Cleveland, Ohio native Jahi was bred and fed on a daily stream of classic soul music, and Hip Hop from the golden age. Influences include Sam and Dave, Curtis Mayfield, Barry White, OJays, Earth Wind and Fire, and Run-DMC, Rakim, Public Enemy and KRS-One; and all can be felt inspiring the acclaimed talent. His first album “Higher Elevation” in 1999, won a major talent competition on BET Teen Summit, and Jahi became the first Cleveland artist to perform live at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first Hip Hop Exhibit. Jahi embarked on his first solo tour thereafter and gained honorable mention in Source Magazine, as well as respect by opening shows for Jay-Z, KRS-One, Outkast, Nas and others. Entering the new millennium, Jahi’s roots were, by then, firmly planted in the underground soil of Hip Hop.
Jahi’s growth in music blossomed with his move from the East to the West coast. In Oakland, Jahi would build a solid fan base, join and tour with Bay Area indie heavyweights, Blackalicious, and perform with greats such as Floetry, Black Eyed Peas, Chuck Brown, Dead Prez, and many more. Jahi’s new found band, The Life, would provide the musical backdrop to create what the San Jose Mercury News would later coin 'The Sound of the New Bay'.
After traveling abroad to take his, by now, renowned skills and create new extensions to his musical sound, he committed to a deep study of classic soul performances, along with the autobiographies of Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Rev. Run, and Marvin Gaye. Jahi coined a term for his music born of this era- “Soulhop.” Jahi would record and release his first major album on EMI music in 2006 with this name, touring all over Europe with his thirteen piece super band from Denmark, Nobody Beats the Beats.
Jahi won second place in the 2006 International Song Writing Competition with a socially conscious song “Share It”, and has recently been performing with legendary icons, Public Enemy on their 2007, 20th Anniversary tour, as well as continuing to present new musical landscapes on his new album WORDPOWERSOUND. Jahi extends his blend of mixing soulful grooves with Hip Hop expression. Jahi is currently managed by Strong Fire Management.
