New York’s very own J.I. brings in his 22nd birthday with a new single “Turn Me Up”. J.I who has been out on the scene lately perfecting his craft, hanging with his idols and peers while providing us with heavy NY influenced anthems. This single is no different, vibey 808s and his signature voice – a nonchalant tone drenched in swagger and intricate lyricism. The track is truly a window into his own soul, and he always lets us into his mental diary. The chaos, confusion, bliss and blunt honesty of his emotions packaged into a masterpiece for his dedicated fans and new ones alike.
Last month, J.I released the track “Thinking Hurts”, a testimony of thoughts and hilarious one-liners that will make you do a double take. J.I continues his saga of releases as he gears up to end this year on the highest note.
About J.I.:
J.I. was born Justin Irvin Rivera in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, to a family of hip-hop lovers. Early on, his parents introduced him to the sounds of DMX, Tupac Shakur, Eminem, and Big Pun. J.I. naturally gravitated to the dexterous flows and tight rhyme schemes of Pun, in part because he was Puerto Rican too. “He broke barriers and he died too soon. So now I’m here. I’m his reincarnation,” J.I. says. “I love what he did for our people.”
J.I.’s earliest forays into hip-hop were spurred by an instinct to tell his own story. “I had nothing to express myself with,” he remembers, contrasting himself with kids who found passion in sports or the classroom. “I had to find that something.” Inspired by his idols, he soon found his way to hip-hop. By age 12, he began a daily ritual of writing rhymes after school. “If you saw me talking to myself, it was just ’cause I was rapping,” he recalls. Soon, he was recording his first songs onto his iPhone. These early efforts firmed up his technical skills and demonstrated the wide-eyed, self-assured determination that has powered his work ever since.
