| J-Kwon | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Jerrell Jones |
| Born | 1986 |
| Origin | St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations | Rapper |
| Instruments | Vocals, Rapping |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels | Arista, Hood Hop Music, So So Def Recordings, Gracie Productions, EMI, ONE Records |
| Website | www.myspace.com/jkwon |
Jerrell Jones, (born 1986)[1][2] better known by his stage name J-Kwon, is an American rapper from St. Louis best known for his 2004 hit single "Tipsy".
Jones was expelled from school when he was 12. He allegedly was dealing illegal drugs at this period.[3] He often slept at friends' homes and in cars; after winning one rap battle, he suffered a broken jaw.[2] J-Kwon first rose to stardom with his single "Tipsy" from his 2004 album Hood Hop, which peaked at #7 on the Billboard 200.[4] The first single from the album, "Tipsy", peaked at #2 in his native United States and at #4 in the United Kingdom. Other singles included "You & Me" with Sadiyyah and "Hood Hop". As of March 3, 2010, he was considered missing. The following day he released a statement stating that he was taking a break from the spotlight and he was sorry for any problems it caused. He also went on to state that he appreciated all the love from the fans.
For the 2005 film XXX: State of the Union, J-Kwon performed the single "Get XXX'd" with Petey Pablo and Ebony Eyez. J-Kwon began working on the follow-up to Hood Hop, Louisville Slugger, that year also.[5] He collaborated with comedian Andy Milonakis in "Like Dis", to promote The Andy Milonakis Show, and appeared on Bow Wow's single "Fresh Azimiz".In 2008, he released a single "Boo Boo" through his own label Hood Hop Music with album Hood Hop 2 following the next year exclusively for digital download.[6] Follow-up Hood Hop 2.5 was released on CD on July 28, 2009. Its first official single was "Louie Bounce (I Smacked Nikki)".[7]
According to a 3 March report from his record company he had been missing since early February 2010.[1] Later in March 2010, MTV News reported that he had gotten in touch with his record label, Gracie Entertainment, saying he is alive and well.[8] He was later quoted as saying he was "just taking some time out."[9] J-Kwon released his fourth studio album on March 23, 2010, entitled J-Kwon.[10]