Jag

With a focus on breathless flow and thoughtful wordplay, California MC Jag delivers socially charged rhymes that touch upon real-life issues and tales of hardened street life similar to fellow Los Angelenos YG and Nipsey Hussle. Emerging in the late 2000s, he issued a prolific string of mixtapes including the Scattered Thoughts series and 2015's Before the Flat Top. After losing his voice for an extended stretch, he returned in 2017 with Dalton Ave, which started a prolific streak that found the rapper issuing at least one effort per year, including 2018's 2700 and 2020's The Mission. Born and raised in South Central, Jag ("just another gangster") dropped out of high school at age 15, turning to gang banging and drug dealing as a means to make ends meet. He honed his skills as a battle rapper, stepping to the mike in Los Angeles and in New York City. He caught the ear of Philadelphia rapper Cassidy, who welcomed Jag into his Larsiny Family clique. Jag began issuing mixtapes as Chubby Jag, notably 2012's Scattered Thoughts and 2015's Before the Flat Top. After losing his voice and retreating from the rap game, he was coaxed back to the studio by Cassidy. Soon after, Jag returned with 2017's Dalton Ave (named after his childhood address), which featured guests Cassidy ("GOATS"), Childish Major ("I Just Can't"), Derrick Milano, Db Bantino, and more. The next year, he issued 2700, which included "I'm the $hit" with Ty Dolla $ign and "Tap In" with Trey Songz. He followed with the singles "The Relay" with Nick Grant and "Kapernick Effect," an intense burst of social commentary that touched upon racial injustice and police brutality. He expanded that sentiment in 2019 with Loren Miller: Act 1 and Act 2. Jag kicked off the 2020s with Older the Berry, Sweeter the Juice and the Nanoesca collaboration The Mission. In early 2021, he teamed with Y.L on "Bitch," Philip Israel and DJ Sauna on "Late Night," and Bobby Baymont on "Memories."
© Neil Z. Yeung /TiVo