Jay Electronica
Born: 1976
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Genre: Hip Hop, Drumless Hip Hop
Years Active: 2000 -
Real Name: Timothy Thedford
Meaning of the Name: Jay comes from the nickname 'Je Ri'. Electronica, because he's fascinated with electricity.
Way of Working: Rapper and producer
Essential Releases
What the F*ck Is
a Jay Electronica
Bootleg of Jay's early myspace material.
Exhibit C (2009)
Incendiary single that blew the lid off of hip hop.
The Patents of
Nobility (2020)
Long awaited return by the enigmatic rapper.
The image of Jay Electronica "riding the trains" is an inner-city myth: that of a lone traveller, silently watching from the windows and recording his observations in a notebook. You might not see him today, or tomorrow, but somewhere, he's there, watching... and learning.
Much like the nomadic Bedouin, his fellow Muslims who rove the Arabian Desert, he recounts his tales, only Jay traded the burning sands for the hot concrete of America. Being homeless can do that to a person, make them restless and unable to stay in one place. From behind the glass, he saw the true workings of the world when no one else was looking.
When the Nation of Islam recruited Jay, they gave him meaning. They taught him about the Rothschilds, as well as the secret ways of money and power. He was a diligent student, combining their knowledge with his own to rapidly climb the ladder of society. If one thing exemplifies this, it's perhaps his extra-marital affair in the early 2010s with heiress Kate Rothschild, of the same lofty family. In 2008, he was almost completely unknown.
From the vantage point of 2025, the conspiracy theory of the Rothschild's secretly ruling the world has long been debunked. But the rapper's romantic entanglements, in 2012, speak to his frame of mind at the time. He told Red Bull Music Academy in 2010: "I am a conspiracy theorist. I believe that Red Bull is controlled by the government. I am a conspiracy theorist all the way. You work for the Illuminati. Me too, though. I am a conspiracy theorist to the point where we all working for them." He later claimed, perhaps through his time with Kate, to have met the Illuminati in person.
Some blame his erratic beliefs on a mental illness developed while homeless, others on a misunderstood creative mind. There's even the small chance he might be right! One thing we know for sure, however, is that when Jay Electronica debuted on the music scene in the late 2000s, he was an artist unlike any other.
He achieved significant buzz releasing music directly to MySpace. His single, 'Exhibit C', penetrated the mainstream in 2009 without any help from a record company. Some of his tracks were unconventionaly long, running for 15 minutes. Instead of sampling old songs, he used film soundtracks without percussion, helping to shape the emerging genre of drumless hip hop, and giving his work a cinematic quality. His vocals were prominently placed front and centre, as if he had something important to share with us... and then... nothing.
After signing with Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2010, his debut album wasn't released for a decade. The rapper became an almost mythical figure lingering in the dimly lit corners of hip hop. A what-if story if ever there was one. If you can find him, Jay Electronica's rule-breaking mix of religion, poetic lyricism, and conspiracy theories makes him a one of a kind artist not to be missed.
Skills
*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.Emotional Impact
90
Mental Impact
80
Originality
95
Artistry
70
Authenticity
90
Live
85
Production
65
Musicianship
60
Rapping
85
Songwriting
45
Danceability
65
Fun
45
Consistency
20
Range
55
Cool
55
Charisma
25
Commercial & Critical Success
Awards >>>
- 2x Grammy Award Nominee 2021: A Written Testimony; Best Rap Album
Certifications
Charts >>>
- A Written Testimony: #12 in USA
Critics >>>
- New York Times: A Written Testimony - Best Albums of 2020: #4
- Pitchfork: The Patents of Nobility - Best Albums of 2020: #14
CRITICISM
- Jay Electronica is known for long Twitter rants targeting people such Joe Budden, Eminem, and Rabbi Abraham Cooper
- What is it with Jay-Z signing rappers named J? J. Cole, Jay Electronica, Jay Park? In the spirit of conspiracy, I'm starting to see a pattern. It's almost like Jay-Z, the Jigga Man, parented these rappers, giving them his first name instead of his last. Considering Jay-Z has an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion, it's easy to understand why so many follow him.
