Born Rodriquez Jacquees Broadnax, Jacquees was discovered in 9th grade after an unprecedented run of Atlanta school talent show dominance. He has since developed into a teen heartthrob with his mixture of '90s R&B, modern rap flows, and panty-melting falsetto. He signed to Cash Money in 2014 at the age of 20, and is now poised to become one of R&B's next stars as soon as he drops his debut album.
In the meantime, listen to Mood, one of the best R&B mixtapes of 2016, and click through the gallery to listen to 10 essential Jacquees tracks.
"Ms. Kathy"
"Ms. Kathy" is something like a jubilant, R&B version of Outkast's "Ms. Jackson," as Jacquees attempts to convince the titular Ms. Kathy why he's the right man for her daughter. The song comprises of two parts: the first, in which Jacquees puts on his best face for Ms. Kathy, and the second, in which Jacquees turns the lights down with her daughter.
"Like Baby"
One of Jacquees' first songs to get significant radio play, "Like Baby" was recorded one night at Miami's Hit Factory Studio. Feeling himself in the booth while rapping over a Cassius Jay beat, he thought to himself, "Damn, this feel like a flex song so I might as well let them know I’m a Cash Money nigga like Wayne now."
"Persian Rugs"
QueMix 2 was a 15-track traditional mixtape of covers that Jacquees released in early 2015. "Persian Rugs," a soaring cover of the song of the same name by PartyNextDoor, would prove to be the tape's most popular song,
"Bout It" feat. Juvenile
A saucy jam featuring recently re-signed Cash Money legend Juvenile, "Bout It" finds Jacquees melodically rapping, or as he calls it, "swangin'." His style is usually down-the-middle R&B, in the tradition of R. Kelly, but on "Bout It" he sounds rather Tillerish.
"Dallas" w/ Birdman
Jacquees recalls meeting Birdman for the first time on Birdman's tour bus:
"I remember getting on Stunna’s tour bus. He wasn’t right there, he was in the back. I remember I sat down and waited for him to come [out]. Once he finally came out, he ain’t dap me up first. He dapped [my manager] up first, you know what I’m saying? And then he turned to me, he looked at me. He was like [rubs hands together], you know what I’m saying? He was like, 'Is this who you’re talking about?' He dapped me up then he sat down next to me. He just stared at me. For like a minute straight, didn’t say nothing. Didn’t say, just staring at me. And he starts shaking his head. He’s like, 'We gon’ do it.' He was like, 'You’re a superstar.'"
"Come Thru" feat. Rich Homie Quan
"Come Thru" originally appeared on Jacquees' 19 EP, then got completely remixed on a second version co-starring Rich Homie Quan. The song is centered around an extended sexual-candy metaphor. In the music video, Quan at first appears hungover, than rallies and shows up in a red droptop to a summer pool party, where Jacquees is holding court.
"Body Right"
The most popular song on Jacquees' Lost at Sea joint mixtape with Birdman is actually a solo Jacquees cut. It's ethereal and sensual but upbeat, as he keeps the momentum flowing from the text build-up to the bedroom sesh. "I'mma do your body right when I get it."
"Bounce"
"Bounce" is a flip of Gabriel Garzon-Montano's exquisite "Pour Maman," an ode to his mother. So naturally, Jacquees had to turn it into an ode to mattress springs.
Fun fact: Drake's "Jungle" samples Garzon-Montano's "6 8." Getting sampled: one path to recognition in today's crowded horde of talented artists.
"Feel It" feat. Lloyd & Rich Homie Quan
"Feel It" sounds a lot like "Body Right." Squarely in Jacquees' wheelhouse These songs are like that Pete Rock adage "Play dis only at night," except "Play dis only while fucking." No wonder "Feel It" made it onto the Magic Mike XXL soundtrack.
Another fun fact: one of Jacquees' managers is Rich Homie Quan's dad.
"B.E.D."
On Mood standout "B.E.D.", Jacquees finds himself in a familiar position. "I know you wanna love, but I just wanna fuck." He proceeds to seduce the girl in question with his rapturous vocal runs and relentlessly sexual lyrics. Such is life for Jacquees, one of R&B's brightest young stars.