who the f*%k is j-zone?
My bio is written in the first person, on some real asshole shit.
My childhood aspirations of playing bass in a funk band died when Jheri curls fell out of fashion and the funk pioneers got bogged down with child support payments at the end of the 1980s. Shuttling back and forth between Jamaica, Queens and Westchester County (New York), I discovered that rap music was more than just an instruction manual for my teenage debauchery; it was a viable career option. Given, there was no 401k and a higher likelihood of being shot than in Corporate America, but my average lifespan on nine-to-five jobs has been about two months. I'm a fan of insubordination.
After my first internship at Power Play Studios (Queens, NY) in 1992, I met Vance Wright (Slick Rick’s DJ), who owned and operated Vee-Dubbs recording studio in New Rochelle, NY. I started working there in 1994, at the age of 17. I learned the basics of the music biz, audio engineering, and being a gofer (one of my first assignments was to pick up grilled turkey sandwiches for Greg Nice of Nice-N-Smooth). I also produced my first record during my three year tenure at Vee-Dubbs, for a rapper named Preacher Earl. All of the money I made off of that transaction was blown at the mall, like a real 18-year-old aspiring rap personality is supposed to do. I still had my mama’s health insurance then, so it was cool.
I went on to attend Purchase College (State University of New York) and my senior project was called Music For Tu Madre, an album that became my debut release on my slapdash Old Maid Entertainment label in 1999. I followed up with a whole shitload of albums: A Bottle of Whup Ass in 2000, Pimps Don't Pay Taxes in 2001, Sick of Bein' Rich in 2003, A Job Ain't Nuthin' but Work in 2004, Gimme Dat Beat Fool in 2005, Boss Hog Barbarians: Every Hog Has Its Day (with longtime collaborator, Celph Titled), Experienced!, and To Love a Hooker (the instrumental soundtrack to a non-existent film) all in 2006, and Live at the Liqua Sto (featuring Chief Chinchilla) in 2008. There were some limited edition side projects during that time frame as well. Most of those albums can be found on iTunes, bit torrents that I don't make any money off of, and eBay for $2; all of them went copper.
I've since stepped down from my post as the rapping resident kingpin of lampoonery because I'm too old to be on 106 & Park and they don't offer Glucerna in show riders. I was always best known as a producer and engineer anyway. I've worked with Biz Markie, E-40, Lonely Island (from Saturday Night Live), Gnarls Barkley (Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo), Masta Ace, King T, Pete Rock, Prince Paul, R.A. the Rugged Man, Large Professor, Tha Alkaholiks, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, and Devin The Dude, to name a few. I'm also one half of DJ crew Extra Chee$e (my man DJ Sheep is the other half); we've torn up parties from The UK, to Germany, to Australia, to Arizona. My Gator$-n-Fur$ radio shows are a good place to start if you need glimpses of my all-over-the-place musical taste and approach to DJing. I also taught a music business and production course at Purchase College (Professor Zone in the house). I'll still knock out a funky beat and get on the turntables for fun, but spotting me in the music business today is reminiscent of playing a game of Where's Waldo?
As a writer, I'm an opinionated curmudgeon with a 1990-something New York attitude. I'm also the spokesman for unpopular opinion and same the torch-carrier for lampoonery that I was when I was wearing my rap hat. I'm not the biggest fan of people in general and I find that putting people in their place is better than sex. As long as you're not a fuckhead though, we'll get along fine. My first book, Root for the Villain: Rap, Bullshit, and a Celebration of Failure, has just been completed. It's a collection of memoirs, rants, social commentary, and cheap shots at the world at large that will be available to read, squash bugs with, or use as a drink coaster in the Fall of 2011. My writing has been published in textbooks (Common Culture: Sixth Edition; Prentice Hall, 2009), magazines (SLAM, The Source, Hip-Hop Connection) and respected media outlets (I'm a regular contributor for Ego Trip NYC). Hopefully when all is said and done, I'll finally have enough clout to refer to myself in the third person. Peace.
J-Zone
(Aliases: Captain Back$lap, Chief Chinchilla, Mr. Don't Holla, $ir Charge, The Onion Ring Pimp, Kenny Hoggins, The Fax Phone Gigolo, The Tom Jones of Rap, Zone Loc, The Andy Rooney of Hip-Hop.)