A childhood spent in project housing on the outskirts of Boston exposed rising rap artist Jihad to the world of hip-hop at an early age and instilled in him to inform the music world that the drive to succeed comes from within.
In an era where emerging artists have used genre-merging to push the cultures boundaries, 23-year-old Jihad, born J. Scudder, represents a return to the socially aware lyrics and heartfelt melodies that originally put hip-hop on the charts. Now, with the anticipation of his debut release, tentatively titled "Politically Correct: The Executive Decision, this fall, released under his own production company, K.R.A.S.H. Entertainment,LLC this new talent is eager to take his skills to the next level.
Jihad was just 4 years old when his uncle, a mentor in his single-family household, began taking him to impromptu break-dance sessions on Bostons back streets. A passion immediately ignited.
"Back then, the best hip-hop artists could rap and dance. But then dancing went out, and I learned to rhyme," he said of his transition into writing. It came naturally. Jihads words are an honest, raw expression of his life experiences - nothing is clichéd, shadowed or sugar coated.
His single release, "Matriarch", written for the woman who raised him, illustrates her struggle - at keeping a young man safe in an unsafe world - with everyday battles, including keeping him cool on hot summer nights when they couldnt afford air conditioning. Its a thank you letter that lets his mother know that when the going got tough, he embraced, not blamed, her. "Everything is a conscious decision. I would hang on the streets, but I went to school and I made the choice of listening to my mom. Its about finding that balance," he said. Never one to settle for anything, Jihad has pursued his dream relentlessly. After-school jobs made precious studio time possible during high school and continued performing at small venues during his time at Virginia State University. Believing an education would be crucial to his future, Jihad earned a bachelors degree in sociology. But Boston, and rapping, beckoned.
His style, dubbed Jihad-core, can be likened to Mobb Deep, Nas and Fabolous. But there is a uniqueness in his style, wit and determination that stands out. Jihad has performed at Citywide Jams, The Strand in Boston, at Virginia State University, BB Kings at Universal Studios, Hollywood, and at The Berkley School of Music. Jihad owns K.R.A.S.H. (Keep Rapping And Success Happens) Entertainment, LLC in Boston. JIHAD SCUDDER "Party Rock"
JIHAD SCUDDER "Goodwill Hunting"
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