him - most of his verses and choruses aren't sing-songy - he certainly varies his pitch and delivery constantly in his verses. He doesn't follow predictable rhyme schemes, making him an incredibly engaging listen. Lyrically he consistently delivers, though his topics are often typical rap fare. 

Suggested Listening

The song in which J.I.D first captured my ear, and probably one of my favorite songs of 2018. The way he rollercoasters the pitch of his voice in his verse is so wonderfully done.


Usually one of the first recommended songs by him, and for good reason. Though short, te beat slaps and J.I.D raps his ass off.


I know there aren't a lot of J. Cole fans on the board, but don't let that deter you. Both rappers put forth great efforts here.


WATCH THIS MAN FREESTYLE.

Interesting Facts

J.I.D is a big fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, hence the naming of his albums DiCaprio and DiCaprio 2. The original cover for DiCaprio 2 featured a model looking stunningly like Leo, but the cover was pulled shortly before release.

After being kicked out of college, J.I.D lived in his Pontiac G6 for a time, and the car is often referenced in his music.

J.I.D is a member of the supergroup Zoink Gang, which also features EarthGang, Smino, Buddy, and Guapdad 4000.

Personal Notes
J.I.D is one of my favorite emerging rappers. He consistently delivers fire verses, and his vocal dexterity is nearly unrivaled - he can rap circles around people without missing a beat or losing a breath. His voice and breath control remind me a lot of Kendrick Lamar. Personally my biggest knock against him is that I don't think he currently has the greatest musical ear or the biggest artistic vision. He can rap for days, but it doesn't always translate to great songs. "151 Rum" is one of his biggest songs, and although the beat is great, the first 40 seconds are just the same beat playing with no variation. So I think he needs to work on that as well as what he raps about, as most of it is typical rap fare, which is fine but may keep him from reaching a higher echelon. Regardless, he's an exciting voice right now and I'm greatly looking forward to his set.

Further Reading: centralsauce.com/jid-biography