Jonathan Moore (musician) facts for kids

Jonathan Moore (April 21, 1969 – March 8, 2017) was a talented American rapper, DJ, and music producer. He was also known by his stage name, Wordsayer. Born in Seattle, Washington, Jonathan became a very important person in the Northwest hip-hop music scene. Many people called him Seattle's "hip-hop ambassador" because he helped spread hip-hop music and culture. He also started a famous music group called Source of Labor in 1989.

Jonathan Moore's Early Life

Jonathan Moore grew up in a neighborhood in Seattle called Columbia City. He went to Roosevelt High School and graduated in 1987. After high school, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia. There, he attended Morehouse College. While studying, Jonathan worked at a natural grocery store called Sevananda.

After college, he moved back to Seattle. He rented a house in the Central District with his brother, Upendo Tookas, and his friend, DJ Kamikaze. Both his brother and DJ Kamikaze also helped change the hip-hop scene in Seattle.

Jonathan Moore's Music Career

Starting Source of Labor

In 1989, Jonathan Moore, Upendo Tookas, and DJ Kamikaze began performing. They performed at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center in Seattle. Their group was called Source of Labor, often shortened to SOL.

In 1997, Derrick Brown (also known as Vitamin D) joined SOL. He replaced DJ Kamikaze. SOL also started a music label called Jasiri Media Group. Jasiri had actually begun as a group of artists in 1993.

Challenges and Success in Hip-Hop

In the early 1990s, it was hard for hip-hop groups like SOL to get noticed. Many popular clubs in downtown Seattle booked grunge bands. Also, gangster rap was very popular at that time.

As Wordsayer, Jonathan Moore was known for his lyrics. His songs often talked about politics and important social issues. SOL and Jasiri were key to Seattle's second wave of hip-hop music. The first wave was led by artists like Sir Mix-a-Lot.

Jonathan Moore is given credit for making hip-hop popular in Seattle. He helped bring attention to the city's hip-hop scene. He not only brought hip-hop to downtown Seattle clubs but also helped other artists. He booked and promoted many famous national acts in these clubs. For example, he brought The Roots in 1995, Blackalicious, and Saul Williams. He even managed a national tour for Saul Williams in 2001.

Fighting for All-Ages Music Venues

Jonathan Moore also worked hard to create places where young people could see live music. In the early 1990s, Seattle had a rule called the Teen Dance Ordinance. This rule made it very difficult for venues to host shows for people under 18. Venues needed expensive insurance and had to hire off-duty police officers.

Jonathan was part of a movement to change this law. He helped by hosting "Sure Shot Sundays" at a local café and laundromat. This was a place where young artists could perform. Famous rapper Macklemore performed there for the first time when he was 15 years old.

Later Career and Legacy

Jonathan Moore met Chaka Mkali (also known as I Self Devine) while visiting his old college. He helped connect Chaka to Seattle's growing hip-hop scene. This led to Seattle groups getting national attention and going on tours. In 2000, Source of Labor performed with Mos Def and local groups. This show was for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday at the University of Washington.

Source of Labor broke up in 2004. The members wanted to work on their own projects. Jonathan continued to manage new artists. He wanted to give them the support he wished he had when he was starting out. He managed many Seattle hip-hop groups, including THEESatisfaction and Shabazz Palaces.

Jonathan also co-hosted a radio show called Sunday Night Sound Sessions. It was on KUBE 93, Seattle's main pop music station. He hosted it with DJ Hyphen.

Jonathan Moore worked until the end of his life. He was working on a music video for rapper Brother Ali called "Own Light (What Hearts Are For)." Jonathan's sister, Jen, dances in the video to celebrate his life. The video was filmed the day after he passed away and is dedicated to his memory.

Jonathan Moore's Personal Life

Jonathan Moore also taught creative writing at Franklin High School in Seattle.

He had two sons. His oldest son, Upendo Moore, started playing drums at 18 months old. At age 4, he even performed on stage with The Roots! Upendo's mother is Erika Kylea White, who was also a musician. Jonathan's younger son, Miles, he had with Caitlin Brower.

Jonathan Moore passed away on March 8, 2017, at the age of 47. He died from kidney failure.

Discography

A discography is a list of all the music an artist has released. Here are some of the albums Jonathan Moore worked on: