St. Louis native, Jia Davis, is releasing his seventh album, “STL Underground,” with the production team 4 Sale but Not 4 Sale. The album explores the personal life of Davis and life in St. Louis.
In 2002, Davis suffered the loss of his brother, Cornelius “Katt” Davis. This has influenced his music including the songs in his new release.
“It’s like strength coming out,” Davis described. “The death of my brother has made me more humble. I’m not caring about being rich or famous; I just have an appreciation for music.”
Davis’ album is unlike any other of his previous works. Songs like “Grandma Shirley,” which explains the life of his grandmother and its influence on his own life, and “My Story,” which tells of how Davis overcame difficulties in life to get to where he is now, give an intimate look into the experiences of Davis’ life.
This kind of honesty is what Davis believes sets him apart from a lot of other rappers today. Unlike many big name artists, Davis feels more comfortable to write what he feels. In his song “Bo Jangled,” Davis says, “Fame ain’t my aim,” and, “(I’m) just spittin’ my soul,” representing his freedom to speak candidly about what is true to his life.
“I don’t have the pressure to write a hit,” Davis said.
In Davis’ new album there are jazz undertones and melodic choruses that Davis attributes to his upbringing. Born in 1975, Davis grew up listening to old school hip-hop, and while he understands that the hip-hop industry has changed, he still produces what he calls “pure hip-hop.” His music, while not mainstream, has not gone unnoticed. From as far as the United Kingdom to China, Davis has acquired fans of his music.
Davis has many influences that have helped shape the artist he is.
“The struggle of the Temptations has influenced me,” Davis said, “Michael Jackson, Underground Kingz (UGK), Ice Cube, Goodie Mob, Outkast and my brother, Cornelius “Katt” Davis.”
Davis’ single from the album is called “St. Louis Streets.” The song describes his life on the south side of the City and what it takes to survive and be successful on the streets of St. Louis.
“I don’t feel like St. Louis is represented the right way – the honest way,” Davis said about why he wrote the song, “There are things you don’t see in the news. I felt the need to write about it.”
Davis is also a barber in south St. Louis City, which helps him keep his music honest. This honesty is the main message the Davis tries to convey with his music.
“People should feel comfortable putting out what they want. I think it takes courage.”
Many of the songs on this album deal with the personal struggles that Davis has faced throughout his life. Often with a seemingly bleak outlook, his songs describe the heavy burdens that people deal with in life. Songs like “The Guilty,” that suggest that a person will always be considered guilty in this life just because of the hand that life has dealt. Yet Davis does offer encouragement as well. In “Break Away” Davis says, “We gotta get it all means/ reality from dreams/ natural born kings/ cut the puppet strings,” to describe how we can achieve success even through the difficulty of life. All in all while listening to this album it becomes evident that Davis is serious about his music as he rhymes, “Music is my medicine/ I sing and I’m better then.”
On August 13, Jai Davis will be at Vintage Vinyl at 8 p.m. for an early release of his new album. On August 15 Davis will perform at the Pageant and on September 5, Davis will perform at Blueberry Hill.
