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That changed once he found a group of friends people he still works with today. At first, Jay kept things simple, recording himself and practicing until he got better. But by his sophomore year, he began piecing full songs together and realized this was more than a hobby. It was a calling.

While he isn’t mainstream yet, Jay sees the journey as less about difficulty and more about authenticity. For him, the key has always been building genuine connections and staying true to who he is as an artist.

Much of Jay’s inspiration stems from life’s struggles. Losing his mom at a young age left a permanent mark, but it also gave him one of his biggest reasons to keep going with music. He writes to share experiences, to tell stories, and to create moments where listeners can feel his truth.

Jay describes himself as a storyteller, someone who paints pictures through words and melodies, so that even if you can’t relate directly, you can visualize his journey. His writing process can be spontaneous jumping on a beat and letting inspiration flow or more structured, playing with sounds until something clicks. He admits some of his best work comes after periods of writer’s block, when he’s pushing himself to break through.

Over the years, Jay has grown as both a rapper and a singer. In the beginning, he didn’t have full control over his voice, but vocal training and experimentation have allowed him to expand his range. His style has become more versatile mixing rap with melodic elements reflecting his willingness to take risks and avoid being boxed into one genre.

Through it all, his core message remains simple but powerful: keep going. Life throws challenges, but Jay believes you can’t let setbacks knock you off balance. “You can’t fall and not get back up”

The hardest part of the journey has been consistency. Balancing music with everyday life hasn’t always been easy, but Jay has learned to carve out time for the studio and personal growth. That effort has paid off in the form of meaningful connections with collaborators, and industry peers.

For Jay, those relationships are as rewarding as the music itself. He has collaborated with artists like TA 1.0, Reb3llious, Lvcky, and Scuba Twan. He’s currently gearing up to release an EP in the coming month, followed by a tape in the end of the year.

Jay is also a creative entrepreneur. Alongside his music career, he co-runs a clothing brand (formerly Authentic Religion LA, now rebranding) and partners with County Creative Era, an organization that hosts events to promote and uplift upcoming artists in his city. For him, it’s all about contributing positive energy and creating opportunities for others.

Jay doesn’t see himself as just a Los Angeles or California artist his vision is bigger. He dreams of taking his music global, reaching places he’s always imagined, and collaborating with artists like Roddy Ricch and Chris Brown.

Something fans might not expect? Despite the toughness he projects in his music, Jay says he’s actually just a really nice guy. Offstage, he’s down-to-earth, working regular jobs and staying grounded in his purpose.

When asked what advice he’d give to aspiring artists, he says to take criticism. When in the industry you don’t just want compliments, you want to hear criticism as well to learn from what people don’t like so you can create something better.

For Jay, the lesson has always been the same: stay fresh don’t put yourself in a box and if you feel like you can do it, I’ll do it all.

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