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“I never thought I’d make a mil rapping/damn, but I thought I could trapping,” rhymes the artist formerly known as J. Money on his street anthem, “Trapper of the Year” featuring his “uncle” and fellow ATL rapper Shawty Lo. A product of Atlanta’s infamous Westside Zone 3 district, J is no stranger to the trap, where he moved major weight and committed a litany of offenses that he is no longer proud of. Now, J has placed the past—as well as the moniker “Money”— behind him and is making major waves with his runaway hit “1st Name, Last Name” that’s burning up the streets as well as the radio dials. With his innovative, conversational flow atop banging arcade-esque beats, he is establishing himself as the future of southern hip-hop.

Meet J. Futuristic

“I am now J. Futuristic because I created the “Futuristic Swag,” says the always energetic 24 year-old. “I created this lane and I am going to own it.”

J’s style, swavor (his version of swagger” and sound are all about positivity. “I am still grown and living my life, so I am not saying that I am Mr. Perfect. But, I am not doing music to promote the trap. I am doing music because I love it.”

Being futuristic goes beyond music, it is his life.

“The word defines my lifestyle,” he explains. “Even before I started rapping, I would always say, ‘Man, I am futuristic’. My flow, dress code and the way I talk and kick it are all futuristic. It’s about having charisma, being bold and most importantly looking brand new.”

J. Neutron: The Music

The success of “First Name, Last Name” has solidified J’s standing as one of the most individual and progressive rappers not only in hip-hop fertile Atlanta, but in the music industry period. His inventive sound continues on his highly-anticipated debut album, J. Neutron, on Bases Loaded Records/Universal.

“Chips”—a tasty metaphorical ode to his lifestyle shouting out his favorite snacks—bangs with a cartoonish-ping and is a future smash for the 106 and Park generation. “I want to feed the kids something positive and fun,” he says. “I want to show them a different way and that you don’t have to be violent or a drug dealer to make it. Their parents will allow them to follow me. I have done everything in the streets but you will very rarely hear me bragging about it.”

J also has respect for the ladies and exhibits it on tracks like the infectious “Favorite Girl” and the cool and breezy “Girl, You Make Me Wanna Sing.” “You know how you see a girl and she makes you want to do things that you have never done before? I ain’t a singer, but I am saying this one has me gone,” he laughs.

Back to the Future

J. Futuristic’s music and fresh style was born from his past. Raised by a single mom, at 14 he ventured into the world and received an education in the streets. “I would wake up every morning and find a house to break in. I did not know how to steal the cars, but I was breaking into them as well,” he remembers. A year later, J was arrested and sent to boot camp in South Georgia. He was released after serving 90 days, but ended up back at the same camp four months later.

“You couldn’t tell me anything at that point. I was 16, selling drugs now and had almost $200k stashed. I would roll up in Magic City with $30K in my pocket, buy the bar and make it rain before it became popular. I had the jewelry, cash, and guns, but looking like a baby. But, it’s the super young ones that will burn you the fastest.”

During this time, J was also managing hip-hop group The Truth—comprised of his childhood friends—who enjoyed a local hit. But, his past blindsided him and he was arrested and convicted for drug trafficking. “I was sentenced to 5 years and served 4. During that time, I felt like I did not even exist.”

While serving a stint in solitary confinement, he began to reevaluate and make plans for a new life. An article in The Source magazine informed him about industry careers and he decided to become a promoter. “I started having the same reoccurring dream: I would come on the stage, and the audience looked like Jay-Z at Madison Square Garden and I could see all the rappers standing behind me. I took that as confirming I was supposed to be a promoter.” After serving time and seeing those close to him die or go to jail behind drugs, he knew it was time to transform his life.

The Futuristic Movement

Upon his release, he worked as a promoter and booked acts such as T.I. and packed the clubs. However, he caught the microphone bug. “My boys would tell me, ‘You already got the flow, the girls like you, everybody knows you.’ I understood then that the dream was about me being a rapper and not a promoter. I was on the stage for a reason. Once I realized that, I just went hard.”

He went on to appropriate the term “futuristic” that would eventually embody his entire lifestyle. “It started with the word, then a sound, a look and now it’s an entire way of life,” he says. “It speaks to the fact that there is no limit to what you can do. Its all about the kids and showing them that people can change and there is a future beyond where you are now.”

There’s a certain lingo that plays in J. Futuristic’s world. Words featured in his songs that function in everyday life as well. For example: “swavorjackerdeebo” (a person who steals someone’s swagger); “goodgoshamoli” (meaning excited or whoa!”), “extrasloppy” (lots of cash) and “Double Whopper”/”broccoli” (both are terms for cash money).

“1st Name, Last Name” introduces a few futuristic gems to urban jargon such as “a wrist wear 40” and “my neck piece a dollar”, meaning his watch costs $40,000 and his necklace $100,000.

Even though his hard work and determination have paid off and established him as a major player in the game, J. Futuristic refuses to rest; he has an entire world to conquer. He is confident that this album J. Neutron will gratify his fans, silence the naysayers and make believers out of others. “People used to laugh at me. They would say, ‘J needs to go back to the trap’ behind my back. Well, that same sound they laughed at is the sound everyone wants now. I was a joke then, but now I am a movement.”