Music
Press
Cleveland’s own, Jae B teams up with DJ Chicago for his latest release, I’m on Yo Ears. “Using zany adlibs, catchy hooks, and sharp to the point metaphor techniques, he has proved himself to be well worth his hype.” - Essince - Ohio Hip Hop Awards blog
Cleveland’s own, Jae B teams up with DJ Chicago for his latest release, I’m on Yo Ears. “Using zany adlibs, catchy hooks, and sharp to the point metaphor techniques, he has proved himself to be well worth his hype.” - Essince - Ohio Hip Hop Awards blog
Cleveland rapper Jae B, a.k.a. Booker T. Franklin III, has a smooth flow that matches many mainstream rappers. A former member of local rap group the Faculty, Jae B has since sharpened his lyrical skills, though his references to money and women that come with success and fame are a bit tiring after a while. His beats are much more polished than those of many independent hip-hoppers. On "Weatherman," he describes himself as a "rap-game bully on the prowl for wealth." "Chopper Walk" is a club banger that offers up observations like "Girlie on the dance floor, and you can tell I'm a flirt." With his industrial-strength beats and microphone skills, Jae B. is more than ready for the nightclub scene. — Amy Booker - Cleveland Scene Magazine
Cleveland rapper Jae B, a.k.a. Booker T. Franklin III, has a smooth flow that matches many mainstream rappers. A former member of local rap group the Faculty, Jae B has since sharpened his lyrical skills, though his references to money and women that come with success and fame are a bit tiring after a while. His beats are much more polished than those of many independent hip-hoppers. On "Weatherman," he describes himself as a "rap-game bully on the prowl for wealth." "Chopper Walk" is a club banger that offers up observations like "Girlie on the dance floor, and you can tell I'm a flirt." With his industrial-strength beats and microphone skills, Jae B. is more than ready for the nightclub scene. — Amy Booker - Cleveland Scene Magazine
If you find yourself unable to stop bobbing your head while taking in rapper Jae B.'s new mixtape, don't worry — you won't be the only one. Its rhythms, paired with the man's booming baritone, make it just about impossible not to get your body moving. On songs like "Ball on 'Em," he slathers on the bravado over heavy synths and rapid-fire drums. I'm on Yo Ear's can make a party hop, if more for the rhythms than Jae B.'s not-particularly-deep dissertations on women, money, and booze. He rarely gets to the meaning behind it all. But it's an otherwise solid project that would sound just as good blasting out of your headphones as it would the speakers at your next house party. — Jordan Zirm - Cleveland Scene Magazine
If you find yourself unable to stop bobbing your head while taking in rapper Jae B.'s new mixtape, don't worry — you won't be the only one. Its rhythms, paired with the man's booming baritone, make it just about impossible not to get your body moving. On songs like "Ball on 'Em," he slathers on the bravado over heavy synths and rapid-fire drums. I'm on Yo Ear's can make a party hop, if more for the rhythms than Jae B.'s not-particularly-deep dissertations on women, money, and booze. He rarely gets to the meaning behind it all. But it's an otherwise solid project that would sound just as good blasting out of your headphones as it would the speakers at your next house party. — Jordan Zirm - Cleveland Scene Magazine
Discography
Singles:
Reppin' My Side (2010)
Chopper Walk (2010)
Big Money (2011)
Weatherman (2012)
Ball On 'Em (2012)
Boss Up (2013)
Mixtapes:
I'm On Yo Ear's (2011)
Photos
Bio
Hungry, high-spirited, and motivated, these are just a few words that come into mind to best describe “Jae B.” Booker T. Franklin III. Born & raised in Cleveland, OH, Jae B. has taken on the role to be the artist who will resurrect Cleveland back into the hip-hop lime light. Using zany adlibs, catchy hooks, and sharp to the point metaphor techniques, he has proved himself to be well worth his hype.
Born on November 14, 1985, Jae B. was raised by a widowed mother who shadowed him during his growing pains. Unlike most hip-hop artist today, He did not always have the passion to become a music icon. This young man was a high school athlete that dreamed of living the MTV cribs life. It wasn’t until later when a local city pioneer, DJ Chicago saw the talent in this young man did he chose to pursue a hip-hop career. On the grand opening day of DJ Chicago’s music store, Jae B. walked in as a customer but walked out a local celebrity. As the turntables of DJ Chicago played on numerous instrumentals in a store with a packed crowd, Jae B. jumped into a freestyle session being held by two other local hip-hop artists (Drastic and Razor Blade). These three gentlemen had the crowd stunned for about an hour going back and forth displaying their lyrical potential. DJ Chicago was so amazed by these three young men that he wanted them to form a group which later chose to be called “The Faculty.”
After using a few original tracks from a few hot local producers and a fair amount of industry beats, Jae B. and his two accomplices put together a mixtape called “Class in session” (never released). Their buzz sky rocketed to the point where they were battling show dates with promoter’s to book shows. With all the attention seeming to be focused on the new guy, Jae B. studied the industries best to make sure that in every rhyme he wrote, he was giving the people what they wanted. For months the group constantly displayed that they had what it took go mainstream, but like most stories all good things usually come to an end. The trio chose to go their separate ways to focus on solo projects. The youngest of the three had found himself at a crossroad, “do I just quit and give up or do I continue on with my journey for something I’ve grown to have a passion for?”
Several months after the group parted ways, friends, family members, and fans got word to Jae B. that a solo song he recorded called “Catch Me in the Hood” while with the group was being played on Z107.9, the leading hip-hop and R&B station in Cleveland, OH. One of the DJ’s liked the song so much he made a clean version of the song himself to expose the local talent. Getting air time most have been fuel to his fire, because from that moment on this young man has been building his clientele and constantly dropping hit after hit. Using the knowledge he learned from being with “The Faculty,” Jae B. has started his own movement. Dedicated to his newly found passion he had found himself in a situation where people couldn’t wait to hear something new from the young emcee. With Jae B.’s name buzzing and having a few hot tracks under his belt, he put together his first mixtape “Grade A Hustla.”
Radio plays, interviews, newspaper & magazine articles, having songs and freestyles put on various DJ mixtape’s this young icon is taking every step needed to make him no stranger to the public. Having a strong showcase of originality, dedication, and motivation, brace yourself because this young man might be what the world of hip-hop has been waiting for.
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