10 Things You Didn’t Know About Jim Jones
Today (July 15) is Jim Jones' birthday! The Diplomats rapper has been in the rap game since the late' 90s, and released five studio albums that have churned out various hits including 'We Fly High' and 'Pop Champagne.' He's also a Renaissance man with various projects that deal with everything from sports to film under his belt. In honor of his 37th year on this earth, TheDrop.fm wants to fill you in on the Capo's facts. Here's 10 Things You Didn't Know About Jim Jones.
- 10
Jim Jones was humbled by New York Giants' response to 'We Fly High.'
When 'We Fly High' was released in 2006, it was a instant hit at many parties and clubs around the country. Peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, the track is one of Jones' biggest hits to date. However, it not only made an impact on the charts but also became a big thing in the world of sports.
Former New York Giants players Michael Strahan and Plaxico Burress have been known to act like they're takeing jump shots on a basketball court after every play on the field -- all inspired by Jones' 'We Fly High.' Now that's a cultural phenomenon in the making.
- 9
He was once a school teacher.
While Jones didn't teach a full year or semester at school, he did instruct the kids at Grand Street Campus High School in Brooklyn in 2010. As part of a six-week special course, the rap star taught students about the inner workings of the music industry.
- 8
The rapper made an appearance on 'The Wire.'
The 'Perfect Day' creator may not have been one of the biggest guest stars on the hit Baltimore-based drama, however, you can catch him as an extra in the fifth season's ninth episode titled 'Clarifications.'
- 7
He's a skateboard enthusiast.
Jim Jones a skater? According to XXL, Jones was known to ride around rollerblading a lot when he was younger. A big adrenaline junkie and fan of the X Games, he no longer skates as much as he used to. But, if he sees a board on the street, he may hop on it and ride around for a little while.
- 6
Jones sponsored his own skate team.
Jim Jones love of extreme sports has led him and The Diplomats to sponsor Dip Skate -- a freestyle inline skating team.
"Jim respects the hustle, the same as we do," Ramelle Knight told BallerStatus.com. "He sees what we do is real, and we're going to take it as far as we can, like he is with his projects. We're all grinding out here. We are bringing music and skating together to build a union that will make an even stronger team. It is a revolution that will be much appreciated."
- 5
The rhymer is a reality TV star with not one, but two shows.
Not only was Jones part of the 'Love & Hip Hop' cast, but VH1 loved his dynamic with fiancee Chrissy Lampkin so much that the network also gave the on-again-off-again couple their own spin-off show, 'Chrissy & Mr. Jones.' The show ran for eight episodes in fall 2012. While there isn't a solid confirmation of a second season, some sources say that VH1 will be granting the reality show another season.
- 4
He shows off his sense of style with clothing lines.
Wanting to take Dip Skate to the next level and elevate skate culture, Jones started his own clothing line called Nostic. While we're not too sure if this gothic-meets-rock-street style is the new trend, at least his mother was proud of him. He also moved on to start the Protocol outerwear brand and his infamous Vampire Life line.
- 3
Jim Jones made it to Broadway.
Technically it was off-Broadway, but that still counts, right? After releasing the 2009 album 'Pray for Reign,' he was part of an off-Broadway show called 'Hip-Hop Monologues: The Life & Mind of Jim Jones.'
"I thought this was a witty way to do the listening session so I could get my music across to the press," he told MTV News. "I used to watch John Leguizamo do these one-man plays, and it was so crazy how he explained about his family, and he made you think you could see it. I said, 'Damn, if I do that with my music, maybe I could do a new [type of] listening session.' "
- 2
He was Cam'ron's hype man.
Before going out on his own, Jim Jones was part of the Dipset movement and essentially was Cam'ron's hype man. The two did get into some beef during their time working together.
According to an interview he did with Rhapsody, Jones said the 'Hey Ma' rapper didn't treat the rest of the people in Dipset right.
"I came [into Dipset] understanding two n----s coming up from nothing to have a bond and above all was supposed to be loyal to each other and everybody could get their equal share. That wasn't the case," he said in the interview.
"We definitely moved like brothers," he continued. "We used each other, but it was his artistry and him being Cam was the reason why we got here, and a lot of my hard work standing behind him or standing in front of him."
- 1
He's still making music.
Despite all his other projects, Jim Jones makes sure that he is still fresh in the rap game. Not only is he prepping the release of two new mixtapes -- 'The Ghost of Rich Porter 2' and 'V3' -- this year, but he also recently remixed Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams' smash hit 'Get Lucky' into 'Get Money.'