J.I.D

×

Expand

Image courtesy of Razzmatazz

Originally from Atlanta, J.I.D (real name Destin Choice Route) cites Sly and The Family Stone and Earth, Wind and Fire as his main influences to begin with, and then he adds to that list names like Nas, Jay-Z, Mobb Deep, D'Angelo, Wu-Tang Clan, Little Dragon and Arctic Monkeys.

He started his musical career in 2012, when that June he released his first mixtape, Route Of Evil. The second, Para Tu, arrived in October 2013. His first EP dropped in January 2015, DiCaprio, a prelude to his debut full-length. That LP, dubbed The Never Story, was released in March 2017 on J Cole's Dreamville label, and reached #197 on the US charts.

J.I.D. is also part of the Spillage Village collective, together with the members of EARTHGANG, who released their first compilation, Bears Like This, in 2014. Two more came out later before the release of J.I.D's first two albums. In 2019, J.I.D was part of the Dreamville label compilation Revenge Of The Dreamers III (nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rap Album category), and in 2020 two of his singles, "Down Bad" and "Costa Rica," were certified gold for sales by the RIAA.

With all the expectation that all these releases had created, it is not surprising how eager he was for his third album, which finally appeared in August 2022 under the title The Forever Story. He lived up to those expectations, reaching #12 on the overall US charts, with eighth place on the combined R&B and hip hop and sixth on the rap charts. Among the guests on that recording are Lil Wayne, Yasiin Bey, Ari Lennox, EARTHGANG, 21 Savage, Baby Tate, Ravyn Lenae, Eryn Allen Kane, James Blake, Kenny Mason and Lil Durk. It also entered the "best of the year" lists of media such as Rolling Stone, Complex, GQ, XXL and Pitchfork. His latest release is the single "Ma Boy" (February 2023).

For more music events check our online events calendar.