J-Zone

Hip-Hop

J-Zone is a rapper, producer, and CEO of Old Maid Entertainment. He lives in Queens, New York. J-Zone has enjoyed a large following of underground hip hop aficionados and a sizable European fan base, which continues to grow. At a young age, he developed and honed his musical abilities by listening to records and playing bass guitar. He later learned the basics of production under the tutelage of DJ Vance Wright (Slick Rick's DJ) in 1994. In 1999, he released Music for Tu Madre, garnering critical acclaim in the hip hop underground, but it was not enough to propel him into the mainstream spotlight. He has since worked with and produced beats for artists such as Biz Markie, Cage, Diversion Tactics, Danger Mouse & Jemini, High and Mighty, Jehst, Redman, R.A. the Rugged Man, Tame One, MF Grimm, and Tha Liks. J-Zone's music could be described as somewhat unconventional. He typically uses lots of offbeat samples, and attention to detail. While generally praised for his comedic storytelling, clever punch lines, acerbic wit, and stellar production work, some critics have claimed that his music is crude, juvenile, and misogynistic. He has recently shifted his focus away from rapping to concentrate full time on production, DJing, his Gator$-n-Fur$ mixshow podcast with his alter-ego Chief Chinchilla, TV Commercials and behind the scenes work. J-Zone also serves as an adjunct Professor at the State University of New York and is a freelance sports journalist. He covers New York High Sc...