to contact Jay you can email him at steele104@aol.com
For Tha Love
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Intro/Home Page/Contact Info
Welcome to Jay Steele's For Tha Love album website. To contact Jay please see the teal info below. PLEASE NOTE: You will not be able to view the entire site by scrolling down alone. To view the entire site, please see all sections listed on the right side of the page under January (2020). If they are not visible already, simply click on January to view all sections. Then click on the desired section.
to contact Jay you can email him at steele104@aol.com
to contact Jay you can email him at steele104@aol.com
Album Artwork & Credits & Reviews
Tha album cover |
Tha back of the album |
Jay's original pencil drawing of the text appearing on the back cover before being added to photoshop and being manipulated |
Jay's other original drawing of the text appearing on the back cover before being added to photoshop and being manipulated |
Tha physical CD/disc |
This image (minus the brick wall behind it) appears behind the physical CD/disc |
The above credits page appears blurry on this site for some reason, but it is clear on the physical CD printing. |
The original sketch by Jay of the For Tha Love album cover |
Alternate Album Cover (slighty more blue teal) |
Alternate Album Cover 2 (less lavender purple/gradient) |
Album Reviews
***** (5 out of 5 stars)
Cee
This ALBUM is a CLASSIC!!! An artist can usually pull this off
once in a life time.... Nas with illmatic, Jay-Z with Reasonable Doubt and
Lauryn Hill with The Miseducation,... but Tha Truth /Jay Steele has done it
under two names!!! He has an unbelievable gift and I enjoy every aspect of his
work.. For Tha Love is in heavy rotation with songs like the Rhyme Conductor
and Spreading Joy. I clean, cook, ride, shower, etc. to this album. The best
album so far!
*****
Paco
I put
this album right up there with the best of the creative, fun, and positive rap
albums of the golden age of hip-hop! It reminds me of De La Soul, Tribe Called
Quest, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Nas, Big Daddy Kane, The Fresh Prince, and
Rakim. This is a serious hip-hop classic! Stupendous material!
*****
Olivia Rae (Music Journalist)
Jay Steele is doing nothing but good on his latest release 'For
Tha Love.' This a joyous record that
takes hip hop and gives it an alternative makeover. Standing apart from the
crowd just a bit, Jay Steele does his own thing in the modern era of the genre
with an album that spans across 19 tracks. Tracks that include hints of jazz,
maturity and a heavy dose of originality like “What I Can Do,” “Tha Rhyme
Conductor,” and “Tha Underdog.” Despite
living with severe fibromyalgia, Steele thrives in his music. And for those
thinking they’ve heard him before, that’s because for several years he was
known as Tha Truth. While the name has changed, the drive and passion have not.
Wanting to bring back the days of greats like De La Soul and Big Daddy Kane,
Jay Steele is doing what he can to provide nostalgia wrapped in modern joy and
spreading love and positive vibes with this alternative rap/jazz rap project
'For Tha Love.'
*****
Amet
I am in awe
of Jay’s musical ability. I love Givin Thanks and all the gratitude in it! The
beginning reminds me of Barry White. This whole album really contains such
clever and amazing rhymes. It’s amazing how Jay does it! Spreadin Joy is
probably my favorite song. I love the concepts, how he spells out j-o-y and
m-u-s-i-c, and the delivery. It’s so beautiful! I also love the track Rap
Appreciation. This song and this album deserve a lot of appreciation! What I Can
Do is tremendous as well. I love the uplifting message. I’m also amazed and
impressed by Tha Rhyme Conductor, which is unbelievable and exciting! No Better
Present is magnificent and right up there with Spreadin Joy as my favorite. I
love the Spanish part in this and also in Jay Tha Magician, which is yet
another spectacular song. Tha Underdog is amazing too and I love all the happy
sounds. I love this album and I’m so glad Jay made it!
*****
Jamie
I’m really
digging the old school golden era smooth vibe. Jay’s lyrics and flow have really
been refined. This is solid work! Thanks for the shout out too (Givin Thanks) haha!
Jay really killed it on this record man. Lyrics are on point, great production,
and really creative use of samples and skits. Whatever happens, Jay Steele has
an insane body of work that he can look back on and be proud of. Tha Rhyme
Conductor is a standout track for me. “Rhymes is like powerlines!” So many good
lines in this. The artwork is killer too, love early 80s graffiti style, any
references to that time period are awesome. Musical Family is solid too. Not
many rappers out there can say they have legit real violin in their track! And
I think the sentiment in the lyrics is great too. Peace Not War is really cool
too because his flow is so tight and locked in, but it has this jazz drumming
which makes it feel nice and flowing at the same time. Really cool contrast. I
enjoyed all Jay’s albums when he rapped as “Tha Truth” but to me, this is the
most cohesive of all his records – lyrics and sound-wise. This is definitely a
5 out of 5 stars.
*****
Mel L.
I like the different voices. Tha Rhyme Conductor is heavy and powerful and reminds me of Wu-Tang Clan. For Tha Love is mixed really well and sounds beautiful. I'm a big fan of Jay's 5 albums as "Tha Truth," but I like the fun lyricism - you can't be serious all the time. I love the message on the song Global NRG - that music is powerful! Yes brother!
****
Billy Buntin
I’ve been a fan of Jay’s work since
his albums as Tha Truth. I LOVE what he’s doing on For Tha Love. This is beautiful; dope to see how his art
has progressed too!! The deep gravelly voice. Kinda ethereal flow. Smooth
kinda dreamy. Political Insights. But also in this I can see him getting into
personal exposure here too. More than politics. Who is Jay Steele?
Who is Tha Truth? Amazing. This artist shows the way he thinks more
on a personal level now, and it's like evolved where it's all about love.
So dope man. I featured Spreading Joy and Tha Rhyme Conductor on my podcast. Im
bumping TheRhymeConductor track ... hard. Came out reminded me of Big Pun
yo!! I’m also loving how Jay crushes on his wife on this and mentions her on
like four tracks. And really, really impressive how he does a whole song about
fibromyalgia! I can barely even say the word, and he’s doing a whole song about
it!
*****
Jackie
This album is wonderful and beautiful and I love everything about it! I especially loved What I Can Do (about his disability), No Better Present (about my awesome daughter!), Spreadin Joy, and Musical Family (about his mom & family). It's hard to rate my favorite song on this, because I feel like they're all my favorite. I was thrilled to hear my name on the Shout Outs track! I was screaming in surprise and excitement! As his mother in law, I'm very proud of Jay. Overall, I love it, love it, love it!!!
*****
Polyrical
(www.bandcamp.com/Polyrical aka Russell Henderson)
So happy to see new music by Jay. All of "Tha Truth" albums he put out are brilliant, and flow and tone continue on this release. Looking forward to more.
Biography & Album Notes
He married a
compassionate special ed. teacher like the ones who helped him when he
struggled so immensely early in life, and he made the music he wanted to hear
in the world. After being diagnosed with a serious medical condition, he joined
the ranks of the disabled musicians around the globe who didn’t let their
disability stop them from bringing their art to life. After 20 years and 8
albums of having his music fueled in large part by disdain, anger, and disgust;
this album is powered purely by love.
Eschewing
celebrity, status, and ego, Jay Steele has expressed that his primary purpose
now is making people happy with his music, which is especially epitomized in
the lyrics of his song “Spreadin Joy.”
“I’ve seen
the laughter, the smiles, the dancing, and the joy that my music has sparked in
people,” Jay explains. “I feel like that’s worth more than any amount of money,
and my goal now is to spread that joy to those who would appreciate it.”
The album’s
positive vibes emanate resolutely right from the first two tracks. “Givin
Thanks,” a “Juicy” by Biggie Smalls like autobiographical and jubilant tune,
precedes the aforementioned song.
There is an
unabashed emphasis on “For Tha Love” of taking the art of rhyme back to the
foundation, which is evident in lyrics like, “Conscious raiser – orator – hip
hop culture preservator – graffiti – breakin’ – rap – and DJ demonstrator,”
which can be found on “Tha Rhyme Conductor.”
The
project’s artwork resoundingly reflects this as well with graffiti on the front
cover drawn by renowned graffiti artist “MindGem.” Then there is the graffiti
on the back cover (of his name and album title) drawn by Jay himself, who is
also a long time visual artist.
The beats on
this album are very unique and diverse, or in the words of Abstrack Recording
Studio engineer Jeff Mulligan, who worked on the project, “Nothin’ on here
sounds the same.” Listeners will find a wide array of instrumentation ranging
from mesmerizing keyboards, powerful orchestral notes, smooth electric piano,
and mysterious and dramatic strings.
“Musical
Family” may stand out the most, however, because it amounts to what may be the
first mother and son collaboration in hip hop history. On this one, Jay raps
over a violin played by his mom, who was Philadelphia All-City Orchestra in
high school.
“We produced
the beat together,” Jay says. “My mom came to the studio and played a violin
rendition of a beat idea that I beatboxed for her.” Ultimately though, an
alternative beat presented itself. “My mom
didn’t want to stop playing and kept improvising different sounds with her
violin,” Jay recalls. Then, as his mom tells it, “This place kept inspiring me
to make all these mystical beats!” She ended up playing one that really piqued
Jay’s interest and imagination, and from over 30 minutes of music, Jay selected
a spectacular 3 second segment and looped it, and the familial collaboration
was conceived.
Another beat
that stands out for its eclectic originality is the Silent NRG produced “Global
NRG.” This beat was brewed in Hong Kong, and the sounds of the region,
including the 2,500 year old zheng string instrument, are inextricable.
Steele’s
style showcases a proliferation of alliteration and sublime, tightly
intertwined, timed rhymes combined with a mountain of metaphors. His vocals
transmit in a raspier fashion half of the time, which has drawn comparisons to
Nas. In tandem with his standard tone, the resulting vocal variety makes for a
sonically dynamic contrast.
Jay’s customary
voice projects very deep, powerful, and smooth in a manner evoking iconic
emcees like Big Daddy Kane, Parrish Smith (of EPMD), Doctor Dre, and The Fresh
Prince. In fact, some may find “Givin Thanks” to be reminiscent of the timeless
classic hit “Summertime,” with Jay espousing meaningful, grateful, and highly
relatable lyrics with smooth flavor like that of Will Smith himself.
Of course,
when it comes to lyricism, “Tha Rhyme Conductor” again must be discussed. With
its crazy combination of crafty puns and metaphors, combined with a myriad of
creatively placed, high voltage, cinematic sound effects, this concoction could
certainly be described as electrifying. Listening to the lyrics, it’s clear
that this type of effect is the intent. “I feel like I was able to summon up
all of my creativity, and energy, and to unleash it on this one,” Jay recounts.
Steele’s writing
has been catapulted by love, which is abundantly apparent in “No Better
Present,” a romantic love song capable of conjuring memories of classic raps
like “The Lover in You” by Big Daddy Kane and Method Man’s “You’re All I Need.”
The continuity ensues with “Rap Appreciation,” which is a nostalgic love letter
to hip-hop itself. It could be construed as a happier version of Common’s “I
Used to Love H.E.R."
“What I Can
Do” is yet another very personally revealing and meaningful collection of
lyrics. This composition is dedicated to those contending with cases of severe
fibromyalgia, as he is. The lyrics depict a bit of what it’s like to experience
this disease while offering hope in the form of ideas to help manage it. It
ends by revealing that Steele has been a leader of a New Jersey support group
for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, and he concludes by providing his
email address for those who would be interested in receiving a comprehensive
list of resources that could be helpful for managing the disabilities/symptoms.
“Peace Not
War” features a rare portrait of a rapper acknowledging his own specific
character flaws in an effort toward personal growth. This aim imbues ideas in
lines like, “Trying to change everybody – everybody but me – what I need is
less me – and more humility.” Jay actually intended to put this track on his
album “Solid Steele,” which is comprised of material he made between the years 2001-2006.
(It should be noted that from 2006-2013 he released 5 albums, including “Music
for a Better World,” under the name “Tha Truth,” which have had a global impact
in their promotion of human rights.)
“I didn’t
think I was physically capable of recording much ever again when I wrote Peace
Not War,” Jay acknowledges. “I was just going to put it on “Solid Steele,” but
my wife said she thought I should make a whole new album. She said that’s what
she wanted, and that’s when I decided to try and do it.”
An
additional aspect of note about this album is the exuberant exhibition of
echoes. When Jay first began recording at Mulligan’s studio in Deptford, NJ,
the engineer was left awestruck. After amassing decades of studio experience he
reflected, “I’ve seen a lot of people try to do that [with echoes], but I’ve
never heard anyone do it so well.” Subsequently, when Jay asked him to use his
equipment to provide an echo, Jeff responded, “I like it better when you do
it.” Alas, from that point on Mulligan began referring to Jay as both “The Echo
Messiah” and “The Human Echo Machine.” The latter became the title of an
interlude that encapsulates their amusement at the fact that Jay ended up
performing virtually the entirety of echoes heard on the project without the
aid of studio generated echo effects.
Overall, “For
Tha Love” harkens back to the days when hip hop was more innovative, fun, and
positive, and artists like De La Soul, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Tribe Called
Quest, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Heavy D, and Kid ‘n Play ruled the day. “Rap
Appreciation” is a quintessential ode paying tribute to artists like this that
really gets to the heart of the idea of keeping these types of vibes alive (and
flowing and growing).
Steele began rhyming while residing in Echelon, NJ, not far from his birthplace
of Philadelphia. Jay has come a long way since his early days of raps racked
with anger and vengeance (assembled after a tumultuous childhood).
Simply put,
“For Tha Love” is the culmination of Jay’s trials and tribulations. It exudes
the totality of his musical passion, dedication, and versatility.
It is a
return to the vibes of yesteryear and a trip back to raps packed with fun,
positive, mature, meaningful, and creative content. In the end, it’s music made
by and “For Tha Love.”
Quick Album Description:
Sounds like Tha Fresh Prince's "Summertime" combined with rhymes like Tribe, Rakim, and Nas, that move smooth like Kane, Pete Rock & CL, with fun and positive presence like De La, KRS, Heavy D, and Kid 'N Play.
Photos of Jay Part 1 (For Tha Love)
Welcome to part one of the photos section
Please scroll down to view the pictures...
Each picture below represents a song and its concepts on the For Tha Love album.
Tha Underdog & No Better Present at Abstrack Recording Studio representing 2 songs |
Spreadin Joy |
Jay Tha Magician (smoke and magic may be added to this picture soon...que dramatic music now...) |
"It's Jay Tha Magician this track an exhibition of the magic that's packed in the raps that I'm bringin" |
"On this track I'm explainin my Rap Appreciation" |
Steele Rappin |
The Rhyme Conductor (lightning may be sparking from my finger soon. Look out!) |
"I'm like a natural disaster I'm a type of force of nature recordin flavor so precise I might morph into a laser" |
Photos of Jay Part 2 (Various)
Welcome to part two of the photos section.
Please scroll down to view the pictures...
This section contains various photos of Jay Steele from over the years. For photos taken while making the album For Tha Love, see the Photos Part 1 section.
From a photo shoot for "Tha Truth" |
At Fenway Park in Boston |
With a fresh shape up. After learning from barbers for years, I always cut my own hair. |
3 mammals born in Philly (At the Philadelphia Zoo) A photo shoot Big Cee asked me to do |
At Cape May Zoo in NJ with the sun in my eyes. Big Cee joked that this is the "I will vanquish all evil" face. |
with the ever present STEELE reusable water bottle |
In Pittsburgh on the way to a Pirates game |
Descending into the dark coolness of the cave at Crystal Cave in PA |
In Boston where one of my favorite shows "Boston Public" took place |
at the Roberto Clemente statue outside the Pirates stadium in Pittsburgh |
In Pittsburgh taking in the legacy of Roberto Clemente on the bridge named after him |
Me actually smiling in a photo. When I look much bigger in some pictures it's because it's before fibromyalgia. This was at the Field of Terror Haunted Hayride in East Windsor, NJ. |
At the Field of Terror Hayride in Central NJ |
At an alpaca farm in NJ. Have you ever seen an alpaca? Sometimes they have big smiles. |
Coming out of Crystal Cave in PA |
Art Part 3 (Jay's Earlier Drawings)
I drew this Charlotte Hornets logo as a young teenager. Over 20 years later I colored it in (as seen in Art Part 2) |
Michael Jai White as Al Simmons in the movie Spawn. This is one of my favorite action films ever. It has a good message. I wrote more about this below beneath my other Spawn film drawing. |
I drew this character from a video game I played when I was young. I thought for some reason that I'd be able to draw him really well and indeed I was very happy with the finished art. |
I drew this "Musclehedz" cartoon during my tenure as an aspiring bodybuilder. |
This is an unfinished bust/portrait I drew of Paul Dillet. The light of the photo made the pencil shine a lot in this picture. |
This is a comic book style version animation I drew of NBA marvel Shawn Kemp |
I used to like football and thought this drawing of Napolean Kaufman came out excellent. |
I thought this drawing I did as a young teen of Garfield came out well. |
This is a cartoon I drew of Chris Webber when I was very young and he played for the Golden State Warriors. |
I drew this logo of TNT from the 90's because I loved that channel back then when it was the only way to really see the sensational Shawn Kemp at the time. |
Shawn Kemp of the Seattle Supersonics was one of my favorite players ever. I loved how this cartoon of him came out. |
I drew this so hard with the pencil that it wrinkled the paper a little bit. I loved the Sonics green & yellow colors in the 90s. |
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