J-Live

J-Live (also know as Justice Allah, legal name Jean-Jacques Cadet) is an MC, DJ, and producer from New York, and also the founder of Triple Threat Productions. [allmusicguide|id=11:difuxq8kldke|label=DJ Spinna]

Early Career and "The Best Part"

J-Live first appeared on the underground hip-hop scene in 1995, when he was a freshman English major at the University at Albany, The State University of New York. His first single "Longevity" appeared on Mark Farina's "Mushroom Jazz" CD, and follow-up singles "Braggin' Writes" and "Hush the Crowd" garnered widespread attention, getting him printed in the "Unsigned Hype" section of "The Source". This led to a record contract with Raw Shack Records. His first album, "The Best Part", recorded from 1995 to 1999, featured production by Prince Paul, DJ Premier, and Pete Rock. Due to problems with his record label, J-Live left the label and the album was shelved. He moved to Payday Records, but when Payday's parent company London Records was bought from Universal Music Group by WEA, the album was again shelved. In 2001, copies surfaced as bootlegs and several were of such high quality it was rumored that J-Live himself was behind them. By the fall of 2001, The Best Part was finally officially released after five years of label problems. It was released on Triple Threat Productions, J-Live's own record label.

"All of the Above" to "Then What Happened?"

In 2002 his second album, "All of the Above" was released on the label, Coup D'état. It featured production by DJ Spinna, Usef Dinero, and DJ Jazzy Jeff. In 2003 J-Live simultaneously released two EPs, "Always Has Been" and "Always Will Be". "Always Has Been" was a collection of J-Live's six early singles which did not appear on any of his albums. "Always Will Be" consisted of 8 new songs. Both EPs were released on the label, Triple Threat Productions. His third LP, "The Hear After" was released in 2005 on the label, Penalty (Ryko), and was followed in 2007 with another EP, "Reveal the Secret", and in 2008 with an LP entitled "Then What Happened?", both from BBE Records.

Personal life

After completion of his English degree from SUNY Albany, J-Live became a middle school English teacher in Brownsville and Bushwick, Brooklyn. He later left teaching for the full time pursuit of his hip-hop career. J-Live is currently living in Philadelphia, PA. He is married and has three children. He is of Haitian descent. J-Live is a member of the The Nation of Gods and Earths.

As of November 2006, he is separated from the mother of his children and lives in New York.

Discography

Albums

* "The Best Part" (2001)
* "All of the Above" (2002)
* "Always Has Been [EP] " (2003, This CD features 6 tracks of material recorded between 1995-1997)
* "Always Will Be [EP] " (2003)
* "The Hear After" (2005)
* "Reveal The Secret [EP] " (2007)
* "Then What Happened" (May 2008)

Appearances

* "The Truth" by Handsome Boy Modeling School
* "Trackrunners" by Asheru & Blue Black of Unspoken Heard
* "Great Live Caper" by J. Rawls
* "Azucar (Remix)" by Soulive
* "Sub-Level" by Rob Swift
* "Brand Nu Live" by DJ Nu-Mark
* "31st February" by The Nextmen
* "The Last Sunshine" by Pigeon John
* "Practice" by DJ Jazzy Jeff
* "Get It, Got It" by DJ Jazzy Jeff
* "Give It Up" with R.A. the Rugged Man on Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture
* "She Said What?" by Quantic Soul Orchestra
* "Vacation" by Jazz Liberatorz

References

External links

* [http://www.j-livemusic.com/ J-Live Official Website]
* [http://artofrhyme.com/reviews/J-Live_Reveal-the-Secret/55/ J-Live - Reveal the Secret EP Review]
* [http://themoviebar.net/blog3/2008/06/03/music-review-j-live-then-what-happened/ J-Live - Then What Happened Review]
* [http://www.commercial-break.biz/then_what_happened.html J-Live - Then What Happened Review]