Jonathan Moore (musician)
Jonathan Moore | |
---|---|
Also known as | Wordsayer, J. Moore, DJ Word Sayer |
Born |
March 22, 1969 Seattle, Washington |
Died |
March 8, 2017 (age 47) Seattle, Washington |
Genres | Hip hop, rap, indie rock |
Occupation(s) | Producer, rapper, musician, DJ |
Instruments | Vocals, production |
Years active | 1992-2017 |
Labels | Jasiri Media Group, Sub Verse Music |
Associated acts | Source of Labor, Jake One, DJ Kamikaze, Blahzay Blah, Vitamin D, Beyond Reality, Darrius Willrich, Felicia Loud, Reggie Watts |
Jonathan Moore (April 22, 1969 - March 8, 2017), also known by his stage name, Wordsayer, was a rapper, DJ and producer born in Seattle, WA.[1] Known as Seattle's "hip-hop ambassador" and "cultural mayor" Moore was influential in the Northwest hip-hop scene and founded the group Source of Labor in 1989.[2][3][4][5][6]
Early life
Moore grew up in the Columbia City neighborhood of Seattle and went to Roosevelt High School in the mid-80s.[7] He began performing by the late 1980s. Moore worked at a grocery store while he went to college in Atlanta and graduated from Morehouse College in 1992. When he moved back to Seattle after college in Atlanta he lived rented a house in the Central District with his brother, designer Upendo Tookas (a.k.a. Negus I), and friend, DJ Kamikaze, who also changed the hip-hop game in Seattle.[5][8]
Career
Moore, Tookas and Kamikaze began performing at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center in the Central District as Source of Labor (SOL) in 1989.[9][10]
SOL (with Derrick Brown (a.k.a. Vitamin D) replacing Kamikaze in 1997), began the music label, Jasiri Media Group, although Jasiri began as a collective in 1993.[9][11] Also in '93 more popular venues and clubs downtown were booked with grunge shows and gangster rap was big at that time, making it a challenge for SOL to gain footing.[5][11] As Wordsayer, Moore was known for his politically conscious verse and life.[12][13] SOL and Jasiri were the center of Seattle's second wave of hip hop in the early 90s, the first wave being Nastymix Recording artist Sir-Mix-a-Lot.[11]
Moore is credited with bringing hip-hop into the mainstream in Seattle and bringing notoriety to the city's hip hop scene.[1] Not only did he move hip hop into downtown Seattle, but to help sustain his effort, he also began booking and promoting other nationally notable acts for the same downtown clubs. He brought such artists as The Roots in 1995, Blackalicious and Saul Williams (for whom Moore managed a national tour in 2001).[11]
Moore also fought for all-ages venues in Seattle.[14] The Teen Dance Ordinance of the early 90's required a venue have one million dollar liability insurance and hire two off duty police officers in order to put on a show, making it nearly impossible for under aged kids to see music live. Moore was part of the movement to overturn that law in part by hosting Sure Shot Sundays at a local cafe/laundromat where Macklemore first performed at age 15.[15][16][7]
Moore met Chaka Mkali while visiting his alma mater and connected him to the scrappy and burgeoning Seattle hip-hop scene which led to national attention and touring groups for the city.[5] In 2000 Source of Labor played a show with Mos Def and local groups, Black Anger and Beyond Reality for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday at the University of Washington's Hub Ballroom co-hosted by Student Hip-Hop Organization of Washington (the SHOW).[5][17][18]
Source of Labor disbanded in 2004 to focus on individual projects. Moore continued managing other emerging artists to provide them what he missed when he was new to the scene.[11] He managed many third wave Seattle hip hop groups such as THEESatisfaction and Shabazz Palaces.[2]
KUBE 93, Seattles mainstream pop station featured Moore and DJ Hyphen co-hosting Sunday Night Sound Sessions.[15][19]
Moore worked until the end of his life. He was working on the video for rapper Brother Ali's "Own Light (What Hearts Are For)" in which Moore's sister, Jen, dances in celebration of his life (filmed the day after he passed away). The video is dedicated in his memory.[3]
Personal life
Moore taught creative writing at Franklin High School.[9] Upendo Moore, his oldest son, whom he had with his ex partner in life and music, Erika Kylea White (MC Kylea of Beyond Reality), began following in his parents musical footsteps at 18 months old, playing the drums, and at 4, onstage with the Roots.[20] His younger son, Miles, he had with his ex partner, Caitlin Brower.[21] Jonathan Moore died on March 8, 2017 of kidney failure at age 47.[19]
Discography
Albums [9]
Year | Album | Artist | Credits | Label |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | Stolen Lives | Source of Labor | Producer, Engineer, Lyricist, Arranger, Mixing, Keyboards | Subversemusic |
2001 | Full Circle EP | Source of Labor | Producer, Engineer, Lyricist, Arranger, Mixing, Keyboards | Subversemusic |
2001 | JMG: Word Sound Power | Various Artists | Engineer, Lyricist, Mixing | Jasiri Media Group |
1999 | Table Manners 2 | Vitamin D | Lyricist | Tribal Music Inc. |
1998 | Classic Elements | Various Artists | Lyricist | K Records |
1997 | Choked Up | Sharpshooters | Vocals (background) | Shadow Records |
1996 | Balance | Source of Labor | Producer, Engineer, Lyricist, Arranger, Mixing, Keyboards | Jasiri Media Group |
1996 | Do the Math | Various Artists | Performer, Primary Artist | Tribal Music Inc |
1996 | 14 Fathoms Deep | Various Artists | Lyricist | Loosegroove Records |
External links
References
- 1 2 "Jonathan Moore, 47, Pioneering Seattle Hip-Hop Artist". Seattle, WA Patch. 2017-03-10. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- 1 2 "Grind And Shine: Shabazz Palaces And THEESatisfaction". NPR.org. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- 1 2 "Watch Brother Ali Give Praise in Inspiring 'Own Light' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- β "Seattle Hip-Hop Legend Jonathan Moore, 47, Passes Away | Seattle Weekly". Seattle Weekly. 2017-03-09. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Letβs Start the Show | Arts & Culture | Seattle Met". www.seattlemet.com. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- β "Source of Labor discography". RateYourMusic. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- 1 2 "A Brief Hiphop History of The (Now) Late, Great Jonathan Moore". The Stranger. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- β "MOHAI exhibit celebrates Seattle hip-hop". The Seattle Times. 2015-09-18. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- 1 2 3 4 "Source of Labor | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- β "Why Should I Give a Fuck About the Ghetto Chilldren?". The Stranger. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Mudede, Charles. "A Source for Seattle Hiphop". The Stranger. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- β Group, Vibe Media (2017-04-13). Vibe. Vibe Media Group.
- β KEXP. "R.I.P. Jonathan Moore". The KEXP Blog. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- β "Business | Hip-hop enthusiasts stage peaceful protest | Seattle Times Newspaper". community.seattletimes.nwsource.com. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- 1 2 "Remembering Jonathan Moore | Seattle Weekly". Seattle Weekly. 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- β "5 Classic Hip-Hop Albumsβ¦ According to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis". Vibe. 2013-03-20. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- β "Up & Coming". The Stranger. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- β Daily, The. "Sleepin' in Seattle". The Daily of the University of Washington. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- 1 2 "Moore than Words - The FLVR". The FLVR. 2017-03-27. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- β Charles, DioMari. "Making Seattle Beats Since He Was 8 Years Old". Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- β "Seattle Hiphop Pioneer Jonathan Moore Dies at 47". The Stranger. Retrieved 2017-04-13.