Jay Versace
Jay Versace (born January 24, 1998)[3] is an American record producer and former internet personality.[4][5] He began posting comedy videos onto Vine as a teenager and amassed over three million followers on the platform,[6][7][8] before turning to music production for the first time in 2018.[1][9] He has since produced songs on albums such as SOS (2023) by SZA,[2] Call Me If You Get Lost (2021) by Tyler, the Creator,[10] and Pray for Paris (2020) by Westside Gunn.[11]
Jay Versace | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 24, 1998 |
| Origin | Pleasantville, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer |
| Years active | 2014–present |
Early life
Versace is from Pleasantville, New Jersey.[11][12] His moniker was inspired by a Vine video in which American rapper Riff Raff feeds his dog "Versace water from the fountain of life".[8]
Career
2014–2017: Social media career
In 2014, Versace began making comedic videos onto the video-sharing platform Vine, usually involving reenactments of certain scenarios involving his family members, friends, and entertainers.[8] His work was also noted to involve the amplification of the spirituality, creativity, and mental health of black people.[1][13] He relocated to Los Angeles in 2016 at the age of 18.[6] He was nominated for Viner of the Year at the 8th Shorty Awards.[14] Versace had amassed over three million followers and two billion total views on Vine before the platform was discontinued in January 2017.[6][4] Thereafter, he turned to other social media platforms, amassing 2 million followers on Instagram and 500,000 subscribers on YouTube.[7] He also starred alongside American actors Danielle Campbell and Nathan Kress in his own Fullscreen web series, Jay Versace is Stuck in the 90s,[15] which was nominated for Best Web Series at the 10th Shorty Awards.[16] Versace signed a representation contract with United Talent Agency in January 2018,[17] and then was slated to feature alongside American internet personality Miles McKenna in an eight-part web series by Portal A Interactive titled My Wizard & Me, yet this did not come to fruition.[18]
2018–present: Music career
Versace started experimenting with music production for the first time in May 2018, with help from his musician friends Knxwledge and Pink Siifu.[1][9] He began posting atmospheric, lo-fi music instrumentals to his SoundCloud account.[11] Versace approached American rapper Westside Gunn and asked to work together, before the latter discovered his account and ended up using one of Versace's first-ever songs on his own album, Pray for Paris (2020), titling the track "Versace".[19] He then produced all tracks on the mixtape, The Versace Tape (2020) by American rapper Boldy James, which became the first-ever release on Griselda Records in August 2020.[20] In March 2021, Versace contributed a remix version of the song "Lay_Up.m4a" by Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats to the duo's remix album, Unlocked 1.5 (2021).[21] He also produced the song "Safari" off of American rapper Tyler, the Creator's sixth studio album Call Me If You Get Lost (2021),[10] which won the award for Best Rap Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.[9] Released in August 2022, the track "On God" by American rappers Meechy Darko, Freddie Gibbs and A-Trak, which was co-produced by Versace and Dot da Genius.[22] Versace then produced the songs "SOS" and "Smoking on My Ex Pack" from American singer SZA's second studio album, SOS (2022), which earned him critical acclaim and commercial success.[2] She had previously discovered him in 2017 through a video of him mocking her song "The Weekend", and they maintained a digital relationship for several years before meeting for the first time at a recording studio in 2019 once Versace had started producing.[2] SZA credits her first attempts at rap music to Versace, who encouraged her to "talk her shit".[2]
Personal life
Versace came out as queer[1] via a Snapchat post in 2016, claiming that "I love people in general idgaf what gender you are".[23][24][7] His mother, Nikesha Dolly Gunter, died of illness in May 2022.[25]
Production discography
2020
Westside Gunn - Pray for Paris
- 09. "Versace"
Boldy James - The Versace Tape
- 01. "Pony Down Intro"
- 02. "Maria"
- 03. "Nu Wave"
- 04. "Cartier"
- 05. "Brick Van Exel"
- 06. "Long Live Julio"
- 07. "Monte Cristo"
- 08. "Cardinal Sin"
- 09. "Bentayga"
- 10. "Roxycontin"
Pink Siifu and Fly Anakin - FlySiifu's
- 08. "Mind Right"
- 20. "Lil Diamond Boy" (bonus track)
2021
Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats - Unlocked 1.5
- 06. "Lay_Up.m4a (Jay Versace Version)"
Patrick Paige II - If I Fail Are We Still Cool?
- 12. "Who Am I"
Tyler, the Creator - Call Me If You Get Lost
- 16. "Safari" (co-produced with Tyler, the Creator)
Westside Gunn - Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B
- 04. "Free Kutter" featuring Jay Electronica
2022
- 17. "Bag Man"
Draft Day featuring Lil Yachty - "How Far Will I Go" (single) Xavier Omär - B l u r r
- 01. "A Dream"
Meechy Darko - Gothic Luxury
- 07. "On God" featuring A-Trak and Freddie Dibbs (co-produced with Dot Da Genius)
- 01. "SOS"
- 11. "Smoking on My Ex Pack"
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BET Social Awards | 2019 | Social Hustle Award | Himself | Nominated | [26][27] |
| Grammy Awards | 2022 | Best Rap Album | Call Me If You Get Lost (by Tyler, the Creator) | Won | [9] |
| Shorty Awards | 2016 | Viner of the Year | Himself | Finalist | [14] |
| 2018 | Best Web Series | Jay Versace Is Stuck in the 90s | Nominated | [16] | |
| Soul Train Awards | 2016 | Internet Soul Sensation Badu Award | Himself | Won | [28] |
References
- ^ a b c d e Rose, Jordan (August 4, 2020). "Beats, Blackness, and Revolution: A Conversation With Jay Versace". Vibe. from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Conteh, Mankaprr (December 12, 2022). "How Jay Versace Got SZA to Talk Her Shit on 'SOS'". Rolling Stone. from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ Osborne, Susanna (January 24, 2022). "Happy Birthday: Jay Versace's Seamless Transition From Social Media Star To Executive Producer On Tyler, The Creator's Album". Global Grind. iOne Digital. from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ a b Rodrigues, Ashwin (May 13, 2020). "How Vine Star Jay Versace Became a Rap Producer". Vice. from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ Wallace, Riley (September 4, 2020). "Griselda Collaborator & Social Influencer Jay Versace Is Paving The Way For Queer Hip Hop Producers — & He Knows It". HipHopDX. from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c Cahill, Ryan (April 20, 2018). "Jay Versace interview: "I want to be free of sexuality and not boxed in as a guy who's gay"". Gay Times. from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c Hawkins, Erica (June 17, 2020). "Jay Versace Is Living The American Dream, 2.0". Ladygunn. from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c Starling, Lakin (July 12, 2016). "How Jay Versace Became The Funniest Teenager On The Internet". The Fader. from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Nwanji, Ngozi (December 9, 2022). "Jay Versace Went From The Face Of Popular Memes To Producer On SZA's Highly Anticipated 'SOS'". AfroTech. from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ a b Bloom, Madison (June 25, 2021). "Tyler, the Creator Releases New Album Call Me If You Get Lost". Pitchfork. from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ a b c Holmes, Charles (May 12, 2020). "From Memes to Music: How Jay Versace Landed On a Westside Gunn Album". Rolling Stone. from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ Sheppard, Elena (May 30, 2018). "This aspiring comedian got famous by making people laugh in six seconds". Yahoo! Life. from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ Hughes, Jazmine (October 31, 2016). "Vine Dries Up. Black Humor Loses a Home". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ a b Lee, Ashley (April 11, 2016). "Shorty Awards: The Complete Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ Petski, Denise (August 15, 2017). "Fullscreen Sets Fall Slate: Shows Starring Jay Versace, Danielle Campbell, Nathan Kress". Deadline Hollywood. from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ a b Ramos, Dino-Ray (January 16, 2018). "Shorty Awards Nominees: Tiffany Haddish, Lena Waithe Among Those Recognized For Social Media Excellence". Deadline Hollywood. from the original on February 27, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ "Comedian And Actor Jay Versace Signs With UTA". Tubefilter. January 18, 2018. from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ Weiss, Geoff (July 24, 2017). "Portal A Unveils Eight-Series Slate Featuring Jay Versace, Miles McKenna". Tubefilter. from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ Setario, Shawn (August 14, 2020). "How Boldy James Made His Griselda Debut With Help From Jay Versace and Westside Gunn". Complex. from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ Threadcraft, Torry (August 6, 2020). "Boldy James Announces 'The Versace Tape,' Produced By Jay Versace - Okayplayer". Okayplayer. from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ Price, Joe (March 5, 2021). "Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats Release 'Unlocked 1.5' Project f/ Benny the Butcher, Joey Badass, and More". Complex. from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ Blistein, Jon (August 3, 2022). "Flatbush Zombies' Meechy Darko Teams With Freddie Gibbs, A-Trak for New Song 'On God'". Rolling Stone. from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ Hamedy, Saba (September 28, 2016). "Vine star Jay Versace opens up about his sexuality in a Snap". Mashable. from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ McNamara, Brittney (September 27, 2016). "Vine Star Jay Versace Comes Out to Fans About His Sexuality". Teen Vogue. from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ Cole, Ty (May 24, 2022). "Fans Come To Jay Versace Defense After Social Media Star Posts A GoFundMe Page For Mother's Memorial". BET. from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ Weiss, Geoff (February 22, 2019). "Queen Naija, BlameItOnKway Nominated At Second Annual 'BET Social Awards'". Tubefilter. from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ BET [@BET] (January 17, 2019). "These superstars have taken social media & built their AMAZING brands/careers! Vote now for the #SocialHustle award at the #BETSocialAwards!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 22, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "The 2016 Soul Train Awards Red Carpet Moments, Winners, Performances & More". The BLACK Media. November 27, 2016. from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.