#jbone bigdude

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❤

What makes us happy?  A question asked at the heart of the new drama film Defining Joy.  Directed by Barika Pace and produced by Emerald Sky Productions. It follows the story of Grace, a vibrant young girl whose family life and dreams are flipped upside down in a moment. Lending their ears to enhance the audio experience—J & BIG bring their supervision skills.  Showcasing their varied musical tastes to aid the soundtrack. Filmed in Detroit and North Carolina.  The movie is set to spread cheer around the holidays later this year. Photo: Alexander Pace Writer: Keisha Mitchell

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PPP

Nowadays, asking digital bae (Siri) a question or one Google search, tells all.  Information is at our fingertips.  But there's a big difference between just reading and applying knowledge.  2 humans that have been consistently putting in work are J.Bone & BIG Dude.  With over a decade of success, missteps and lessons learned in their music journey.  They're glad to pay-it-forward.  Offering some sage advice.

Progress is a Process. We still send out more emails than we get back.  But over time we learned that the responses are the important ones.  Simply reaching out has opened doors for us.  Networking with other artists, producers, film supervisors, etc.  And that's worth focusing on.  Not energy on who isn't replying. Power to the Peeps. Doing music (really, any creative work) is hard.  There's been plenty moments when we were down and unmotivated.  But people we've met along the way, their grind and seeing their wins, helped us back up.  Surround yourself with people that push you to be better. Pop Out. Jordan Peele told you and we are too—get out!  Out of your comfort zone.  City and usual scene.  Never know who you'll meet and where those connections might lead to.  Say what's up: exchange contacts. Practice makes Prepared. Iverson might not like it, but practice is good!  Honing your skills when all the lights and everyone's eyes are not on you; is the best time.  Routine builds confidence.  Whether it's coding or public speaking, with time it will become natural for you. Persevere. You're going to hear, NO.  Some people won’t listen and messages will go unread.  Don’t sweat it too much.  That next song or performance, connection with a new person, could be what turns the tables in your favor!  Keep moving.

Follow the duo and stay social @jbone_bigdude Photo by Superb Visions Written by Pat Hill

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3 Amigos

The Cru is back at it!  Alongside longtime friend and collaborator, Kovax.  The do-it-yourself rappers get it poppin' in Pontiac this spring.  Sharing the stage with a slew of talented artists to celebrate the release of Komplex.  The 6th studio album from Kovax. Live DJ's + hype performances all inside a dope venue.  Tell a friend, come out and catch a night of high-energy Hip-Hop on full display! Saturday April 22, 2023 at The Pike Room - Grab tickets Here Photo by Timothy pAULE Written by Matthew Adams

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Showdown

Back with a vengeance!  D-town's rap duo return to the mic with their brand new album, J.Bone vs. BIG Dude.  New flows, faster tempos and laser-focused storytelling have them sounding better than ever.  Evident from the get-go as J.Bone proclaims, "next level" on the rattling opener. Way before Swizz and Timbo got the gram back poppin' with their Verzuz series, the MC's were training in the studio to deliver a showdown on wax to remember.  Shaking things up like fizzy Faygo—they battle it out over bars and beats—each having their own side on the project.  Helping throw haymakers on the production side: Eli Myles, DJ Truth, and music guru Dilan Wade provide sounds.  While some of the city's best assist on vocals.  Kovax, Tee-Style and songstress Katrina Carson are all featured. Firing on all cylinders, the duo continues to show and prove through skills and great music, why they should be on your playlist.  Get in the fight and stream their new album at jbonebigdude.com Artwork by King Ray Written by Matthew Adams

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Retro Read

Throw it back circa 2010, to one of our earliest interviews and learn where our names come from, what motivates us, and more.  Originally published by Cali-girl and graphic designer, Renee McKellar.  Featured in her Artists Spotlight series.

Give me a little bio about you. On a random day on Detroit's west side, we met while playing a couple games of basketball.  After that, we became friends and hung out more often.  Although we both listened to music, we didn't know we had an interest in making it until years later. Where did you come up with your names? J.BONE: Mine is simple.  My first name is James, and my favorite group is Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.  They're known for having a unique fast style of rapping.  When I was younger I used to know and recite all their verses and my friends would call me J.Bone.  It just stuck! lol BIG DUDE: My name changed a couple times, but since I'm older now, the name fits me.  I'm not a kid anymore, I'm a BIG Dude! How did you get started? Back when we had an allowance!  We used to play around and record "songs" upstairs in my [J.Bone] room just for fun.  As time went on, we got better and developed our own images.  Now here we are! How do you stay motivated? Recognizing the success stories of the people who inspired us and knowing that we can touch and have the same effect on others, keeps us motivated. What has been your biggest success/fail so far? So far, completing and releasing our debut album, There They GO! to such a positive response from people all around has been our biggest success.  And we're continually getting better at our craft and doing what we love.  So thankfully, we don't have a fail to list. Tell me about your music? Our music, like us, is diverse.  We both have different tastes.  Growing up and being exposed to other cultures and experiences helped shape who we are, and it shows in our music.  We may have a song that's very dark and brooding like "Resident Evil" that depicts the city we live in.  And we'll also make an energetic party track like "Vibrate" that covers an entirely different range and mood. Is it hard trying to become well-known? Yes, especially now that technology is so easily accessible.  It's become overcrowded.  But talent and great songs are still the main ingredients.  It's just a matter of working harder and smarter than others.  Getting noticed and building an audience, then maintaining that visibility. Download There They GO! for free-99 and discover more on jbonebigdude.com

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Behind The Music

As the multi-talented emcees ready the rollout for their new project, their passion and work ethic steadily propel them higher.  While not as attention grabbing as Sada Baby's dance moves!  Their name keeps pop-locking up in credits and content, local and beyond.

Building off their spectacular start in big scale film scoring and music supervision, Labor Productions tapped the two to handle the music for season 2 of their strong drama, Life Goes On.  Written by and starring Keila S. Harris. The web series features a host of rising talent, including East Side leading man, Mike Merrill.  With recent roles in BET's "The Bobby Brown Story" and Tyler Perry's "The Haves and the Have Nots."  The Detroit actor continues to light up screens.

The tension and secrets continue to unravel once the series returns for its second half early next year.  Watch the trailer below

Written by Tamara Lee

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Running Track

With their long-awaited third opus dropping in just a few months, J.Bone & BIG Dude are ready to unveil what they've been cooking up.  Mainly showcasing their peers work as of late with their creative turn to more film projects, the duo didn't forget what started their journey—Love, beats and rhymes.

That love returns in the spirit of competition with J.Bone vs. BIG Dude.  Recording enough for a double album.  The Cru plucked out their favorites and those 13-tracks are what BIG describes as their, "coldest and best yet!"  Taking a page from the Frank Ocean playbook, the guest list of featured artists and producers remain a mystery for now.  Peep the official songs below:

Tracklist 1. Intro 2. Villains 3. Liftoff 4. No ID 5. SOS 6. Nostalgia 7. Shorty Like 8. Keep it Movin' 9. Get Lifted 10. Fast Cars, Bad Women 11. Paranoia Pt. 1 12. Got What it Takes 13. Down

Do your AirPods a favor and stream their standout releases so far, before the fight erupts this Winter.  All available on jbonebigdude.com

Written by Matthew Adams

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Co-Ed

Another one! (DJ Khaled voice) Continuing their 2016 win streak, J.Bone & BIG Dude keep an already impressive resume growing.  In between recording their new album and promoting the film they recently scored, they also found time to help Amber Rose—sort of.  This summer the Cru keeps the party going, providing new music for the upcoming flick, What Happened Last Night.  Shot and made in New York, the comedy features the Muva and model; along with a host of fresh young talent.  Showcasing their diverse songwriting chops, J.Bone & BIG Dude called up singer and D-girl Niecey, to craft the upbeat "City Living" for the soundtrack. Playing at film festivals now.  The movie keg stands its way onto Prime Video and streaming platforms this year.  Watch the Trailer | Hear the Soundtrack Follow the Cru on Twitter @jbone_bigdude Written by Andre Loren