Starting out in the music business as a publicist, his first professional project was with Quo, a short lived hip-hip duo who were signed to Michael Jackson's MJJ Productions.[14] Subsequently, Hay worked with Jackson's producer Teddy Riley.[15]
Hay's first success was achieved with Days of the New, the multi-platinum rock band who had four hit singles; most notably "Touch, Peel and Stand" that Billboard awarded "All-Time Greatest Mainstream Rock Song".[16][17] In 2003, Travis Meeks, the lead singer of the group slammed the publicist for making premature disclosures, which the musician felt "actually damaged his chances" to advance his career with Guns N' Roses.[18][19] After the purported conflict, Hay still worked with Meeks years later.[20]
Hay worked as a publicist for Death Row Records and announced its catalog was being sold to Hasbro.[21][22] In 2012, Hay was part of a guardianship case involving teen actress Ariel Winter, a star on the TV series Modern Family, and her mother, Chrisoula "Crystal" Workman.[23] Workman sent a cease and desist to Hay in which he responded to TMZ, "I feel terrible that a 14-year-old child has to suffer the consequences of her own mother's unfortunate decisions."[24] Hay testified in court and signed a declaration for Ariel Winter in favor of her staying with her sister Shanelle Workman Gray.[25] In 2013, Hay publicized a book about the Kardashian family.[26]
Hay was in both Vogue and Vanity Fair for a philanthropy project in Florida.[27][28] Hay spoke out in Rolling Stone on March 24, 2016 (Issue 1257) to publicly support Kesha during her sexual assault lawsuit against Dr. Luke.[29][30] The magazine called Hay a "crisis management expert".[31]
Hay told The Sun that his frequent collaborator Cyhi The Prynce wrote the lyrics to "Famous", the song that caused the public battle between Taylor Swift, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian.[32] According to Hollywood Life, a source close to West said, "Cyhi is a creative contributor on the song, in which he has been credited accordingly. However, the specific Taylor lyrics were written by Kanye himself."[33]
In April 2017, Hay had involvement with the Drake and Sophie Brussaux pregnancy scandal.[34] Hay told People Magazine, "I've seen the text messages and they do exist", in reference to conversations purportedly from Drake, urging Brussaux to undergo an abortion.[35] Hay has spoken out about this situation with Perez Hilton,[36]Glamour Magazine (in the Netherlands),[37]Hollywood Life[38] and Public Magazine (in France).[39] In March 2025, Hay interviewed with Kat Tenbarge who previously worked for NBC News, in an effort to clarify the circumstances surrounding Sophie and Drake, shifting the responsibility onto a different publicist.[40]
Hay stated to The Huffington Post that Kathy Griffin was "flat-out gross" for her President Donald Trump photo scandal. Defending the POTUS, Hay explained to HuffPost, "From a PR perspective, she did do the right thing, by apologizing … but still that isn't enough. Not even close."[41] From the viewpoint of a crisis publicist, Hay was quoted in The New York Times about XXXTentacion's posthumous album release Skins.[42] During October 2022, Hay defended Ye, previously known as Kanye West in SOHH, and said he's "profoundly misunderstood by the media," and that Ye was "grossly misconstrued and taken way out of context."[43] In November 2023, The Hindustan Times reported that Jonathan Hay worked an event for the Vice President of the United States.[44]
In May 2025, Wired Magazine published an article in which Hay stated, "I blew the whistle as loud as I could" when he reported his former associate Mike Smith to the local authorities and the FBI in 2019.[45]In September 2024, Smith was arrested and faces charges of wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy.Hay also interviewed with BBC News about the federal music streaming fraud case.[46]
In a December 2025 statement to Deadline, Hay criticized Dave Chappelle for joking about Cassie Ventura's assault and expressing repeated support for Sean "Diddy" Combs in his Netflix special The Unstoppable.[47]
Pon de Replay
Hay met Kevin Skinner while working with Whitney Houston through her father's John Houston Entertainment company.[48] In late 2004, Skinner introduced Hay to one of the co-producers of Rihanna's debut single "Pon de Replay". Hay was hired to promote the single and write her first press release that became a MTV News item on March 17, 2005.[49] Hay reiterated to Us Weekly that he was hired specifically for that song, not by Rihanna, but by the co-producer.[50]
In 2015, Becoming Beyoncé: The Untold Story by J. Randy Taraborrelli, an author on The New York Times Best Seller list was released, and it revealed Hay's "desperate, publicity stunt" for Rihanna's single.[51][52] Hay appeared on the CBS national television show Inside Edition and publicly apologized to Beyoncé.[53] "The PR stunt that I did was out of desperation to help break 'Pon de Replay,'" Hay said. "It was reckless and I didn't think it was going to work. I was just throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what would stick."[54] Neither Rihanna or Jay Z was aware of his machinations Hay told Newsday.[55]
In 2024, Jonathan Hay did interviews on YouTube with Jaguar Wright and Tisa Tells addressing the marketing tactics behind "Pon de Replay".[56][57]
From 2018 to 2019, Hay produced three consecutive albums that reached No. 1 on Billboard's Jazz Albums or Contemporary Jazz Albums charts.[87][88] His 2019 release Follow the Leader—a jazz reimagining of Eric B. & Rakim's classic album topped the Jazz Albums chart for 11 weeks and received GRAMMY consideration in the jazz category.[89][90][91]
In an interview Billboard Magazine, Eric B. & Rakim talked about Hay's jazz rendition of Follow the Leader stating:
"I couldn't have done a better job myself and I created the original album (laughs). It's a great body of work, and all the guys should be so proud of themselves. The simple way to put it is that life imitates art, and art imitates life, and it's all coming around full circle." - Eric B as told to Billboard[92]
"And while a fair amount of tomb-raiding has occurred on Kurt Cobain's behalf—Nirvana Reimagined is one of a few tributes that align with his principles."
Hay's "We Are the World (Contemporary Jazz Instrumental)" peaked at No. 18 on the United Kingdom Apple Music charts in March 2024.[99]
The Notorious B.I.G. estate / Sean 'Diddy' Combs partnership
Jonathan Hay during "Big Poppa (House Mix)" release.
Hay co-produced "Big Poppa (House Mix)" with Biggie's son 'C.J'., Diddy and others from the 'Frank White' team.[102][103]Spin called the single "electrifying".[104] Landing at #76 on the iTunes charts, the single could be seen as a disappointment in terms of commercial success.[105]
"Our reimagination of 'Big Poppa' is laced with style and grace. With the original spirit of the Notorious B.I.G. spun into a new house classic. Dedicated to all the honeys getting money and the ravers dancing to the sounds from house gods like Martinez Brothers and Carl Cox, our aim was to create music that makes you wanna move and honor BIG's legacy."
Wallace and The Notorious B.I.G.'s Estate filed a countersuit against Hay for defamation seeking punitive and compensatory damages, claiming Hay's allegations are a calculated smear campaign.[113] Hay is represented by the Dordick Law Corporation.[114]
On April 20, 2017, Jonathan Hay was a victim in a home invasion where he was held at gunpoint as reported by the New York Daily News.[116] Hay was bound by duct tape during the attack in the Mallard Crossing at St. Matthews apartment complex.[117]
WHAS-TV and WAVE (TV) reported that St. Matthews Police arrested Michael Brooks and Louis Simmons Jr. and they were charged with first degree robbery, two counts of kidnapping, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, receiving stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts fraudulent use of a credit card.[118][77][119] Quantez Gibson was the third person arrested.[120] Gibson was sentenced to prison at the Kentucky State Reformatory for the two offenses of "criminal facilitation kidnapping and robbery."[121]
Personal life
Hay is a Leesburg, Florida native.[122] He went to Waggener High School but switched to a private school system to play basketball at Christian Academy of Louisville.[1] His uncle is a founding elder of Southeast Christian Church, one of the largest churches in the United States.[123] The Daily Commercial reported that he is currently estranged from his adoptive family.[123] Utilizing 23andMe and DMC of Run-DMC, he successfully located his birth parents and had his first meeting with his biological mother in February 2017.[124] His mom died unexpectedly in February 2021.[125] The media reported that Jonathan Hay and Adele were romantically involved after meeting in a recording studio in New York.[126][127] Adele and Hay declined to comment on the dating speculation.[128][129] According to Wired, he has dated a stripper.[45] He currently lives in Brooklyn.[130]
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