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Mr. J. Medeiros
Medeiros performing in 2017
Medeiros performing in 2017
Background information
Birth nameJason Christopher Medeiros
Also known asMr. J. Medeiros, Mr. J.
BornColorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
OriginLos Angeles, California & Paris, France
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper, record producer, singer, songwriter
Years active1998–present
LabelsRawkus, fr: On And On Records, fr: Yotanka, Basementalism, De Medeiros
Websitewww.mrjmedeiros.com

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

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Beginnings (1996–1999)

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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)

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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 Procussions performed throughout Colorado, opening for artists such as Run-D.M.C., The Pharcyde, and Common. They released two 12-inch singles, "All That It Takes" and "Leave Her Alone," which gained distribution through fr:ABB Records. "All That It Takes" reached No. 9 on the College Music Journal hip hop charts.[7]

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.

In 2015, The Procussions went on hiatus. Mr. J. Medeiros focused on his projects AllttA and thebandknives while relocating to France. Stro Elliot joined The Roots and became a member of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[17][18]

Touring

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The Storm Tour with The Procussions

The Procussions toured across the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, and Europe, known for their high-energy performances featuring live drums and DJ Vajra on turntables.[19] They performed with artists such as The Roots, Mos Def, Sound Tribe Sector 9, and De La Soul.[14]

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]

In 2006, after a U.S. performance, Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest invited them to join the 2K Sports Bounce Tour with A Tribe Called Quest and Rhymefest. The Procussions performed on 15 dates of the tour.[20][21]

The Procussions and Hocus Pocus

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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.[22] 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– )

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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.[23]

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

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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

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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)

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thebandknives live

In 2015, Mr. J. announced he was part of a Punk-Rap band named thebandknives, alongside Tim Stewart and Ricky Tillo on guitars, Monte Neuble on keys, George "Spanky" McCurdy on drums, and himself on vocals. In 2018, the band released their debut album, KNIVES, which was followed by their sophomore record, 11110, in 2019. The debut album, KNIVES, was also given a limited vinyl pressing, with only 200 copies circulating. This release featured a different lineup of drummers, including George "Spanky" McCurdy, as well as 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.[24]

Mais Oui (2023)

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Mais Oui opening for Deluxe

In 2023 Mr. J. Medeiros worked with Swiss producer GRAMM to create Mais Oui. The duo released their debut album "Ego Go Pop" in May of that year followed by a Le Zénith tour as the opening act for fr:Deluxe.

AllttA (2015 -)

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AllttA live at Solidays Festival

The Upper Hand & Facing Giants (2015–2017)

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In 2015, Mr. J. Medeiros and 20syl formed the electronic-hip hop duo AllttA, with 20syl as the producer and Mr. J. on vocals.[25][26] Their first single, "Connery," was released in May 2016 through the Jakarta Records compilation Spring in Jakarta.

From 2016 to 2017, AllttA released their debut album, The Upper Hand, followed by the Facing Giants single series, both on fr: On and On Records. During this period, they toured extensively across European festivals, including Vieilles Charrues, Solidays, and Festival Internacional de Benicàssim.

"Savages" by AllttA (2019)

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  • 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.[27][28]

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.[29]

  • Savages* attracted widespread media coverage from major outlets like *Rolling Stone*,[27] *Vibe*,[28] *XXL*,[30] *Complex*,[31] and *BuzzFeed*,[32] as well as international coverage from *The New Yorker*,[33] *Le Parisien*,[34] and *MSNBC*.[35]

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.[36]

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)

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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.

Film Work (2024–present)

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In 2024, Mr. J. Medeiros began composing music for film. He wrote and performed the theme song for the Netflix series Fiasco, created by fr: Igor Gotesman and Pierre Niney. Additionally, he wrote and performed the song "Independent," which he performs with the band Just Killed A Man, for the film fr: Pendant ce temps sur Terre by director fr:Jérémy Clapin.

Discography

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  • 2003 The Procussions As Iron Sharpens Iron
  • 2004 The Procussions Up All Night (Japanese Exclusive)
  • 2006 The Procussions 5 Sparrows for 2 Cents[37]
  • 2007 Mr. J. Medeiros Of Gods and Girls[38][39]
  • 2009 Mr. J. Medeiros The Art of Broken Glass EP[40]
  • 2009 Mr. J. Medeiros Friends Enemies Apples Apples
  • 2011 Mr. J. Medeiros Saudade LP
  • 2012 Mr. J. Medeiros Pale Blue Dot EP
  • 2013 Mr. J. Medeiros The Rockies EP
  • 2013 The Procussions The Procussions
  • 2014 The Procussions Pro-Exclusive EP
  • 2016 Mr. J. Medeiros Milk and Eggs
  • 2016 AllttA The Upper Hand
  • 2017 AllttA Facing Giants
  • 2018 thebandknives KNIVES
  • 2018 The Cutlery The Cutlery
  • 2019 thebandknives 11110
  • 2020 thebandknives "Flagpole + Leviathan" Maxi-Single
  • 2020 Mr. J. Medeiros x Møme No Singles EP
  • 2020 The Cutlery "I'm An A.." Single
  • 2020 AllttA "Ampersand" Single
  • 2021 Mr. J. Medeiros x nl:Pomrad "Dena" Single
  • 2021 Mr. J. Medeiros x 20syl"Sing That Oh!" Vinyl Exclusive
  • 2023 Mr. J. Medeiros x Dj Prizewell "Portagee" Single
  • 2023 Mais Oui Ego Go Pop
  • 2023 AllttA "Savages" Single
  • 2023 AllttA Curio Part l & ll

Featuring

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The Procussions

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Mr. J. Medeiros

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  • 1997 Leer43 (?)
  • 1998 Blow Up the Spot Compilation "Equipped"
  • 2004 Othello (as producer), "Peace", "Conquered"
  • 2004 Sharlock Poems (as producer), "Rock On", "Release", "Dead Beat Dad", "The Movement", "Sing", "Four", "Open Book", "Focus", "Shine"
  • 2004 Deux Process (as producer), "Cover to Cover"
  • 2005 Pigeon John, (as producer), "Sleeping Giants" feat. The Grouch (rapper) & Eligh, "Draw Me Closer"
  • 2006 Hocus Pocus (group), "You"
  • 2006 Presto, "Right Here" feat. Kim Hill (soul musician)
  • 2007 Othello (as producer), "Shallow"
  • 2007 Sharlock Poems (as producer), "Heart Art"
  • 2008 Braille (musician), "Calculated Risk" feat. Manchild (rapper)
  • 2009 Soulution, "'Shine Through" feat. Bahamadia
  • 2009 Andy Caldwell, "Fear my pride feat. Gina Rene", "Gotta Move feat. Gina Rene" (songwriter)
  • 2009 Reverse, "Suicidal Eschatology"
  • 2009 ja:Yoshi Blessed, "Daddy"
  • 2009 ja:Yoshi Blessed, (as producer)"Everybody Free"
  • 2010 fr: Beat Torrent, "Target Market Remix"
  • 2011 The Bodega Brovas, "Keep The Vibe"
  • 2011 Hocus Pocus (group), "Signes des Temps"
  • 2012 RationaL, "Dream On"
  • 2012 Rel McCoy, "Valley"
  • 2012 Hidetake Takayama, "Wind Shield"
  • 2012 Robert de Boron, "Billy the Kid"
  • 2013 Terrain "Mind-Full"
  • 2013 Ghost x Rocdwell, "Stand by My Side"
  • 2013 Grace and Peace Records, "Spar"
  • 2014 Alice Amelia, "11:11"
  • 2014 Von Poe VII, "Paid Dues"
  • 2014 Beleaf, "Depressed"
  • 2014 Ledeunff, "Steam" (songwriter)
  • 2015 fr: Pumpkin & Vin'S da Cuero "Bye Bye Madeleine"
  • 2016 RationaL, "Hell or High Water"
  • 2016 pl: Pawbeats Orchestra, "Sign"
  • 2017 Ghostnaut, "Rain Drops"
  • 2017 Møme "Let's Go"
  • 2017 Sound The What "High Note"
  • 2017 Imperial & K.I.N.E.T.I.K. "One Life"
  • 2017 Sapient "State of the Union"
  • 2017 Yusuke Hirado Prospect "Soap Opera"
  • 2018 Cleambeatz "Out Your Mind"
  • 2018 Ghostnaut, "Once Again", "Must Be Love"
  • 2018 Todiefor, "Forever Young"
  • 2018 Anser, "Fearless"
  • 2018 fr: La Fine Équipe (groupe de musique) "What Eva"
  • 2019 Deluxe (musical group) "F__k Life"
  • 2019 fr: Thylacine (musicien) "4500m"
  • 2019 Caravan Palace, "Plume", "Waterguns", and "Leena" (contributing songwriter)
  • 2019 Dead Hippies, "Resister"
  • 2019 FORM, "F__ks On Zero"
  • 2019 Miscellaneous & RVDS, "Darwinism"
  • 2019 Parrad, "Flag Pole"
  • 2020 Palastic, "Picx"
  • 2020 ELEVNS, "Get Back"
  • 2020 20syl, "Ampersand"
  • 2020 JVNO, "Bring Me Back To Life"
  • 2020 Ghostnaut, "Anchors" feat. Raw Collective & Blazino
  • 2020 Thaïs Lona, "Till I know" (contributing songwriter)
  • 2020 Slim & the Beast, "Pasadena" Aedan Remix
  • 2021 Pampa Folks, "Felt Like" (contributing songwriter)
  • 2021 Syra, "Sandman" (contributing songwriter)
  • 2021 Rob Giano, "Conquer the World" prod. by Symbolyc One (S1)
  • 2021 Ledeunff "Sun & Shade" for PARAGES x P[ART]AGES (songwriter)
  • 2022 Alligatorz, "Bang Bang" & "Bubbly"
  • 2022 The Stoops, "On My Mind"
  • 2023 Coeur Nwar & Miscellaneous feat. 20syl, "Bump This"
  • 2024 Klem H "Le Noir"
  • 2024 Thaïs Lona "Dreams" (contributing songwriter)
  • 2024 Fiasco (TV series) Netflix series theme song titled, "FIASCO BANGER"
  • 2024 Jérémy Clapin film "Pendant ce temps sur terre" film song "Independent" w/ Just Killed A Man
  • 2024 de: Magalí Datzira "La salut i la bellesa"
  • 2024 Grand Turn "Burning The Sky" feat.Éric Serra

References

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  1. ^ "Mr. J. Medeiros Discography on Discogs". discogs. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  2. ^ "Mr.J.Medeiros and The Procussions". August 10, 2007.
  3. ^ "Mr.J.Medeiros and 20Syl form AllttA pt 1".
  4. ^ "Mr.J.Medeiros and 20Syl form AllttA pt 2". July 17, 2015.
  5. ^ Discogs (1998). "Blow Up The Spot Track List". Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  6. ^ Genius. "Who produced "Life of Brian"?". Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  7. ^ Mayo, James (2004). "Turning Pro: The Procussions take their homegrown hip-hop to the West Coast" Denver Westword. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  8. ^ Cordor, Cyril. "Allmusic Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  9. ^ "CMJ Hip Hop Chart". CMJ New Music Report. Archived from the original on November 27, 2003. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  10. ^ Arnold, Eric K. "The Procussions – Up All Night". XLR8R. Archived from the original on October 27, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  11. ^ Pedro 'DJ Complejo' Hernandez (June 6, 2006). "Procussions on Rawkus". RapReviews. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  12. ^ "The Procussions – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  13. ^ a b Admin (April 11, 2006). "The Procussions set to drop on the new Rawkus Records". OneTwoOneTwo.com. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  14. ^ a b plugoneboss (January 24, 2008). "The Procussions: 1998–2008". Plug One. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  15. ^ Jacobs, Allen. "Rawkus Records Group The Procussions Disbands". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on May 8, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  16. ^ Yotanka. "The Procussions". Yotanka. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  17. ^ "Stro Elliot Shares How The Roots & DJ Jazzy Jeff Prepped His "Jimmy Fallon" Gigs". December 26, 2018.
  18. ^ "Stro Elliot has joined The Roots Gigs". June 7, 2017.
  19. ^ Samuels, Jamiyl (July 27, 2006). "The Procussions: Bang The Drum Slowly". AllHipHop. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  20. ^ "A Tribe Called Quest and The Procussions". Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  21. ^ Catania, Chris. ""Bigger Than Hip-Hop or Oprah": An Interview with Mr. J. Medeiros". PopMatters. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  22. ^ OnandOnRecords. "73 Touches goes Gold: 1998–2008".
  23. ^ Forman, Bill. "Return of the Procussions: Acclaimed hip-hop ex-pats get back to their 719 roots". Colorado Springs Independent. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  24. ^ .Rob (September 27, 2019). "Thebandknives on Creating Music While on Tour with Lady Gaga & New Album '11110'". Front Row Live Entertainment. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  25. ^ "Avec Alltta, 20syl et Mr J.Medeiros veulent se rapprocher des anges".
  26. ^ "Avec le projet AllttA, le DJ 20syl "ne se donne pas de limite"". Le Monde. November 22, 2017.
  27. ^ a b AI-Generated Drake, The Weeknd, and the Future of Hip-Hop Fandom – *Rolling Stone* (2023)
  28. ^ a b For & Against: Artificial Intelligence in Hip-Hop – *Vibe* (2023)
  29. ^ Young Guru Responds to Concerns Over AI Jay-Z Verse – *HipHopDX* (2023)
  30. ^ AI-Generated Hip-Hop Songs: The Future or a Fad? – *XXL* (2023)
  31. ^ Young Guru Concerned About AI Versions of Jay-Z – *Complex* (2023)
  32. ^ AI in Hip-Hop: How Technology Is Shaping the Future of Rap – *BuzzFeed News* (2023)
  33. ^ AI in Pop Culture: How Artificial Intelligence Is Already Here – *The New Yorker* (2023)
  34. ^ AllttA: Quand la technologie de l’IA réinvente le rap – *Le Parisien* (2023)
  35. ^ Timbaland, Young Guru, and the Future of AI in Hip-Hop – *MSNBC* (2023)
  36. ^ Check Out AllttA’s AI-Generated Jay-Z Feature – *Twitter* (2023)
  37. ^ "5 Sparrows for 2 Cents Tracklisting". Archived from the original on February 25, 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  38. ^ "Herohill Review". Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  39. ^ "PopMatters review". Retrieved September 27, 2009.
  40. ^ "The Art of Broken Glass EP Review". May 6, 2009.
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