J.B

Genre: Hip Hop/Rap Hometown: Toronto ON
www.jbzworld.com

Saturday, March 18   9:10 p.m.
Caribbean Lights   (614 E 6th St)

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J.B.’s infectious single “Ey Yo” saw him dominate the Canadian airwaves for a good portion of 2004, but make no mistake, he’s no newcomer to Canadian hip hop.
He’s been rhyming and making appearances on the national and international scene for years, but after taking some needed time away from the game, he’s back, focused and ready to rep the streets.
Raised in Flemington Park, one of the city’s toughest hoods, he was entranced by the world he saw around him. “I was like 9 or 10 and people would come through the area and local men would go on tour and perform with these big names like Big Daddy Kane and KRS-One. When I saw that, there was nothing I wanted to do other than rap.”
At the age of 13, he made his first public appearance as part of “Two Young To Handle,” performing at televised events throughout Toronto. The events were televised and led to J.B. being recruited to record tracks for several radio commercials.
But while he was just beginning to succeed in his dream to be a rapper, he realized fame and money would be easier had hustling on the turf. By age 14, the police became a regular menace at the family home; so much so, that both he and his mother decided it would be best for him to leave home.
When the courts forced him to move back in with his mother, J.B. once again adapted. “I would be on the turf from 6 in the evening until 5 in the morning and then I would come home and sleep on the couch.”
While J.B continued to rap and make appearances, including a performance at one of the first “Live at the BBQ” events hosted by Canadian hip hop pioneer DJ X. He also continued his grind on the street, joining local turf gang G.C.P (Guilty Crime Posse).
That gang connection would prove to be rewarding to J.B.’s musical career, when the crew decided to turn part of their efforts, and profits, into production and rap.
As J.B progressed in G.C.P, older members saw his potential and focused their resources on the eager teen. He also felt acceptance for the first time in his life. “This was a whole different thing. I was part of something bigger.”
In the next couple of years, J.B split his efforts between hustling and rapping. Local djs played his underground track “Ghetto Flows” straight from a cassette tape. Finally, he released his first single “Serious” at 19.
The first G.C.P album “The Turf’s Hot” followed. It included 24 songs and 29 artists, with J.B and his best friend and recording partner Toba Chung as the main features. He also executive produced the album, funding the entire recording and pressing and securing a PMD deal through Nuff Entertainment. The album was sold nationwide at major retailers.
The deal was followed by appearances / performances on MuchMusic, and the release of their first video for the single “Crime Hits.”


Just as the future of G.C.P was beginning to fall into place, everything was shelved when several of the main members went to prison. J.B once again shifted his attention to the streets but song-writing and making music remained in his blood and during this time, he released a number of solo tracks. Television and film producers also came knocking at his door and several of his recordings were featured in Canadian and US productions. At the same time, 3 GCP singles featuring J.B were remixed with a drum and bass beat and released internationally through the world-renowned Knowledge and Wisdom Records in the U.K.
As members of G.C.P returned from prison, J.B concentrated on putting together a second album. He began managing the ever-growing collective and worked on securing distribution in the U.S. The group made several appearances in the U.S. Their single “Friction” also became a regular staple on Miami radio.
Through different friends, J.B was also able to meet players in the U.S recording industry. It was through this connection that he met and recorded with Melky Sedeck from the Refugee Camp. The finished product “Ain’t No Shame” was featured on the second GCP album when it was finally released in 2003.
The double-cd release, entitled “Crime Connects” quickly became a street favorite, and was distributed nationwide through indie-pool. Toba Chung and J.B began doing more performances, opening for dancehall greats Beenie Man and Bounty Killer.
Then there were more road-blocks. Toba Chung became completely caught up in the court system, leaving the rest of the members in limbo, but J.B was intent on pushing ahead. He and Toba made efforts to return to the studio whenever they could. They were both in studio last spring when the final hurdle stopped G.C.P in its tracks.
Toba was killed in a shoot-out. The death devastated the rest of the group, but no one felt it more than his best friend J.B. He left his music completely and returned full-force to the streets.
It would be almost a year later, a year of soul-searching, before he would admit to himself that he was born to perform. Although he decided to return to music as a solo artist, he is definitely not alone. “I shared this ambition with Toba. We had dreams of being successful in music, and thinking about him makes me want it more. I want to have something to contribute to both our children. We’re together in this.”
At the age of 26, J.B released “Ey Yo,” his first single in over a year, and testimony that he has returned as a respected player in the game. J.B. is currently in studio with some of the top producing names in the game, including Canada’s top urban production team: Tone Mason and New York’s own Midi Mafia (the team behind 50 Cent’s “21 Questions.”)
For his second single, “Whatcha Need” J.B. has returned to his roots, proving his tracks are still the standard for real, grimy hip hop. Long before 50 Cent rapped about wankstas, J.B lived the hustle and made no qualms about it. He’s lived on the streets; survived on the streets even when those around him couldn’t and continues to tell his story. With his return, the legacy of the turf returns to Canadian hip hop.