Noa James facts for kids

Jamie Wilson (born December 21, 1984), known by his stage name Noa James, is a West Coast rapper from the Inland Empire area of California. He is an independent artist who releases music on his own.

Early Life

Noa James faced many challenges when he was young. For a time, he lived in an orphanage after his mother had to leave. His father also had to move away to another country. A very important moment in his life was when his grandfather, who he was very close to, passed away. These experiences shaped who he is today.

Music Career

Noa James started his journey in music when he was just 13 years old. He began as a battle rapper, where rappers compete by making up clever rhymes on the spot. He was known for his smart and witty lines. After five years, he decided he wanted to be an artist who tells stories through his songs.

Over the years, James became known for his autobiographical rhymes, which means his songs are often about his own life. He is also a major figure in the underground hip hop scene in Southern California's Inland Empire.

Working with Black Cloud Music

In May 2010, James joined Black Cloud Music, a group of artists who shared his passion for music. With them, he released his first official album, Beautiful Darkness. The album was a success with fans and other artists. It showed two sides of his personality: the serious and the creative. You can find Beautiful Darkness in some record stores in Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, and Las Vegas.

In May 2011, James released another project called Intelligent, Elegant, Elephant: Humble Power. This album got a lot of attention online after he performed at a big hip hop music festival called Paid Dues. Around this time, he was featured on the cover of IE Weekly magazine and in XXL Magazine.

Becoming an Independent Artist

At the start of 2014, James left Black Cloud Music to become a fully independent artist. He started his own company, BrickToYaFace, to promote concerts and events. In March 2014, he organized the first Common Ground tour, which featured other artists like Curtiss King and Stevie Crooks.

He also formed a duo with Curtiss King called Pterodactyl Jones. They released an album together in November 2014 on the record label Label316, which was started by the rapper Murs.

Growing Success (2015-Present)

2015 was a big year for James. He performed at many events, including Low End Theory and RhymeFest. He also toured the West Coast with Murs. He released a popular song called "Buu's Hungry," which was inspired by the anime series Dragon Ball Z. He also formed a duo called P.S. with another artist named Fredo.

In 2016, James was very busy performing. He opened for famous artists like DMX, 2Chainz, and Raekwon. He released an EP called 3 Bullets in a Golden Gun and signed a deal with The Order Label. He also started a podcast for independent artists called ORCAstrated Podcast.

In 2017, he performed at the famous SXSW festival. He released two EPs: Peace of Cake and GnarlyOrca. He also appeared on a TV rap competition show called Versus. He ended the year with a single called "Keep That ... Energy To Yourself," which has a positive message.

Since then, James has continued to release music, including albums like The Sea King (2022) and King Orca (2024).

Performances and Tours

Noa James has performed at many venues across the United States. A major moment was in 2011 when the rapper Murs invited him to perform at the Paid Dues festival after seeing how much support James had from his fans.

He has organized his own tours, like the Humble Power Tour in 2011 and the Common Ground Tour in 2014. He has also toured across the country with Murs. James has shared the stage with many famous artists, including Jurassic 5, Freddie Gibbs, and Denzel Curry. He has performed in over 20 states, from California to New York.

Helping the Community

James cares about his community. He holds charity events every year to support local programs and shelters. For example, his annual "Toys for Tots" event helps an organization called Veronica's House of Mercy. He also organizes food drives to help people in need.

Discography

Albums

• Sounds of a Monster LP (2009)
• Beautiful / Darkness (2010)
• James For the Win Vol. 1 (2011)
• Pterodactyl Jones (2014) (with Curtiss King) (as Pterodactyl Jones)
• Granny Said (2018)
• Majestic Travels Of OrcaMane & OGIE (2019) (with NugLife)
• Dirty Gospel (2020) (with Cas1)
• King Kaiju (2022) (with Local Astronauts)
• The Sea King (2022)
• King Orca (2024) (with AudioKing)

EPs

• In Blanka Mode EP (2009)
• Intelligent Elegant Elephant: Humble Power (2011)
• The Adventures Of Young Orca (2013)
• Fat Boy Love Letter EP (2013) (with Gypsy Mamba)
• Leaders.In.Training/Love Is Truth (2015) (with Fredo) (as P.S.)
• 3 Bullets In A Golden Gun EP (2016)
• Peace Of Cake (2017)
• GnarlyOrca (2017) (with Cam Gnarly)
• Cherry Yellow Glow (2018)
• Phone Rang / Dumb Lit (2018) (with Aye Brook)
• The Love Was Never Hidden (2020)
• OrcaMania 30,000 EP (2020)