‘Tipsy’ rapper-turned-producer introduces teen protégé
By Bill Beene Of the St. Louis American
It’s about midnight on a Sunday and J-Kwon, one of St. Louis most well-known national rappers, is in his O’Fallon home sipping on Corona, dragging squares, playing a card-game of gut and listening to a song called “Get It Cracking.”
It’s rather a bouncy joint that prompted the rhythmic nature of all eight people in his crib that Monday eve.
But no one is feeling this newborn jam like the former “Tipsy” rapper J-Kwon himself. He’s the producer, spits the hook, and the 15-year-old rapper ripping the track is protégé Rah-Rah Money.
“Ain’t he cute?” says J-Kwon, probably recanting the compliment he’s heard plenty of times himself by adoring fans.
As somewhat of an old-schooler in the local rap game, J-Kwon knows that being “cute” to girls has it benefits, which can transform into numbers.
Not only is Rah-Rah “cute,” but he can spit and he’s the same age J-Kwon was when he hit the national scene.
“He’s the new wave, and he’s just like me when I came out,” J-Kwon said sitting at his kitchen table.
“I wasn’t looking for an artist, but he’s where the industry is going,” J-Kwon said.
J-Kwon signed the Hillsdale-born, Hazelwood East senior about three weeks ago as the first artist on his Hoop Hop Entertainment label.
The move marks J-Kwon’s departure as a rapper – that is, after one last run with a CD he’s calling Man in the Mirror, as he describes his protégé.
From that point, it will be all producing, investing and other business ventures for the now 21-year-old artist and businessman.
He’s first getting down to business with Rah-Rah, who has already received two gifts: a Hood Hop emblem complete with a mic and a Rolex watch. Up next is a “funky” Sponge Bob emblem.
I guess Rah-Rah likes the cartoon, as he does baseball, basketball and football, but now rapping is his thing. And he’s glad he met J-Kwon and his manager Coach Robinson (Bentley Management), who introduced them.
“I was living a typical teenage life – playing sports and trying to staying out of trouble,” Rah-Rah said, admitting that at times he ran with the wrong crowd and could have eventually gotten into trouble.
But just like Rah-Rah thinks J-Kwon may have saved his life, J-Kwon thinks the young rapper somewhat saved his.
“Rah-Rah saved me because I’m really a producer, and when you’re a producer you need someone to compliment your beats,” J-Kwon said.
“And when you’re a CEO all you think about is your workers,” he said.
J-Kwon feels good about Rah-Rah, as well his manager Coach Robinson, who has joined the team.
“Coach helps so many artist and works so hard – I need that,” J-Kwon said.
Trading compliments, Coach called J-Kwon the hardest worker he’s been around in the rap game.
“I can’t have a meeting with him outside of the studio – that’s all he does is work.”
Rah-Rah’s upcoming album will definitely keep J-Kwon in the studio as heavy-hitters come in to lay tracks. On Sunday Ebony Eyez dropped through to lay vocals. Too Short, Crime Mobb and Jermaine Dupree have been confirmed for features.
J-Kwon said he still works with JD and has some writing credits on Bow Wow’s album.
As for his absence from the rap scene, he said it wasn’t wasted and that he didn’t fall out with the Track Boyz, who first put him on with “Tipsy.”
Still, he say’s he never was really a rapper.
He said, “I just came in the game improving cats.”
