By dropping project after project, Jody$ shows why he’s a force to be reckoned with in the world of hip hop and R&B.

There is an excitement that comes with discovering an artist in their early stages. It feels like you found a hidden gem that only you know about. That is of course until their music reaches the masses.

For singer, songwriter, and producer Jody$, these are his early stages. He’s been dropping one EP after another consistently since 2018, showing what he can bring to the current climate of R&B and hip hop. The music and the mystery behind him remind me of The Weeknd and PARTYNEXTDOOR before they blew up.

I came across Jody$ one day when I was on one of my favorite music channels on YouTube, Chovies. The video showcased the tracks “I Still Love You” and “Niike Cheque.” I wasn’t too sure what I was getting myself into, but at the 15-second mark, I knew I had to continue listening.

Jody$ has an interesting style. He merges the traditional sound of R&B reminiscent of the ’90s and the 2000s with an atmospheric trap production. This throwback sound is heard across on the Nostalgic Tape series. 

Jody$ music

A track you need to check out on the Nostalgic Tape is “Lately”. The song with a run time of about two minutes packs so much. It has an infectious melody backed behind a dreamy starlit beat. My personal favorite has to be “Interlude Side A: High Beams”. This track takes a more personal tone, with Jody$ reflecting on his blessings and his vision for his artistic future. Nostalgic Tape 2 feels like I took a trip back to the days when The-Dream and Bow Wow were taking over the charts. Jody$ taps into this nostalgic factor notably on tracks like “Use To Be” and “Bad By Myself”. 

This do-it-yourself style and attention to detail sets him apart sonically and lyrically. “It’s like a habit now that I don’t know if I could actually write to a beat if somebody just sent me a beat now because I’m so used to just playing the chords, adding the drum patterns. I’m coming up with melodies and writing my verse, so like it’s fitting,” Jody$ says. 

What’s important to Jody$ is building a strong fan base. He’s been able to gain fans from his hometown in Georgia, all the way to the UK and Canada.  

At the moment, Jody$ is ready to release his latest project Self Everything, dropping April 24.

Twitter: @westsidejody_
Instagram: @shouldvewentbyjody

Check out my interview with Jody$ on a recent edition of the Hip Hop Drip at the link below.