Jason Christopher Medeiros, better known as Mr. J. Medeiros, is an American rapper, record producer, and songwriter.[1] In addition to releasing music under his own name, he is a founding member of the hip hop group The Procussions,[2] one half of the electronic/hip hop duo AllttA,[3][4] and the lead singer of the punk-rap group thebandknives.
Music career
Beginnings (1996–1999)
Mr. J. Medeiros (born in Colorado) spent his childhood in Rhode Island and Colorado Springs, Colorado, with parents from the East Coast. He began his career in the local battle rap scene in Colorado, performing under various pseudonyms. His first recording opportunity came through The Spot, a center for at-risk students and urban youth in Denver, which featured him on their 1998 compilation album, *Blow Up The Spot*.[5]
Medeiros' debut as a recording artist under his current stage name came with the song *"The Life of Brian,"* produced by Noel Zancanella.[6] The track later appeared on The Procussions' 2005 album *Up All Night*.
In addition to his solo work, Medeiros DJ'd for the local hip-hop group T.I.O., where he met Qq and TMAL (later known as Stro Elliot). These collaborations led to the formation of The Procussions. Medeiros was also active in the B-boy and B-girl (Breakdancing) scene as a member of the dance crews T.S.F. and Bomb City Breakers.
The Procussions (1999–2007 / 2012–2014)
The Procussions: Stro Elliot, Rez, and Mr. J. Medeiros
Mr. J. Medeiros co-founded The Procussions in Colorado Springs with Qq The original lineup included Stro Elliot, Rez (originally Resonant), Vise Versa, and Qq, with Vajra (later known as Chris Karns) as their DJ. The group later became a quartet after Qq was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
The group relocated to Los Angeles in pursuit of a full-time music career. Vise Versa later left to form Deux Process.[8]
In 2003, The Procussions released their debut album, *As Iron Sharpens Iron*, independently through Bassmentalism Records. The album peaked at No. 5 on the CMJ Hip-Hop charts.[9] In early 2004, the group released a jazz-influenced EP, *Up All Night*, exclusively in Japan.[10]
In 2006, The Procussions signed with the revived Rawkus Records. Their second album, *5 Sparrows for 2 Cents*, was the first release on the reactivated label. The album featured Talib Kweli, and its lead single, "Miss January," included a guest verse from Kweli.[11] The album peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.[12] Following the album's release, the group embarked on their first national tour.[13]
In 2007, Rez left the group to pursue a career in photography.[14] The following year, Mr. J. and Stro Elliot decided to disband The Procussions and focus on their solo careers.[15]
In 2012, Mr. J. and Stro reunited for a performance, leading to a successful Indiegogo campaign to fund a new album. The campaign surpassed its goal, and in April 2013, the self-titled album *The Procussions* was released to supporters. An EP, *The Procussions EP*, was also released on limited edition vinyl. The album featured collaborations with Shad (rapper), ¡Mayday!, 20syl (of Hocus Pocus), and Italian trumpeter de:Kyle Gregory. The album was released in Europe through fr:Yotanka Records and independently in the U.S.[16] A follow-up EP, *The Pro-Exclusive EP*, was released in 2014.
Following the release of *5 Sparrows for 2 Cents*, the group toured as part of The Storm Tour alongside Aceyalone, Ugly Duckling, ¡Mayday!, and Wrekonize, playing 40 U.S. cities and returning to Europe for festivals.[13]
While touring France in 2004, The Procussions began a collaboration with French hip hop group Hocus Pocus. The group appeared on two tracks from Hocus Pocus albums: "Hip Hop?" from *73 Touches* (2005) and "Vocab!" from *Place 54* (2007), which went Gold in France.[21] Mr. J. and Stro were also featured on "Signes de Temps" from *16 Pièces* (2010). Mr. J. also contributed to the song "You" from *73 Touches*, later reworked for his album *Of Gods and Girls*.
Mr. J. Medeiros (2006– )
Mr. J. Medeiros in studio
Mr. J. Medeiros debuted as a solo artist in 2007 with *Of Gods and Girls* on Rawkus Records, handling much of the production with contributions from Symbolyc One (S1), Illmind, 20syl, Stro Elliot, and others. The album's single "Constance," addressing human trafficking, gained attention after its 2004 Myspace release, and the music video was featured on VH1 and CBS Evening News. Despite being deemed "too controversial" by MTV, the video later aired on MTV EXIT. The album was critically acclaimed, earning high ratings from HipHopDX and AllHipHop.[22]
In early 2008, Medeiros signed with Quannum Projects for his second album, *Friends Enemies Apples Apples*, produced by Stro Elliot. After delays, he shifted to an independent route and released *The Art of Broken Glass EP* (2009), followed by *Friends Enemies Apples Apples*.
In 2011, Medeiros crowdfunded his third album *Saudade* via Indiegogo, surpassing its goal by 257%. The album featured the jazz trumpeter J. Kyle Gregory and introduced his production team, "The Stare." The single "Neon Signs" won the mtvU Freshman Video challenge. Medeiros also released *The Pale Blue Dot EP* (2012), with production by Stro Elliot and 20syl, and guest vocals from Shad. The 20syl remix of "Pale Blue Dot" won an International Portuguese Music Awards for Best Hip Hop Single. In 2013, Medeiros released *The Rockies* EP, featuring Canadian rappers Relic and RationaL.
In 2014, Medeiros announced his final solo album, *Milk and Eggs*, a sample-free hip hop project funded via Indiegogo. The album, produced by guitarist Tim Stewart, was limited to 500 physical copies, with digital release in 2016.
In 2021, Medeiros released a vinyl edition of *Of Gods and Girls* with two limited edition covers.
The Cutlery EP
In 2017, Medeiros collaborated with Blanka of French group fr:La Fine Équipe and producer Tigerz to release *The Cutlery EP* (2018), blending electro and hip hop.
Mr. J. Medeiros and Møme EP
In 2019, following a collaboration on the track "Let's Go" with French producer Møme, Medeiros and Møme released a 5-song EP, *No Singles*.
thebandknives (2015–2019)
thebandknives live
In 2015, Mr. J. Medeiros became a member of the punk-rap band thebandknives, alongside Tim Stewart and Ricky Tillo on guitars, Monte Neuble on keys, George "Spanky" McCurdy on drums, and Medeiros himself on vocals. In 2018, the band released their debut album, KNIVES, which featured guest vocals by Mike Muir of Suicidal Tendencies. The band followed up with their sophomore album, 11110, in 2019. KNIVES was given a limited vinyl pressing of only 200 copies, making it a collector's item. The album also featured a varied lineup of drummers, including McCurdy, Aaron Spears, Thomas Pridgen, and Chris Johnson, with Jonny Goood on bass. During this period, several of the band's members also toured as part of Lady Gaga's live band.[23]
Mais Oui (2023)
Mais Oui opening for Deluxe
In 2023, Mr. J. Medeiros collaborated with Swiss producer GRAMM to form Mais Oui. The duo's music blends elements of electro-soul, hip hop, and funk. They released their debut album *Ego Go Pop* in May of that year, followed by a tour as the opening act for Deluxe at Le Zénith.
AllttA (2015 -)
AllttA live at Solidays Festival
The Upper Hand & Facing Giants (2015–2017)
In 2015, Mr. J. Medeiros and 20syl formed the electronic-hip hop duo AllttA, with 20syl as the producer and Mr. J. on vocals.[24][25] Their first single, "Connery," was released in May 2016 through the Jakarta Records compilation Spring in Jakarta.
Savages* (2019) by AllttA gained significant attention for its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to recreate the vocal style of rapper Jay-Z. The song's AI-generated vocals, which featured lyrics not recorded by Jay-Z himself, raised discussions about the future of AI in music production and its ethical implications.[26][27]
The track was noted for its technical achievement, with AI technology mimicking Jay-Z's distinctive vocal tone and delivery. Critics highlighted the accuracy of the simulation, showcasing AI's potential to replicate human voices for music production.[28]
Savages* attracted widespread media coverage from major outlets like *Rolling Stone*,[26] *Vibe*,[27] *XXL*,[29] *Complex*,[30] and *BuzzFeed*,[31] as well as international coverage from *The New Yorker*,[32] *Le Parisien*,[33] and *MSNBC*.[34]
The release of *Savages* sparked a broader debate about AI's role in the creative industries, with Jay-Z's longtime producer Young Guru commenting on the innovation while expressing concerns about AI's future impact on music.[35]
The track was initially released as a non-commercial version featuring the AI-generated vocals, with a commercial release in 2023 offering the version without the AI model. "Savages" was not included on any full-length album but was instead released as a standalone single.
Curio Part l & ll (2023)
In 2023, AllttA followed up with the release of their two-part album series, Curio Parts 1 & 2. The albums were accompanied by a limited edition embossed-cover vinyl (only 100 made), they headlined Élysée Montmartrein Paris that year.
AllttA frequently collaborates with American tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee who features their music in his videos.
Mr. J. Medeiros has been featured on a variety of tracks across different genres, collaborating with artists such as film composer Eric Serra1, hip hop producer Symbolyc One2, indie-funk group Deluxe (musical_group)3, electronic composer fr:Thylacine (musicien)4, French electro-hip hop group fr:La Fine Equipe5, and electro-swing group Caravan Palace6, for which he contributed as a songwriter.
