Jay 305

Even if his music is West Coast gangsta rap, Jay 305 is named after the Miami area code where he used to live, spending four years there beginning at the age of 11, avoiding gang members who were trying to kill him. After he returned to South Central, Jay reunited with old friends like <a href="spotify:artist:54QA4zjZDOyaLN8bVthBjP">Joe Moses</a> and made some new ones like <a href="spotify:artist:3s8alQfNnY0roAHaJh7Xxt">Dom Kennedy</a>, who signed 305 to his <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Interscope%22">Interscope</a>-affiliated label <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Other+People%27s+Money%22">Other People's Money</a> for the release of projects like 2017 album Taking All Bets. <a href="spotify:artist:3s8alQfNnY0roAHaJh7Xxt">Kennedy</a> also appeared on Jay 305's 2024 EP, Don't Wait Until I Die.

Early in his career, 305 landed his track "Youzza Flip" on the 2012 label compilation Young Nation, then in 2013 it was released on its own as a single. <a href="spotify:artist:5gCRApTajqwbnHHPbr2Fpi">Juicy J</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:137W8MRPWKqSmrBGDBFSop">Wiz Khalifa</a> jumped on the remix, then a weapons charge put 305 behind bars for a few months. Upon his release in 2014, he joined <a href="spotify:artist:0A0FS04o6zMoto8OKPsDwY">YG</a> on the aptly titled album Blame It on the Streets. That same year, he landed a feature on <a href="spotify:artist:0YinUQ50QDB7ZxSCLyQ40k">DJ Mustard</a>'s album 10 Summers, while 2015 saw him reunite with <a href="spotify:artist:54QA4zjZDOyaLN8bVthBjP">Joe Moses</a> for the single "Thuggin'." That track appeared on his Inner City Hero LP, which arrived the same year. The album featured appearances by <a href="spotify:artist:3s8alQfNnY0roAHaJh7Xxt">Dom Kennedy</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5bgfj5zUoWpyeVatGDjn6H">K Camp</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7AjokpCIqf0gHMZJlodw2k">Suga Free</a>, Joshua Mock, and <a href="spotify:artist:7c0XG5cIJTrrAgEC3ULPiq">Ty Dolla $ign</a>. The following year, he issued the "Yuck It Up" single, while "When You Say" with <a href="spotify:artist:0f5nVCcR06GX8Qikz0COtT">Omarion</a> arrived in 2017; both would appear on his next album, Taking All Bets. Released in July of 2017, Taking All Bets was one of 305's most visible releases up until that point, with guest contributions from big-name star <a href="spotify:artist:0Y5tJX1MQlPlqiwlOH1tJY">Travis Scott</a> and other significant artists. After the release of that album, Jay 305 stuck to singles for a few years, releasing new songs like "You Too Much" in 2020 and "Hard Times Don't Last" in 2022. Several collaborations with producer Hit-Boy and <a href="spotify:artist:3s8alQfNnY0roAHaJh7Xxt">Dom Kennedy</a> were compiled on 305's 2024 EP, Don't Wait Until I Die. ~ David Jeffries, Rovi