J Oliver

Baltimore's J. Oliver has cut his teeth as a producer for artists like with Meek Mill and French Montana, but today he comes out the gate as a rapper with a boldly named mixtape called I Am Kanye West. The project reveals traces of his past: "Mommas House," for example, features menacing production and an intricately woven life tale, two trademarks of Meek Mill, whom Oliver worked with on “Fck You Mean” and "Cream."
And though it sounds tough, it's actually very sentimental. “Growing up as kids, Momma's House was our place of comfort," Oliver told The FADER over email. "That’s the place that inspired us to become what we are in life. As we got older, we love going back to Momma's House.”
Listen to "Mama's House" and the rest of the tape below: - Fader

Download J Oliver's new mixtape "I Am Kanye West."
J Oliver may best be known for his stellar production on tracks for Meek Mill, Kirko Bangz, French Montana, & Young Thug to name just a few, but he’s also emerging as a talented emcee as well if you didn't know. Looking to show off his versatility, the Baltimore native decided to release a new mixtape as a solo artist today called I Am Kanye West, which is presumably a reference to his multi-talented facets in music.

Produced entirely by himself, the 13-track project features guest appearances from Mom Dukes & Decarlo. Stream and/or download the tape now. (Tracklist below)

Look for J Oliver to hit the road alongside King Los on the "God Money War" tour which is currently underway - HNHH - Hot New Hip Hop

( Handout photo / February 20, 2013 )
Around this time last year, Jeffrey Robinson Jr. -- better known as the producer J. Oliver -- was living at Bryant McKinnie's house in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Ravens' all-pro left tackle, who entered the hip-hop industry after creating the B Major Music Group in 2011, had invited J. Oliver to network down south and work on music.

At least, the plan was to work.

"I was partying every night," J. Oliver, 25, said. "I had a goal to grind and [McKinnie's] got me out here partying with Chris Brown. I was trying to make this money. I said, 'I'm living someone else's life.'"

Late-night clubs, and the decadent fun that comes with them, served as a wake-up call to the aspiring producer and artist from Pikesville.

"I don't need to be partying right now," he said then. "I need to be working."

J. Oliver has been practically living in the studio ever since, splitting his time between Baltimore, Los Angeles and his current location, Dallas. The re-dedication to his craft is starting to pay off: J. Oliver says his first production for a major-label album tentatively comes in May, when French Montana releases his debut studio album, "Excuse My French."

It may be J. Oliver's first major placement, but it's far from his first time working with an artist signed to Sean "Diddy" Combs' storied label.

Los, the Baltimore rapper and Bad Boy artist now living in Los Angeles, has worked closely with J. Oliver since meeting him at Morgan State University while J. Oliver was a student there. Most recently, J. Oliver produced "Purple Reign," Los' anthem for the Baltimore Ravens. J. Oliver says Los' many motivational speeches fueled his desire to be successful in the music industry.

"When he got signed, he'd be like, 'Guess what? There's a producer who just sold his beat out here for $10,000. But he's not you, J. Why can't you come out here and get this money?'" J. Oliver said. "He'd always give me these talks that made me want to work, work, work."

He's become one of the city’'s best hip-hop producers because his beats sound ready for radio now. They're crisp, with just enough grit, character and 808-thump to distinguish from other radio staples. J. Oliver says the melody matters most in his beats.

"In the studio, I'm thinking of making a creative melody," he said. "If the drums hit, that's cool, but drums hit in a lot of songs."

When he's not writing songs for his own upcoming project, "Legendary," J. Oliver is working on Los' next mixtape, "Becoming King." He says he's also working with Trae tha Truth, from T.I.'s Grand Hustle label, and even "Jersey Shore's" DJ Pauly D, who is signed to 50 Cent's G-Note Records.

While a Los speech can motivate him, J. Oliver says he's focused on success for his family, and in particular, his mother. He never forgets the sacrifices she made for him, like paying her son's tuition for Cardinal Gibbons School, after J. Oliver lost his basketball scholarship for "messing up."

"I really want to make enough money to unite my family," he said. "For Thanksgiving, I want the whole family together. I keep them on my screensaver to remind me why I'm doing this. When I'm not inspired, I look to them." - Baltimore Sun

(King) Los "Becoming King (Intro Preview) Prod by J Oliver & FlightSchool - Baltimore's Very Own

BEST BEATMAKER
J. Oliver
Like many successful hip-hop producers, J. Oliver has gained much of his reputation by smartly hitching his wagon to a rising MC, in this case Baltimore’s current breakout star, Los. But like a truly talented producer, J. Oliver hasn’t merely been riding his homeboy’s coattails, landing his first major-label credit this year for French Montana’s “Told Em,” as well as producing for everyone from Houston’s Kirko Bangz to hometown rappers like StarrZ and the late Smash. J. Oliver continues reserving some of his best work for Los, however, outshining some much more famous producers with his contributions to the Bad Boy rapper’s hugely popular latest mixtape, Becoming King.
- See more at: http://www.citypaper.com/bob/bcp-arts-entertainment-2013,0,5707410.story#sthash.1DGJmnqH.dpuf - Baltimore City Paper

There are plenty of rappers who can namecheck encounters with their heroes — say the D.O.C., or Dr. Dre, or both — but J. Oliver's are a little different. He's been cussed out by Diddy and caught up in an epic water fight between A$AP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator. He's even set his sights on writing a song for bro-country godfather Luke Bryan. His new album debuted on Fader a few weeks ago. Oliver is a rapper trying to make it by being a producer and writer first, no matter what it takes.


“The best way into the music industry is to become a writer first,” Oliver says. “Write for people. People don’t want to do that. The production game is that outlet.” His plan is to make great beats until he has established himself as an artist instead of just trying to be an artist. He says he’s been “running through it” since he moved to Dallas from Baltimore a couple years ago. He was raised there and says The Wire was accurate.

Oliver is very driven and sometimes hilarious, with much to say about his craft. He sits very comfortably in his Carrollton studio wearing a tank top and sweatpants. He is very upset to see the Ravens losing to the Browns and occasionally glances at it being broadcast on a laptop in disgust.

“This new culture where it’s the underground culture,” Oliver says. “They’re not really getting radio plays but they’re packing out venues.” He has toured nationally with T. Mills. Blackbear would be another example. Oliver went to House of Blues last month to see him perform and was asked to fill one of the opening slots. He jumped at the chance and received an enthusiastic response from the crowd.

There are many different avenues for getting your music heard. J. Oliver’s? Production and writing. His new album is called I Am Kanye West because he wants to make it the same way Kanye West did. “I just let them play my beats first,” he smiles. “And once I play people my beats it grabs them and they want more.” People learn about his beats and then they learn he is an artist too. Eventually the right person will agree to be featured on one of his tracks or he’ll be featured on the right person’s track.

“There are a lot of artists who aren’t using radio,” Oliver says. Like A$AP Rocky, for instance. He packed out South Side Music Hall last week and performed at ACL. Rocky wanted to meet Oliver after hearing his beats. It was the last show of the tour with Tyler, the Creator and Rocky bought a bunch of water balloons. Tyler stole the balloons out of Rocky’s dressing room but not before a few had already been filled.


Tyler was hit in the head with a water balloon in a backstage hallway and didn’t take it lightly. After a water fight outside the building, the situation escalated when everyone went back inside. “40 water balloons were thrown,” Oliver says. “They had like 10 cans of silly string.” A bucket of ice was thrown; people were throwing whatever water they could get their hands on. This was before Rocky performed. The audience had no idea this was going on. The venue was not happy.

Oliver has worked with Diddy a few times and vividly remembers being cussed out by the mogul at his house in L.A. in 2012: “Unfold your motherfucking arms when I’m talking to you!” J. Oliver wasn’t actually part of the conversation taking place. But Diddy made a fair point about success after getting his attention and then Future called and got cussed out too, so he didn’t feel so bad. He remembers looking at the "ridiculous" view of the ocean from Diddy’s "ridiculous" house. But there was a tension in L.A. he just didn’t care for.

Oliver has also worked with French Montana and Meek Mill. But now he’s excited about a country song he is trying to pitch to Luke Bryan. That’s not a joke. Selena Gomez’s stepfather actually gave it a listen. He struggles to describe it: “It’s a new sound. It’s going to reach the ages of 14- to maybe 30-year-olds.” He says he has turned away a very healthy sum for the track, but wants Bryan to have it. It sounds like a country anthem with a stomping beat crossed with a club banger.

“My A&R’s are like urban A&R’s and they don’t really know any country A&R’s,” he says. “I might have to take a trip to Nashville.” It's real country music, though, and very modern. Oliver sees licensing deals for truck commercials and it doesn’t seem farfetched. He plays basketball with a country music musician who convinced him to give country music a try. He recalls working with country musicians who stepped into his studio and asked him who the producer was.

Oliver sees this country song as his secret weapon. It could be like what Kanye West’s “Power” did for S1. “I have guitarists coming in here all the time,” he says. “The ones who use that spit thing. I don’t even know what that’s called.” (That’s called chewing tobacco.) Indeed, the song is modern country, but it has a stomping hip-hop beat to it that you just don’t hear in the genre. “This is something different,” he says. “Nobody really knows how to mix the two together." - Dallas Observer