If you’re not hip to Jay IDK, now’s the perfect time to get familiar.
First of all --- no, the the IDK doesn’t stand for "I Don’t Know," but for Ignorantly Delivering Knowledge. As the man himself once said, he wants to be “the bridge between A Tribe Called Quest & Gucci Mane." Jay’s had tour dates with G-Eazy, Post Malone, A$AP Ferg and most recently went on the road with Isaiah Rashad for the "Lil Sunny" tour.
On Empty Bank, his most recent project, Jay focuses on the many perspectives of money and hones in on how we're often controlled by it. The mixtape features A3C alumni Masego & CJ Fly along with an upcoming performer, SABA. The Maryland native used his second mixtape, SubTrap, to skillfully deliver switch perspectives between a chemist student, a drug dealer, a drug user, himself and everyone else. Although he comes from a middle class family and decent neighborhood in Maryland, he managed to find himself in and out of jail between 2009 and 2012. He even wrote an article for the Huffington Post describing his experiences while being incarcerated and the many questions about “The System” that arose during that time.
In the early phases of his career, Jay worked as his own manager, sending emails as Jason Mills (his legal name) to make himself seem more professional to his contacts. He also partnered with Adult Swim to drop his music in conjunction with their Singles program, which has released tracks from underground artists like Earl Sweatshirt, Vince Staples, & Run the Jewels.
Jay’s ability to flow over both smooth tracks and trap beats will keep him relevant in the rap game for a long time to come. The independent artist’s bold & brass lyrics, and vivid storytelling over jazzy instruments is very reminiscent of Section 80 by Kendrick Lamar .His desire to fill the void of conscience rap through what he considers ignorance is a journey we are all excited to watch take place.
To see Jay IDK Perform at A3C, purchase your festival pass today!