Reggae runs in Jah T Jr’s veins. His father, Jah T The Reggae Ambassador, is a Jamaican immigrant who settled in Philadelphia and became the ruling Philly promoter / radio DJ in the 1980s/ 90s/ 2000s. Under the tutelage of his father he was exposed to the sounds of dancehall pioneers like Sly & Robbie and Sugar Minott at a young age. It quickly became evident that the young protege also had a proclivity towards music.


In the 1990s, Jah T Jr became a pioneer in his own right, bringing a new dancehall vibe to Philly on Power 99 FM. As one of the only regional radio outlets for the works of producers like Steely & Clevie and Dave Kelly, the budding DJ used his radio show to help solidify dancehall’s influence on a broader audience. As dancehall’s popularity grew, so did Jah T Jr’s, and soon he was performing DJ sets at some of the top venues and clubs on the East Coast.


Since the late 2000s, Jah T Jr’s focus has been on production, and he has developed an impressive resume working with both Philly and Jamaica-based labels and artists. His first projects, The Introduction Riddim juggling and a Munga/Future Fambo combination tune entitled, Party We Come, were created in collaboration with the Philly outfit, Humble Camp. He later helped establish another Philly based label, Studio 5000, releasing three more riddims, First Hour, Triple X, and Pinnacle, which featured Jamaican powerhouses like Vybz Kartel, Sizzla, and Capleton as well as local artists from Philadelphia. In recent years, he launched the Jah T Jr label and had a heavy hand in the revitalization of the Travellers label, which is associated with the legendary Jamaican sound system of the same name. 


The producer’s most recent offering, Black Moon Riddim, again features big names in Jamaican music like Macka Diamond, Fantan Mojah, Natural Black, Frankie Sly, Harry Toddler, Mr. Peppa and many more. However, throughout his career Jah T Jr has made it a priority to introduce young Philly talent to the world, his latest being a roots artist named Ras Jem. Inspired by the Studio One classic Darker Shade Riddim, the two collaborated for a single called Royalty in 2021, and they are looking to release an EP by the same name in the first quarter of 2022. In addition, audiences should be on the lookout for the World Traveller Riddim featuring Luciano, Capleton, Delly Ranx, Fantan Mojah, and others, which is slated for release before the end of 2021.

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