JAEY TUNES

JaEy Tunes

Grounded, well-rounded, influential with vast potential are onlya few choice words that sum up       You World Global Media Group, Inc. well-versed artist ‘JaEy Tunes’. The latest addition to the ever-growing hip hop movement of the “Dirty South,” 24 year old Juston Edwards, respectfully known as “JaEy” is not just another fly-by-night hiphop artist whose longevity in the game will be based upon the latest sound-trend; Instead it is based upon the fundamental depth of understanding he has ofthis intricate web known as the “Music Industry.” The youngest of three siblings born to Katie Waller and Timothy Edwards, Sr.on December 27, 1988 in Birmingham, Alabama, JaEy Tune’sgoal is to, “have people become a fan of my music and everything I stand for.”

JaEy Tune’s early childhood foundation was a structured one, and built on solid ground with having both parents living in the same household. However, about the age of 10, his parents decided to divorce, and JaEy Tune’s world took a drastic turn.Following the divorce, his mother moved with her children to the harsh area of Bessemer, Alabama. It was there where JaEyTunes was first introduced to the “streets”, and the knowledge of gang affiliation.  He took on the likes of friends who were in the same situation as he, and from the one commonality of “grinding” together, a kinship was formed. From the age of ten up until the age of sixteen-seventeen was a struggle for JaEyTunes. His mind constantly toggled between staying in school,and grinding in the streets. He knew he had to attend school, but he also knew that in order to survive, he needed to do what was required of the streets. “When you’re in the streets, you’re in the streets, and you deal and do things pertaining to the streets;that’s what’s respected. It didn’t matter that I played football and made good grades, because the streets didn’t care about that.”–JaEy Tunes

After receiving a phone call that her baby boys’ life was in danger, Katie packed up her children once again and moved back to Birmingham. Back in Birmingham once again, JaEyTunes enrolled at McAdory High School in Jefferson County, Alabama. There he would start with the Yellow Jackets football team as the star running back and cornerback. A natural athlete,JaEy Tune’s passion for music would lay dormant throughout his youth; in fact, his passion for music would not surface until the end of the football season during his senior year. With nothing else to do, he and his cousin had begun to hang out every day penning lyrics to homemade beats that they would create in the basement at home. It was then when he realized that he could actually write music on a level where people would listen to it and ‘feel’ what he was saying; lyrics that would separate him from the rest.  When asked what made him to decide to get into the hip hop scene? “I never took music that serious. My cousin was more into music than me; it was him who started me to write poetry which then turned into rap. He was the one who first told me that I have ‘it’.” –JaEy Tunes

After graduation in the summer 2007 from McAdory High School, JaEy Tunes started his first semester as a freshman at Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, Alabama majoring in Business Accounting. With music on his mind, and success in his heart; in 2009 after graduating with an A.S.degree from Lawson State Community College, JaEy Tunesrelocated to Atlanta, Georgia to attend Clark Atlanta University where he would continue to study Business Accounting, and secure his placement amongst the dirty south hiphop movement. His big break came when Atlanta radio personality Osei “The Dark Secret” of V103 came to the ACU campus in search of college students interested in working in the music industry. This caught JaEy Tune’s attention because he was a business student, and knew that this would be the perfect opportunity to learn the music business from the bottom up; therefore he took up on the offer to intern at the Atlanta base From the GroundUp record label. With aspirations of owning his own record label one day, JaEy Tunes gravitated to the behind the scenes position with the label with no qualm because he knew that he was in the perfect place at the perfect time; the perfect situation to learn the systematic flow of the studio, and the ins and outs of running a record label. Initially he got his start in rap as a member of the group The Boyz Next Door in 2010, but during that same year, he would break off from the group, re-invent himself and become a solo artist. While interning at the recordlabel, JaEy Tunes met Aaron “Gritty” Holloway, who would in time become one of the most influential people of his music career. Although he wasn’t the first producer JaEy Tunes had worked with, “Gritty” was definitely one of the main reasonsJaEy Tunes started to take his craft more serious. “I don’t know what he (Gritty) saw in me that day, but whatever it was, I’m glad he did.” JaEy Tunes recalls. At the time, “Gritty” was the “in-house” producer for the label, and one day was in need of assistance with a “hook” for a track he and another artist was working on. “Gritty” asked JaEy to help out, and out of duty, loyalty and protocol as a team player, he quickly obliged their request, and penned the hook. Both “Gritty” and the other artist were impressed with the ardent approach JaEy Tunes brought to recording booth, so from that day forth; JaEy Tunes went from behind the scenes at the label, to behind the mic in the recording booth. Once he got in the booth; he stayed there and grinded his way up to the ranks of label mates with whom he had once worked for as an intern with the label.                        

His passion for music goes beyond the microphone; as his aspiration is to build an empire to the likes of JayZ, Russell Simmons, Sean Combs, etc… “The fact that hip hop gives you the opportunity to come from basically nothing, and to grow into something or someone who could make a difference, and whereyou can find yourself sitting at a round table with those who were already established or born with a silver spoon in their mouths; is reason enough to work hard at it knowing the love I have for it will allow me to make a living, and live my destiny at the same time.” -JaEy Tunes

By embracing hip hop and delving his culture; JaEy Tunesadmires the fact that hip hop allows people like himself the chance to speak the voice of the hood. The culture of hip hop is his main influence, and is what he identifies himself with. Inspired by life’s experiences, his lyrics are a reflection of the things he’s experienced, and what he knows. When asked who would he like to collaborate with on a track; he stated “Future”; “His music is fresh, it’s hot, and I would like to think that’s where I’m going with my music.”

In early 2013, JaEy Tunes released his debut mix tape; “The Tune Up”. The mix tape features the hit single “45 Days”; the single is currently in heavy rotation on Atlanta hip hop and r&b stations, 94.5 and V103. “The Tune Up” displays hisdistinguished sound and versatile flow; with a plethora of hot tracks to be regarded. He is currently on a promotional tour in the southeast region of the United States.

 What keeps JaEy Tunes humble is that he never sees himself asjust a rapper; instead he sees himself as business man with an opportunity to make a difference. His philanthropic endeavor is to give back to the hip hop culture generation, because he knows that every great man gives back into which he has gained from.One of his favorite books is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: by Stephen R. Covey; from which his favorite quote is derived: “begin with the end in mind.”

Indeed: grounded, well-rounded, influential with vast potential are only a few choice words to sum up JaEy Tunes; it is these attributes that has brought him thus far and will continue to soar him to the top!