Izzy Jone$

Clayton County, Georgia rapper IZZY JONE$’ “sun 2.0″ is a beautiful mess. Funk, surf rock, and southern hip-hop collide in an overflowing gumbo that backs JONE$’ agile rapping, his flow meeting the changes in the hyperkinetic track like bends to a river. “sun 2.0″ verges on being too ambitious for its own good, demanding repeat listens to catch everything happening in jone$’ rapping and his energetic beat of choice.

JONE$ fittingly provides the best lens through which to view his beaming single: “I look up to the sun for wisdom & guidance through meditation. Prayer & the occasional daydream turned ambition helps me develop an invincible mind, body, and spirit.” “sun 2.0″ personifies positivity and will power, decidedly unpolished, but pointing to a broader vision that makes up for lack of finish. - Jon Tanners

March 3rd, 2015. live on #InTheLoop // KSU // 8PM // spreading luv, sharing vibes!

Aired on www.KSURADIO.com & TuneIn App (KSU Radio) - Hosted by: Jaye Newton & Nick Cross

Interviewed by Sean Taylor, author of "you are GoD" for the Young and Genius Network.

http://www.YAG3.com - Sean Taylor

SQUID: Its Importance and Influence Are Only Increasing

You know your locked into IZZY JONE$ world when “Samurai Garden (Begin)” is flinging its knowledge and poetics at you like ancent bones or minerals. “Holocaust monopoly” is still my favorite IZZY lline, somehow its disturbing truth went over the heads of the eternally persecuted group that refuse to admit they have a monopoly on both self-pity and self-righteousness.

“Sun” is still the stunner before the stunners that carry us through the second half of SQUID. “Sun” is jazzy, bright, a bit ambivalent but does not even suggest the seering indictment of us all in “Mer-Men [Bump that]”. IZZY conceals some of his cynicism when he spits “I need an NAACP promotion”. It still feels so much more devastating as the Artist pretty much addresses it with a wink and half-nod. It’s as if IZZY steps his toe just over understatement but doesn’t push the embedded cynicism in our faces. Is he testing us? Or mocking us? Or driving us quetly through a desert of paranoia? I still feel he’s purposely created a mixed storm, stinging,,breezy and unbearably humid. It’s as if to say “A century still hasn’t taught you guys how brutal it can be to look like” IzzY in america.

IZZY’s too smart to just give up on teaching us — he reveals only small bits of rot, so that over time we’ll find that SQUID was speaking urgently, as its backstory, mirrored america’s mythical backstory. SQUID is more and more revolutionary and radical each time i listen to it.

I hope IZZY JONE$ keeps the tradition of reminding us of its birthday each year. It’s got secrets IZZY has no intention of leaking. SQUID is IZZY’s subversively gentle nightmare. Not his private nightmare though. Like a OUija board, what’s SQUID plan to tell us in 4 or 5 years?

IZZY’s as hopeful as anyone should be: But we might miss the day when the warning matures.

Another idea the album makes me ponder is that because it moves so seamlessly that it ends before its sharp points are really felt, it’s a meditation. As it ages, the meditation goal changes.

Someday i will force myself to listen to SQUID for its avant-garde beauty and for IZZY JONE$ celebrated, innocent spitting. It could very well be that i miss the point of SQuID no matter what meaning i attach to it.

Happy 2nd birthday to you SQUID! Lie a 2 year-old child, your complexities grow quicker than you do. And we love you, mysteries and all.

i think SQUID, like a child, gets more complex withe each new year of existence. its creator @fakeizzyjones planned it that way. as he spits in “Dedication”, “welcome to the life of somebody who never did shit.” - SOULFULFAN

ALBUM 0 by IZZY JONE$.
The follow-up album to IZZY’s opus SQUID is every bit a work of artistic integrity and wild imagination as its predecessor. The difference in mood is significant. izzy jones2SQUID was paranoid with broad strokes of optimism, ALBUM 0 opens on a minor key with cynicism about fame. It’s a bit more experimental than SQUID, which doesn’t seem to be turning IZZY fans off. ALBUM 0 takes a bit of time to sink in, but it’s worth it when it does. - SOULFULFAN

Izzy Jone$ is a rapper that is hard to miss and we’re not just saying that because of his thick Afro. Originating out of College Park, GA and representing Clayton County, Isaiah T. Anderson, who goes by Izzy Jone$, is making music that you just can’t hear; you can feel it too.

After discovering Quincy Jones and jazz music at just three years old and hearing Nelly’s “Country Grammar” for the first time at four, he naturally gravitated towards music and and has been honing his skills since 2001 when he was still just a child. He shares that his late grandfather W.D. Anderson is who he gives credit to for being his motivation to do music. “ He was a figure within the College Park community and the first person to believe in me outside of my parents.” Though Mr. Anderson passed away on July, 7, 2007, his legacy is showing to live on through his grandson.

Since he got into the music scene early, Izzy has had the chance to take time to develop his unique sound. “I don’t know if any artists has truly influenced my rap style. However, early on, I was inspired by Curren$y, Tech N9ne and Ludacris.” As far as production and songwriting styles go, he gives credit to Quincy Jones, Curtis Mayfield, George Clinton, and Roger Troutman as being his biggest inspirations.

Izzy has been releasing songs and doing shows ever since high school and all those years of hard work are officially coming into fruition. He has even already made a mark into the Atlanta rap community. Back in 2016, Izzy was blessed with the chance to do a tribute performance to OutKast “ATLiens” during A3C weekend, a weekend event in Downtown Atlanta that celebrates music, technology and all around Atlanta culture, and was able to perform “Millennium” alongside Clay James and Mr. DJ (Outkast’s official DJ) in front of 3,500 people.

To up the ante, Izzy has just released his first album, Peace, Love, Happine$$. This 10-song, 36 minute project features a versatile tracklist that span from Clayton County head nods “Jurassic Parc” and “Clay C. Rocafella” to soulful vibes “I Am My Brother’z Keeper” and “What’s Love” to show listeners that his art has so many complex sounds and lyrics with deep meanings and reflections that you can’t classify it as just rap/hip-hop music. It’s world music.

Izzy is an artist who has put a lot of time and dedication to his craft and the goals that he wants his music to achieve proves just how serious he is about it; “I want my music to inspire; to give an opportunity to a creative with potential that might not be able to act and become who they are truly meant to be. I want to create such an impactful album that the Library of Congress recognizes it and lastly, supply a formidable future for six generations after I leave this planet.” He’s not making music just so he can eat. He’s making music to help feed generations to come. A truly selfless artist.

He leaves us with a message for everyone to challenge themselves: “There’s always someone better, always someone more clever, always someone more experienced— but no one can take your spot or replace you if your work ethic and dues demand the respect of being more deserving. Never quit because you could be on the brink of changing your life forever. In a split moment, everything could be different. Don’t you want to find out?” Not only is Izzy hungry, he’s about to inspire us to get hungry too, so don’t miss out on him. You can follow Izzy Jone$ and all of his musical updates on Instagram: @onlyizzyjones, Twitter: @onlyizzyjones, and Apple Music: Izzy Jone$. - The In Crowd ATL - Ebonee Bailey