Jimmy’s music addiction was triggered by a childhood obsession with the Space Jam soundtrack. Despite never becoming tall or skilled enough to achieve his dreams of cartoon basketball glory, he’s continued to enjoy beats, rhymes and that funky stuff.
Since leaving his homeland New Zealand for London, he's emptied his bank account whilst visiting 30+ countries, but is yet to discover the hidden location of Ghostface’s illustrious eagle bracelet.
Jimmy currently holds a special place in his heart for the Notorious BIG, 90s R&B, sacred geometry, olives and Michael Douglas’ movie The Game.
He also enjoys writing in-depth music interviews, getting articles published in print, and avoiding listicles. You can find most of his recent and decent stuff at the creatively named www.jimmyness.com.
If you’re from Rolling Stone and you’re reading this, you can contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @Jimmy_Ness. Luckily, everyone else can speak to him there too.
Currently Listening:
Future - Monster
Azealia Banks - Broke With Expensive Taste
Steely Dan - Aja
Zapp - The New Zapp IV U
G Dep - Child Of The Ghetto
Lakeside - Fantastic Voyage
RTJ2
The Isley Brothers - Best Of
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Currently Watching:
Man of Tai Chi
Justified (S3)
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Time is Illmatic
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Currently Reading:
Dune by Frank Herbert
Jimmy Ness is well aware that this is the season of the ratchet. 2 Chainz, Drake, Future, Juicy J. Mike Will’s stellar production has steadily been tricking me into liking rappers I think I shouldn’t. My inner rap snob dies a little each time Juicy J’s strip club anthem knocks my ears, but this song’s […]
| Up All Night with Onra | June 11, 2012 |
Jimmy Ness is the new Gilbert Gottfried. Deep In The Night crystallizes the cheesy but affable Romanticism of the pre-Internet world. Onra’s new EP replicates the vibe of 80s and early 90s R&B, well before it stagnated into a series of David Guetta remixes. This five-track project conjures images of Jheri Curls, New Jack Swing […]
Shady Blaze spits syllables like a Gatling gun and his rapid fire flows have 90s rap fans reminiscing over smoking sessions to “Thuggish Ruggish Bone.” Despite his close friendship with fellow Oakland natives Main Attrakionz, Blaze doesn’t just make cloud-rap or whatever else bloggers want to call it. Instead the Green Ova soldier rhymes with […]
| Long Distance L.O.V.E.: The Evolution of Onra | May 25, 2012 |
Jimmy Ness loves this song like a fine Cuban cigar. Onra’s latest strand of funk makes you feel like a baby-faced Prince still elegantly rocking crotch-hugging leather pants and frilly silk shirts. “L.O.V.E” has an obvious post-disco 80s influence with cloudy funk vocals, nostalgic synth-work, and beep-bop you’d imagine little green men grooving to. It’s […]
Jimmy Ness has a duck in his Caprice. Flocka can get a club ratchet faster than a Ferrari can go zero to 60. Hence, this bangs so hard that even snarky elitists would strip their cardigans off and smash Roland Barthes books on the heads of their rivals. Flocka shout-raps to the roosters, the chickenheads […]
Deniro Farrar is covered in tattoos and rhymes over trance samples, nuy isn’t a tacky Flo Rida clone. His second album Destiny Altered, is death, politics and sex over gloomy atmospheric electronics. Farrar witnessed tough times while living in two Charlotte housing projects and left High School before finishing ninth grade. He refuses the “conscious […]
| Ab-Soul: Black Lip Bastard, All Empathy | May 3, 2012 |
Jimmy Ness feels your pain. Ab Soul takes a break from rapping about pills and dirty Sprite to channel the spirit of OG Nate Dogg. The Black Hippy grooves while ringing a booty call, tries his best to look like Wish Bone and wears sunglasses in the dark. With help from TDE affiliate JaVonte, Soulo […]
DJ Carnage is a young producer who doesn’t care about old school rap values. He’ll make authentic gutter music for grill wearers and annoy them next week with poppy dubstep. Sneaking on the internet radar after producing Kreyashawn’s collaboration with Theophilus London “Shrimp Pt.2”, his uniquely rhythmic bass obviously stood out and he’s continued to carve […]
| The Tree of Life: Sunday School with Chicago’s Tree | April 5, 2012 |
Jimmy Ness never attended a single nerdy prayer party. Maybe one, but he was drunk. Very drunk. Despite blessing himself with one of the most unassuming un-googleable names imaginable, the sample-warping Chicago producer/rapper Tree is intriguing. He sounds like an injured donkey but also boasts a deep singing voice. His bizarre drawl is singular but […]
| Whatever you do, don’t funk with my crew: THEEsatisfaction | March 23, 2012 |
Somebody, somewhere best beware of Jimmy Ness‘ crew. Do I sense a funk revival? “Trippy Mane” is the best recent ad-lib, TDE are the coolest black hippies around and Dam Funk has been making undeniable cosmic jams for years. Maybe we won’t be wearing flowery headscarves anytime soon, but these two Seattle ladies are definitely […]
