Jim Jones
When Jim Jones’ “Ballinnn!” chant took the hip-hop nation by storm, the Harlem native was more than ready for the mainstream spotlight that would be directly cast upon him. Rapping since he was a teenager, Jones grinded hard and waited patiently for just the right opportunity to come. Thanks to persistence and a catchy single, it came.
Due to the overwhelming success of his third solo album, “Hustler’s P.O.M.E.,” the current leader of the Diplomats not only was able to get inked to a lucrative record deal at Sony/Columbia, but he also hooked up his Byrdgang crew with a deal at Asylum. Last week, the five-man ensemble released their debut, “M.O.B.: The Album,” and later this year Jones will unleash his much-anticipated (and currently-untitled) major label debut.
In an exclusive interview with DJBooth’s DJ “Z,” Jim steps inside the booth to talk about the future of hip-hop, why people misconceive his accomplishments at Koch as overnight success, what it feels like to be the boss, and who was responsible for breaking his heart in 1992.
