Fast becoming the hub of progressive English hip-hop, Huddersfield has birthed a number of the country’s finest spitsmiths. From Jehst and Asaviour to 2008’s rap hero Jack Flash, keeping up with such forward thinking talent is never going to be easy.
Conceived in the Hudd by a parental duo comprising of two musicians, producer and emcee J Simple was destined to lay his roots in creating rich soundscapes. After his father left at an early age, his successful jazz musician step-father came in to the picture. Arriving with an eclectic musical taste, he helped shape the music that was to come from young J.
A student of every music genre, J Simple absorbs and harnesses all the styles around him. Noting his influences as traveling between Prince to Wu Tang to Talib Kweli and Kanye West, J Simple is undeniably soulful, bias toward the beat-heavy and definitely has an ear for the dope shit.
Carving his first beats at the age of 11 and writing seriously from the age of 14, it wasn’t long till people started to take notice of his talents. Meandering between various group formations, J gigged around the midlands to hungry crowds, finally settling with the mammoth GROUNDWURQ unit with producer extraordinaire APA-TIGHT and JACK FLASH.
While touring in Leeds J Simple’s talents were spotted by MC Testament, who approached him to join ‘The Homecut Directive’ consisting of talented jazz musicians and with guest vocals from CORINNE BAILEY RAE and ANDREYA TRIANA. Simple is now primarily focused on his live shows with JACK FLASH to promote ‘THE UNION JACK ALBUM’ which was released in 2008 to critical acclaim. Having supported the likes of TY, TASKFORCE and JEHST with his atomic stage show alongside JACK FLASH, it is time you caught Simple live.
Now working on his debut solo release entitled ‘Late Night Theatre’, 2009 will be the year J Simple implements himself as a driving force in homegrown hip-hop.
