JONEZY

Rapper Justin "Jonezy" Jones has he necessary bravado to rock the mic with authority, but he never lets his ego -- or his rock-star size dreams -- get too big. The first two tracks on CO$TOMBS refer to his soul-sucking day job in a manner that's both funny and refreshingly realistic. This undercurrent of of anti-materialism give the disc it's unique flavor. (The track) CO$TOMBS rides on a florid sample of classical strings and an almost Tom Waitsian chorus that asks, "How much does that costume that you're wearing cost you?" It may not be a Zen riddle but the social critique permeates most of the disc without becoming overbearing. Jonezy persistently rails against style over substance. The hard-edged "Intrinsick" reaches for hip-hop's brass ring of authenticity by questioning the genres status cliches while rapping atop one of the disc's most blase and by-the-numbers beats. It's unclear whether the irony is intentional or not. He's better off with more adventurous samples such as the slinky horns that give a nice pivot point to "Blow It Up" or the Bob Marley licks that give a little Clavinet-fed funk to "ExitUS." The sluggish and cavernous drum-machine beats on "It's Now Time" produce a narcotic effect, and the bellicose guest verse by Tef Poe contrasts with Jonezy's more relaxed flow. Across thirteen tracks, 45 minutes and precious little fluff, Jonezy shows he can work in multiple styles whiles speaking truth to power and -- amazingly -- not sound preachy in the process.

-CHRISTIAN SCHAEFFER
- Riverfront Times

Lyricists are definitely a dying breed in hip-hop these days, a breed that proceeds at their own risk. A proud member of the pack, JONEZY stays true to the art while combining a variety of styles and flows over slick productions to produce a sound that can keep any hip-hop fan's attention.

JONEZY, who hails from Granite City, Illinois and now resides in St. Louis County, has flown under the radar thus far on the local hip-hop scene. With his debut album "Mr. Fillintheblank" hitting streets last month, though, it doesn't appear that he will be going unnoticed for long.

JONEZY pays much attention to the subject matter of his verses which makes them an important part of his final product. "I try to talk about issue and have some depth to the lyrics while still trying to keep people interested," said JONEZY. Throughout all of "Mr. Fillintheblank's" 14 tracks, he succeeds--JONEZY leaves the listener feeling like they actually have a real connection with him when they are finished. He is not just talking about bullshit; he is talking about life. "I try to set myself apart based on content, not image," muses JONEZY.

"Mr. Fillintheblank" is an honest look into the mind of a struggling artist, and at many times it is very self scrutinizing. However, it's at these points where JONEZY's most heartfelt lyrics surface. He is able to touch on a multitude of subjects, from his struggles with women, "she searchin' for a horse with a carriage/I drive a broke-ass Sentra, man it needs some repairin'," to his own views on his place in the current state of hip-hop: "clever lobbyists against the poppy shit/even though the populists just want to hear a beat, not who's rockin' it."

JONEZY has put his love for the craft above all else on his way to becoming one of the most interesting and lyrically talented hip-hop artists in the St. Louis music scene. It is hard to keep a good thing down, and JONEZY will definitely keep rising.

-Neal Gough, Eleven Magazine, December 2009
www.elevenmusicmag.com
- Neal Gough of Eleven Magazine