Growing up against the rough and tumble back drop of the South Lawn Projects in Houston, J-Sloan is no stranger to the hard knocks of life’s many struggles. Born Jarrad Sloan, the 6'5 M.C. can vividly recall the violence that plagued his old neighborhood. The price of poverty cost him a younger brother and even threatened his own life.

“When you meet people on the street and they say, man I thought you was dead, you know it’s time to move on, said Sloan.
In 1999 when a relative offered a place to stay in St. Louis, Sloan jumped at the opportunity to relocate and start fresh in the river city, anchoring the dangerous day-to-day grind of Houston’s streets in the past.
As luck follows destiny, Sloan didn’t go seeking a career in music at first. Perhaps drawn by his story to tell, the mic found him, and through acquaintances he ended up in a recording booth rattling off bars drawn from his own pen. While still adjusting to his new found fate, Sloan remembers his amazement with the splicing and blending of studio magic during his first behind the scenes look at production.

Though new to making music, Sloan has been an avid fan for years. Growing up on such soul legends as Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding as a teen his interest turned to the local rappers that make up Houston’s infamous underground such as Fat Pat, Scareface, 5th Ward Boys, Street Military, Botany Boys, UGK, DJ Screw, Al D. and Lil KeKe. Sloan also admires the originality and energy of other artists that hail from his native Dirty South. He describes his own style as being versatile. “I would call it laid-back but aggressive,” said Sloan.

Complex does more than define his style; his voice is just as much a contradiction, a cross between a husky smokiness and a smooth as gin drawl. This southern paradox of sounds lends itself well to tracks like his debut single, “What’s Happenin,” a braggadocios presentation with a mellow tempo and much bounce. It and other tracks show an artist giving a firm nod to his new hometown, the place that allowed him to break from his old path of self-destruction and concentrate on the new, an artist ready to keep the beat alive.

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J DUBBIE

03/03/08 17:16:37 hello hommie im j.dubbie fla. secrete weapon hit me up 239 878 7957 thanks

STL FIRE CHICK

12/12/07 10:31:23 U DID YO THANG LASTNIGHT @ VIVA!! WE KICKED IT SO HARD!! KEEP DOING YO THANG!!

Brenda Lynn

10/29/07 20:41:10 My usual drop in to say how you are cause it's obvious the trackls are doin just FINE.

Brenda Lynn

10/16/07 17:34:41 Leave it to RIVERFRONTRADIO to recruit artists that are talented and HOT. I take breaks now and again cause I am all the way in Oregon & not much I can do BUT *sigh and say... how much is it to 314? Hot tracks by the way.