J-Zone

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J-Zone
J-Zone aka Jay Mumford.jpg
J-Zone at Austin City Limits in 2022
Background information
Birth nameJarrett A. Mumford [1]
Born (1977-02-26) February 26, 1977 (age 48) [2]
Origin Queens, New York City, U.S.
Genres Hip hop
Occupations
  • Record producer
  • drummer
  • multi-instrumentalist
  • rapper
  • writer
Years active1993–present
Labels
  • Old Maid Entertainment
  • Fat Beats
  • Redefinition Records
Website govillaingo.com

Jay Mumford (born Jarrett A. Mumford; February 26, 1977), [2] known by his former stage name J-Zone, [3] [4] is an American record producer, drummer, multi-instrumentalist, former rapper, [3] and writer from New York City. [5] [6]

Contents

Career

Known for his quirky lyrics and trash talk style of rapping, Jay Mumford as "J-Zone" released a string of idiosyncratic and critically acclaimed albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s that acquired a cult following. [7] [8] Of these, the 2001 release Pimps Don't Pay Taxes, was particularly noted; it featured rappers Huggy Bear and Al-Shid, [5] for whom he would subsequently produce a number of 12" releases. [9] In 2003, The New York Times cited his J-Zone, S.A. Smash concert in Brooklyn, New York as a noteworthy pop and jazz concert in the New York metropolitan region. [10]

Not finding commercial success, Jay Mumford as "J-Zone" eventually walked away from rap, and in 2011 published the book Root for the Villain: Rap, Bullshit and a Celebration of Failure. [5] [8] The book has been well received; the Los Angeles Times Music Blog stated that "Like his albums, it's equal parts hilarious, self-effacing and sharp. He's the sarcastic older brother putting you up on game. It's a love letter to rap laced with sulfur, the flip side of Dan Charnas' similarly excellent The Big Payback." [4] The Washington Post Going Out Gurus blog called it "a must for every curmudgeonly grown-up hip-hop head", [8] while Nathan Rabin writing for The A.V. Club called it "one of the funniest and most honest books ever written about the modern music industry and its luckless casualties." [5]

In 2013, Jay Mumford returned to music with the release of the album, Peter Pan Syndrome , [11] which was listed as the 17th best album of 2013 by Spin . [12] After learning to play the drums seriously during his hiatus from music, Jay Mumford released the drum break album, Lunch Breaks, in 2014. [13]

In 2016 Jay Mumford landed a spot playing drums on new tunes from the 1970s funk band Manzel, his band The Du-Rites with Tom Tom Club guitarist Pablo Martin, and for personal drum break kits for Danger Mouse and others. [14]

Jay Mumford has continued working as a session drummer in recent years, appearing on Lord Finesse's Motown State of Mind album in 2020 and rock band Vampire Weekend's single, "Capricorn," in 2024, [15] in addition to his drums being sampled on the 2020 Madlib single, "Road of The Lonely Ones". [16]

In 2022, Jay Mumford was the drummer for live shows and select recordings for The Black Pumas guitarist Adrian Quesada's Boleros Psicodelicos album. [17]

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

Guest appearances

Productions

As a Sideman

Books

References

  1. ↑ "A BAD TRIP". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "I turn 41 today but pops turns 70, so it's all about the OG today". Twitter . February 26, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Aug 24, Danny O’NeilPublished; 2023Share (August 24, 2023). "What do you do when your rap career dries up? Start drumming". Gothamist. Retrieved December 22, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. 1 2 Weiss, Jeff. "Rap & Books: Underground iconoclast J-Zone 'Roots for the Villain'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Rabin, Nathan (January 3, 2013). "J-Zone lost his Wikipedia page—and his interest in being a rapper". The A.V. Club . Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  6. ↑ Breihan, Tom (October 21, 2016). "Stream The Du-Rites J-Zone & Pablo Martin Are The Du-Rites". Stereogum . Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  7. ↑ Rabin, Nathan (January 3, 2013). "J-Zone lost his Wikipedia page—and his interest in being a rapper". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on March 6, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 Hahn, Fritz. "Nightlife Agenda: Holiday cocktails, rare beers and Nerd Nite". The Washington Post . Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  9. ↑ "J-Zone * New Music And Songs * MTV". MTV. 2012. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  10. ↑ Sanneh, Kelefa (May 30, 2003). "Pop and Jazz Guide". The New York Times . p. E23. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  11. ↑ Soderberg, Brandon (September 11, 2013). "J-Zone's 'Peter Pan Syndrome': The Grumpy-Old-Man Rap You Need in Your Life". Spin . Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  12. ↑ "J-Zone, Peter Pan Syndrome (Old Maid)". Spin . November 22, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  13. ↑ "J-Zone learns the drums and drops Lunch Breaks". Wax Poetics . November 10, 2014. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  14. ↑ "J-Zone's Wild Ride from Rapper to Funky Drummer". The Village Voice . August 16, 2018. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Old Artists are Still Crafty". Passion of the Weiss . August 12, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  16. ↑ "The 5 Best Songs of the Week". Stereogum . December 18, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Adrian Quesada: "I put tremolo on everything"". Premier Guitar. August 25, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.

Further reading

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