Jay Electronica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jay Electronica
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Jay Electronica performing in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Timothy Elpadaro Thedford |
| Also known as | Je'Ri |
| Born | September 19, 1976 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
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| Years active | 2000–present |
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| Children | 1 |
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Elpadaro F. Electronica Allah (born Timothy Elpadaro Thedford; September 19, 1976), known as Jay Electronica, is an American rapper and music producer. He was born and grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. He first became known for his mixtape, Act I: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge), released in 2007.
His success, along with his popular song "Exhibit C", led to a big record deal. Famous rapper Jay-Z signed Electronica to his record label, Roc Nation, in 2010. Jay Electronica's first studio album, A Written Testimony (2020), was highly praised. It reached number 12 on the Billboard 200 music chart. His second album, Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn), came out in October 2020. In 2021, he was featured on Kanye West's song "Jesus Lord". This song was his first to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Contents
Music Career Highlights
Early Success and Mixtapes
In 2007, Jay Electronica released his first mixtape, Act I: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge). He shared it on Myspace, and it was downloaded over 50,000 times. This early success helped him join the Rock the Bells Tour in 2008.
Later that year, producer Just Blaze and Jay Electronica worked together. They chose songs for a project called Guitar Center's GAIN project, Fresh Cuts Vol. 3. This included a song that Just Blaze named "Exhibit A (Transformations)."
Breakthrough with "Exhibit C"
On October 27, 2009, Just Blaze first played "Exhibit C" on a radio show. The song quickly became very popular. It was played on major radio stations like New York's Hot 97. Many other rappers, including AZ and N.O.R.E, created their own versions of the song.
Signing with Roc Nation
Because of his growing fame, many record labels wanted to sign Jay Electronica. On November 12, 2010, he officially signed with Roc Nation. This label is owned by the famous rapper Jay-Z. Fans were very excited for a full album. However, for the next ten years, Jay Electronica mostly released songs with other artists or single songs that were not part of an album.
Releasing Studio Albums
On February 7, 2020, Jay Electronica announced on Twitter that his new album was finished. This album, called A Written Testimony, was recorded in just 40 days. It was released on March 13, 2020.
On October 5, 2020, Jay Electronica shared more news on Twitter. He announced that his album Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn) was available to stream on Tidal. This album had appeared online a couple of days before his announcement.
In August 2021, Jay Electronica was a guest artist on the song "Jesus Lord." This song was part of Kanye West's album Donda.
Personal Life
Jay Electronica was in a relationship with singer Erykah Badu for five years. They have a daughter together named Mars Merkaba Thedford, who was born in 2009.
Discography
- A Written Testimony (2020)
- Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn) (2020)
Awards and Nominations
| Organization | Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
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| Grammy Awards | 2021 | Best Rap Album | A Written Testimony | Nominated |
