Jonezy
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Jonezy

St. Louis, Missouri, United States | MAJOR

St. Louis, Missouri, United States | MAJOR
Band Hip Hop Pop

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Homespun: Jonezy"

Rapper Justin "Jonezy" Jones has the necessary bravado to rock the mike with authority, but he never lets his ego — or his rock-star-size dreams — get too big. The first two tracks on CO$TOMBS refer to his soul-sucking day job and being broke in a manner that's both funny and refreshingly realistic. This undercurrent of anti-materialism gives the disc its distinct flavor. "CO$TOMBS" (pronounced "costumes," in case you missed Ke$ha's dollar-sign-as-consonant lesson) rides on a florid sample of classical stings and an almost Tom Waits-ian chorus that asks, "How much does that costume that you're wearing cost?" It may not be a Zen riddle, but the social critique permeates much of the disc without becoming overbearing.

Rapper Justin "Jonezy" Jones has the necessary bravado to rock the mike with authority, but he never lets his ego — or his rock-star-size dreams — get too big. The first two tracks on CO$TOMBS refer to his soul-sucking day job and being broke in a manner that's both funny and refreshingly realistic. This undercurrent of anti-materialism gives the disc its distinct flavor. "CO$TOMBS" (pronounced "costumes," in case you missed Ke$ha's dollar-sign-as-consonant lesson) rides on a florid sample of classical stings and an almost Tom Waits-ian chorus that asks, "How much does that costume that you're wearing cost?" It may not be a Zen riddle, but the social critique permeates much 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 genre's status clichés while rapping atop the disc's most blasé and by-the-numbers beats. It's unclear if 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 while speaking truth to power and — amazingly — not sound preachy in the process.

- Riverfront Times


Discography

LPs:
Mr. (FillintheBlank) - released 11/09
CO$TOMBS- released 06/11

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Bio

Getting his start like so many others, Jonezy gained local notoriety in high school and college for freestyling at parties. Growing up in the metro-east, St. Louis area, in Madison County, Illinois, there was a cover band at every bar, on every corner, but live hip hop shows were completely non-existent. Jonezy then sought out shows just across the river in St. Louis. Throughout the last couple of years, Jonezy has played virtually every major venue in St. Louis (i.e. The Pageant, Busch Stadium, Blueberry Hill, The Old Rock House, The Gramophone, Atomic Cowboy, and more). In the process, he took notice of the segmentation and separatism amongst the many local hip hop sub-genres. As a result, almost 2 years ago, Jonezy started his own monthly hip hop show, entitled “2nd Story Saturdays.” Studying Marketing/Management in college has helped him to become savvy to what people want, and as a result, the monthly has quickly grown to a St. Louis staple, and is now welcoming national talent. His debut release: “(Mr. FillintheBlank)” was release in late 2009, and received critical acclaim from the underground community and helped build a name for this artist. Jonezy's newest album, “CO$TOMBS” was released in mid-April and has already received high praise from the Riverfront Times, Eleven Magazine, the Belleville News Democrat, and many other hip hop blogs. He has played shows in Colorado, Utah, Iowa, Illinois, and of course Missouri (both in St. Louis, and Columbia at the University of Missouri). While maintaining his monthly, and playing local shows continuously, he strives to spread the movement of his music as far as possible, and is currently planning dates for shows across the country. It is often said that Jonezy’s performances are infectious with an intensity and energy that leaves people feeling refreshed from his unique perspective. People are constantly impressed with the clarity and precision of his delivery. While prided by his lyrical content, people find no trouble dancing to his catchy beats, and this edgy artist has a great knack for making each show a unique experience for onlookers.