Hip Hop United had the pleasure of hosting the fresh, versatile creative Jacoby X on the check in. Coming out of Montgomery, AL, byway of Birmingham, this well-rounded intellectual creative stands in his power as a singer, songwriter, model, rapper, educator for children with special needs. He is also a Tuskegee University alumnus and uses his knowledge, wisdom, and artistry as a vehicle to push the culture forward. Jacoby X is currently pushing his new single “Bag Year,” all music he has released since 2017, and his ingenious new brand “Jacoby X.”
The Educator & Social Change Agent:
While a jack of all trades, Jacoby X is definitely a master with fusing education and music, which are his true passions. Connecting–with the goal of strengthening and improvement–is first-nature to him, ensuring students’ needs are met and fans’ souls are fed. Using music as a therapeutic intervention has allowed him to successfully engage youth and listeners across demographics. How students receive music, provide feedback, and even recite his lyrics (such as students walking up to him boldly stating, “It’s my time,”) are heavy motivations for Jacoby X. Another major motivation for most of us are our environments; whether directly or indirectly. Coming from a home where his mother was a pastor and his father was a sports junkie and also a pastor initially served as a major inspiration. This was because they didn’t want him to pursue his music mostly because they wanted their son to choose a safe, stable career option. While most children would yield to this logic, it empowered Jacoby X. He maintained the strong faith that his parents instilled in him and continued his pursuit of reaching success within his artistry. Since creating music is his God-given talent that he uses to bless others, he will receive continuous blessings of advancement on his journey.
The Message
Jacoby X wants listeners’ major takeaway to be elevation. In his lyrics, he spreads knowledge that helps others to better understand different concepts that will empower them to improve their situations, especially within the Black community. He appreciates feedback from every listener regarding how songs have touched them, how they relate, and how their mindsets have changed to secure whatever they desired. Jacoby X loves to engage with his fans so be sure to reach out to show love and leave comments/suggestions.
The Rapper/Singer/Songwriter:
The newest single from Jacoby X, “Bag Year,” is currently available across all streaming platforms. Two other hot tracks that have received major feedback are “Check” ft. Slaughter Gang Kendall and “My Time,” which were both featured on his sophomore album, “Unapologetically Me.” “When the whole world hears it, I feel it’s going to do what it needs to do,” he affirmed of the two tracks. Needless to say, Jacoby X is focused on global expansion and this musical trilogy–featuring ”Bag Year,” “My Time,” and “Check”–will secure that bag in due time. Jacoby X has had prominent role-models within the music industry. As a rap artist, Lil Wayne was a major motivation because listening to his music allowed Jacoby X to envision himself performing. He would even switch up the style of what was said or say the bars differently to sculpt himself as a writer and performer. He would love to collaborate with J. Cole, Meek Mill, Money Man, and Rick Ross. As a singer, his motivations were Michael Jackson, Jamie Foxx–who he revered as a “well-rounded, great entertainer,” Chris Brown, and gospel artists such as Canton Jones, Hezekiah Walker, and Fred Hammond. Jacoby X’s potential is limitless and securing these collaborations would certainly change the game.
The Brand:
Back in 2015, Jacoby X was moved to recreate the iconic image of Malcolm X peeking through the blinds with a rifle in his hands. It was symbolic of his own “by any means necessary” mentality. The brand highlights hustling by any means, which comes with the definition of “achieving our goals and walking into our defining moment by any means necessary,” as the academic artist eloquently explained. He wanted something that would stand out and get people’s attention, so he not only designed a clever and original logo (with the expertise of graphic and recording artist Troy Davis), he also invested in sharing the meaning/backstory with fans. He shot high-quality video ads by making use of the resources available to him. When the logo was released, it had an overwhelming reception and generated $7,000 revenue within 4 months. Nevertheless, blessings continue to flow when you push forward with your divine vision, gifts, tools, and plans.
Reflections:
When Bri asked Jacoby X about his most memorable moment within his process, he recalled auditioning for the Atlanta episode of Netflix special “Rhythm and Flow.” “When they picked me, they picked me out of about 70,000 applicants; and I didn’t even apply. Somebody called me out of the blue and told me about the show’s audition.” After crushing the audition in front of producers, he was called to do a phone interview regarding his background and then received a final call to return for the episode. Although he was not able to perform during the episode, it gave him great insight on how the industry operates as well as drew a fanbase and established strong networks within the industry (shout out to London B!). While he says that he would never try out for another TV show, the experience was another blessing in the form of invaluable opportunity.
Stay tuned for updates and new releases by checking in with Jacoby X on social media:
IG @Jacoby_X
YouTube: JacobyBrowber
