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In the documentary On Behalf of the Streets, named after J. Stalin's first album, one of his childhood friends says "he done been on everything in the Bay, basically." He also predicts the rapper he once knew as Jovan Smith will be a legend by age 30. J. Stalin's got a few years to go still, and if he doesn't make it, it won't be for lack of trying. Other rappers may fake hustler cred, but J. Stalin grew up in West Oakland, and his first record was a criminal record, after getting busted for selling drugs in the projects. Now he runs Livewire Records, and the list of Bay Area rappers who work either with him or for him is ridiculous. He came along just in time to put a new spin on hyphy as it was starting to sound stale; several years later, songs like "Hopscotch" from his new mixtape show how he continues to twist his sound. - Steve Palopoli sanjose.com
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