Bio By Richard Marquez: (Edited by Shaydrian Jackson)
Shay-J, has been rapping for the better part of the past decade. “My brother would always say, ‘Rap something for me man,’ and I’d always tell him, ‘I can’t rap,’” Shay-J said. “In middle school he started to write poetry, which he eventually merged with rap and started to become really serious about it.” Shay-J’s rap reached the next level when he connected with Menifasis (pronounced: ‘many faces’) a producer from Shay-J’s hometown, West Palm Beach. The two began recording random tracks together in Menifasis’ home studio when Shay-J was still in high school. Shay-J’s new album, “Lost In A Vast Abyss Of Hip-Hop,” is actually a collection of the work he has done with Menifasis that spans as far back as when they first met. The album began to take form when Menifasis told Shay-J to simply ‘Make some music,’ with no concern as to whether it would come out as a compilation album. “I never plan out a song I’m gonna do,” Shay-J said. While he does a lot of spontaneous writing, Shay-J said that there are certain occasions where he will sit in silence and write. “It really all depends what I’m surrounded by. I prefer quality over spontaneity,” he said. “The track ‘That’s My Car’ was the first song I ever wrote.” Upon giving the album a spin, the time Shay-J puts into his lyrics is immediately evident. Self-described as “a bridge between the old and the new,” “LIAVAOHH” is driven by heartfelt, honest lyrics that come at you with authority. The beats steadily play along from start to finish, generating a mellow tone that harks back to Lupe Fiasco’s 2006 album “Food and Liquor.” Shay-J makes it clear that he wants to be known for his music, period. “If you do exactly what you do, as far as originality is concerned, that’s what’s gonna get you in the door,” he said. Shay-J has made a name for him with uplifting originality and is constantly adding layers to his inventiveness. “Don’t place assumptions on what you think you may see from me next,” he said. “Rappers are always trying to classify other rappers, judging whether another person is actually talking about something in their rhymes or not. I separate myself by being an artist. While rappers are talking about something, I use my work to paint pictures of the image I am trying to make you see, to make connections by creating your own interpretation of what I’m trying to show you. Therefore, I don’t write rhymes…I paint pictures…” -Shay
