J.I. makes pain sound beautiful. Combining a sleek tenor with irrepressible style, the New York rapper merges emotional melodies and memories of the trenches for tales of battle scars and broken romance. But there are moments of triumph too, the celebrations of what he's earned and the moments he's transcended the weight of the hard times. It's a relatable sentiment that's connected with listeners around the world, but especially in his hometown—he's the face of New York's new generation.
Since unloading his breakout single, “Need Me,” which now has over 150 million streams, in 2019, the 20-year-old Brooklyn native has woven together pop sensibilities with relatable lyrics and gleefully nostalgic production on his way to earning legions of fans. He’ll surely continue to forge his connection with these listeners and reach the ears of new ones all together with his Young & Restless EP, a glittering collection of shapeshifting confessionals, braggadocious bars, and infectious hooks that reaffirms him as one of the East Coast’s most versatile songwriters.
