Transcendent Music Movement
Presents: J. Wils
Ok
Hip-Hop heads, I got something for you all.
It's no secret that Drake, J. Cole, Kid Cudi, Wale, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and some others have really been representing lately for Rap music. This group of artists has been dubbed as Backpack
Rappers or New Era Rappers by me and some other Hip-Hop heads. These
artists brought intellect to rap during a time when rap music was
considered, by most, to be on the verge of death. Let us be honest! Over the past few years it was beginning to seem
like anyone could make it as a rapper with any ignorant message and lyrics that
corresponded to some stupid dance.
Backpack
Rappers
Thank the Hip-Hop
gods for these New Era Rappers! The
lyrics of these artists have had much appeal to students pursuing higher
education. Most of the artists
themselves have spent at least some time in college hence their nickname, Backpack
Rappers. Obviously, a college education
does not make you a great lyricist or even a smart person for that matter, but
it has evoked an intelligent style of Rap music that has become quite popular. So regardless of education or the lack thereof,
the complexities of this group’s lyrics, clever punch lines and tremendous use
of literary figures of speech, has appealed to a more scholastic listener.
The
New New-Era
These artists have paved the way
for the effective deviation from the traditional gangster rapper and the dance
rapper or as I call them, the mickey mouse rapper. It is true though; there is truly a new era
of rap led by these New Era Rappers. So
it gives Transcendent Music great pleasure to introduce and promote a new artist who embodies the essence of this new era of rap, J. Wils.
J. Wils, born
Justin Wilson, was born in Charleston South Carolina. To be frank, the kid is without a doubt a diamond
in the rough. We all are aware of the
unique, catchy yet largely silly music that has come out of The South. Well, he does not fit that traditional
mold. J. Wils represents for the new era
of rap music and is personally seeking to portray the South in a new
light.
I discovered J. Wils’ profound lyrical style on YouTube. The content of his raps reflected his atypical colligate experience. He attended and graduated from The Military College of South Carolina, The Citadel which explained much of the military jargon used in his raps that probably could only be appreciated by those who attended that elite institution. He
was also involved in a series of dorm room rap battles that became viral across his
campus. From this innocent display of
lyrical talent, J. Wils’ passion for Hip-Hop, production, and representing The South intelligently, was ignited. He
began making beats and rapping on other popular artists’ beats. He began to write relentlessly. Before long he and his college roommate,
Justin Ramie, recorded their first music video for their song, ChuckTown Anthem. This was their first and rather deliberate
attempt to present The South positively and intelligently, with regards to Rap
music.
Fashionably
Late Mix tape
Later, after
graduating from college, J. Wils launched his solo career and has grown
tremendously as an artist. Just as many
of those new era artists who I described earlier did when they broke in to mainstream
Hip-Hop, he released a mix tape. J.Wils
recognizes exactly where he fits in and he respects
his fans enough to know that he has to earn their continued support. He makes that clear by launching a free mix tape
to help boost his popularity and earn the support of listeners. The name of his mix tape, Fashionably Late, has
meaning that exemplifies J. Wils’ confidence and his desire to be regarded as one
of Hip-Hop’s New Era artists.
I recall a
conversation I had with him a couple of years ago when his mix tape was being
conceptualized. He was expressing to me
the fact that there were all of these new Hip-Hop artists who had become rather
popular, and how he felt he was on par with most of them from a lyrical
standpoint. I agreed with him whole-heartedly. Then he explained his reasoning behind the
name of his mix tape. Those other rappers, most of which
were listed above, had for all intents and purposes arrived as prominent
rappers. Hence, he considered himself
fashionably late to what we are calling New Era Hip-Hop. There birthed the title of his first mix tape, Fashionably Late.
Let it be known
that I have absolutely no reserve in comparing J. Wils to Hip-Hop artists of
the likes of Drake, J.Cole, Kid Cudi, Wale, Kanye West, and Lupe Fiasco. The kid is that good. The thing that he is missing is some sort of
corporate backing to really propel his career and introduce his music to the world. Artists like J. Wils are the precise reason
for Transcendent Music's mere existence. So as we continue in
our movement to preserve and promote TRANSCENDENT MUSIC, we offer our full
support and highly recommend that you listen to and support this transcendent artist, J. Wils.
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