As a 17-year-old just beginning to make waves in the rap game, Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott didn't have the same life as most kids his age. He wasn't thinking about graduating high school to attend a university or enter the work force. As a matter of fact, before he even graduated high school he had formed a collective with classmates that would come to be known as Pro Era.
He's snagged production from J Dilla, MF Doom, Knxwledge, Lee Bannon and The Alchemist, among others. His taste is refined and touches a nerve that other rappers haven't struck in a long time. With enough mainstream appeal to make lyrics cool again, Joey Bada$$ is definitely one of the top dogs in the game, and his peers in Pro Era aren't far behind him.
Definitely look for Joey Bada$$ to have a huge 2015. Withe his new album B4DA$$ due out on December 9th, he may snipe the game for the best record in rap right at the buzzer.
Joey Bada$$ - Christ Conscious
It's a good sign when your most essential track is also one of your most recent. Joey Bada$$ has a grown-up flow in "Christ Conscious" and he comes out hot, just to keep it going throughout the entire song. The beat, produced by a dude who goes by Basquiat, would probably be the product if Jean-Michel produced the beat himself... straight fire. The video is crispy too, and as you watch Joey and his crew parade around Brooklyn, it's clear they're coming for blood in 2015.
Joey Bada$$ - Big Dusty
Back in August, Joey released "Big Dusty," which was a little darker than his previous mixtapes 1999 and Summer Knights, and reminiscent of something like Mobb Deep. Another great beat and another great video inched Joey closer to the lethal position he's at in his career.
Joey Bada$$ - 95 Til Infinity
Joey's appeal comes largely from his humility. He isn't too flashy and he isn't talking Rolls Royce money, he's just a kid like us. His videos usually take place in New York, in plain clothes and in plain scenes we've all been in. "95 Til Infinity" is no exception, as Joey marches around Times Square and Brooklyn with his friends.
Joey Bada$$ - My Yout
Well, he isn't always in places we've all been in. Joey went to the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, where his family came from, to film the video for the like-sounding track. It serves as a dope crossover tune that could turn him on to fans of Chronixx or Damian Marley.
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Pro Era - Like Water (Capital STEEZ, Joey Bada$$ & CJ Fly)
It wasn't a long trip to the islands, though, before returning back to Brooklyn to put his homies on. Pro Era, Joey's collective, is full of other talented cats, and Capital STEEZ and CJ Fly lend their mic skills to prove themselves alongside their captain. A Nas sample completes the circle of BK to Queens, and shows that they respect the greats.
Joey Bada$$ featuring CJ Fly - Hardknock
Pro Era's CJ Fly also hopped on "Hardknock" to swap stories of friends in the pen with Joey Bada$$ himself. The minimal beat allows both MCs to spit some of their finest bars, and the result is really real. That last verse is definitely one of Joey's best, and one of the best of the last few years of hip-hop.
Joey Bada$$ featuring Big K.R.I.T. & Smoke DZA - Underground Airplay
Joey calls on some recently former freshman and Smokers Club alumni to go deep in to the underground for this one. Krit, DZA and Bada$$ doesn't seem like the most likely of collaborations, but it works surprisingly well over the hard boom-bap beat.
A$AP Rocky - 1 Train featuring Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, YelaWolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson & Big K.R.I.T
More than anything, this established Joey's company. A phenomenal track, an unlikely posse cut and everyone on their a-game made for "1 Train," one hell of a track. Six minutes of dope, current hip-hop artists.
Joey Bada$$ - Get Paid
Joey's most recent cut is from his upcoming B4DA$$ album, expected to be out on December 9th. If the rest of the tracks are as good as "Get Paid," "Big Dusty" and "Christ Conscious," he may snag the best rap album of the year right at the buzzer.
Joey Bada$$ - Waves
When he was just 17-years-old, Joey was releasing some of the finest '90s-styled hip-hop in years. "Waves," off the 1999 mixtape, is a smooth ride, driven by a kid way ahead of his time. This kicked it all off, and now he's at the position to be one of the best of this generation.