J-Zone

Jay Mumford (born Jarrett A. Mumford; February 26, 1977), is an American record producer, drummer, multi-instrumentalist, former rapper,

Career Known for his quirky lyrics and trash talk style of rapping, Jay Mumford as "J-Zone" released a string of idiosyncratic and critically acclaimed albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s that acquired a cult following. Of these, the 2001 release Pimps Don't Pay Taxes, was particularly noted; it featured rappers Huggy Bear and Al-Shid, In 2003, The New York Times cited his J-Zone, S.A. Smash concert in Brooklyn, New York as a noteworthy pop and jazz concert in the New York metropolitan region.

Not finding commercial success, Jay Mumford as "J-Zone" eventually walked away from rap, and in 2011 published the book Root for the Villain: Rap, Bullshit and a Celebration of Failure. which was listed as the 17th best album of 2013 by Spin. After learning to play the drums seriously during his hiatus from music, Jay Mumford released the drum break album, Lunch Breaks, in 2014.

In 2016 Jay Mumford landed a spot playing drums on new tunes from the 1970s funk band Manzel, his band The Du-Rites with Tom Tom Club guitarist Pablo Martin, and for personal drum break kits for Danger Mouse and others.

Jay Mumford has continued working as a session drummer in recent years, appearing on Lord Finesse's Motown State of Mind album in 2020 and rock band Vampire Weekend's single, "Capricorn," in 2024, in addition to his drums being sampled on the 2020 Madlib single, "Road of The Lonely Ones".

In 2022, Jay Mumford was the drummer for live shows and select recordings for The Black Pumas guitarist Adrian Quesada's Boleros Psicodelicos album.

Discography

Albums Music for Tu Madre (1998) Pimps Don't Pay Taxes (2001) $ick of Bein' Rich (2003) A Job Ain't Nuthin but Work (2004) Gimme Dat Beat Fool: The J-Zone Remix Project (2005) Every Hog Has Its Day (2006) Experienced! (2006) To Love a Hooker: The Motion Picture Soundtrack (2007) The Analog Catalog: 2001-2007 (2007) Live at the Liqua Sto (2008) Peter Pan Syndrome (2013) Lunch Breaks (2014) Backyard Breaks (2015) Fish N' Grits (2016) J-Zone and Pablo Martin Are The Du-Rites (2016) Greasy Listening (2017) Guerrilla Drums (2018) Gamma Ray Jones (2018) Soundcheck at 6 (2019) Break Bonanza (2019) A Funky Bad Time (2020) Concussion Percussion (2021) Pressure (2021) Plug It In (2022) (with Pablo Martin, as The Du-Rites) Intoxicated Skull (2023)

EPs A Bottle of Whup Ass (2000) The Hogs Sing the Hits: Pig Parodies (2006) The 1993 Demos EP (2013)

Singles "No Consequences" (2000) "Zone for President" (2000) "Q&A" (2002) "5 Star Hooptie" (2003) "Choir Practice" (2003) "A Friendly Game of Basketball" (2004) "Greater Later Remix" (2005) "Steady Smobbin'" b/w "Celph Destruction" (2006) "The Drug Song (Remix)" b/w "The Fox Hunt" (2012) "Zonestitution" (2013) "Stick Up" b/w "Mad Rap" (2014) "I Smell Smoke" b/w "Time for a Crime Wave" (2015) "Seoul Power" b/w "I'm Sick of Rap" (2015) "Funky" b/w "Go Back to Sellin' Weed" (2016) "Bug Juice" b/w "Hustle" (2016) "Bite It" b/w "Bocho's Groove" (2017) "High and Tight" b/w "Standing on Mars" (2017) "Gamma Ray Funk" b/w "Fish Sammich" (2018) "The Mean Machine" b/w "Corinthian Leather" (2018) "Zodiac" b/w "Monster" (2019) "Neckbones (Live)" b/w "Gittin' Sound" (2019) "Mad Dog" b/w "Cheap Cologne" (2019) "Jheri Curl" b/w "Du-Vibrations" (2020)

Guest appearances Princess Superstar - "I Love You (or at Least I Like You)" from Princess Superstar Is (2001) Jehst - "Staircase to Stage" from The Return of the Drifter (2002) Danger Mouse & Jemini the Gifted One - "Take Care of Business" from Ghetto Pop Life (2003) Apathy & Celph Titled - "Nut Reception" from No Place Like Chrome (2006)

Productions Cage - "In Stoney Lodge" from Movies for the Blind (2002) Cage - "Too Much (Remix)" from Weatherproof (2003) Biz Markie - "Chinese Food" from Weekend Warrior (2003) Leak Bros - "G.O.D." from Waterworld (2004) 7L & Esoteric - "Neverending Saga" from DC2: Bars of Death (2004) MF Grimm - "Dancin'" from Digital Tears: E-mail from Purgatory (2004) R.A. the Rugged Man - "Brawl" from Die, Rugged Man, Die (2004) Prince Po - "It's Goin' Down" and "Meet Me at the Bar" from The Slickness (2004) Casual - "Say That Then" and "Hieroller" from Smash Rockwell (2005) Awol One - "This Far" from The War of Art (2006) Juggaknots - "Crazy 8's" from Use Your Confusion (2006) Sadat X - "X Is a Machine" from Black October (2006) Apathy & Celph Titled - "S.M.D." from No Place Like Chrome (2006) Akrobatik - "Absolute Value" from Absolute Value (2008) Del the Funky Homosapien - "Funkyhomosapien" from Eleventh Hour (2008) The Lonely Island - "Santana DVX" from Incredibad (2009) Mr. Lif - "Gun Fight" from I Heard It Today (2009) CunninLynguists - "Cocaine" from Strange Journey Volume Two (2009) Canibus - "Free Words" from C of Tranquility (2010)

As a Sideman

Michael Kiwanuka - "Falling" (Polydor, 2016) Broken Bells - "Shelter" (20th Century/Aural Apothecary, 2018) Karen O & Danger Mouse - "Lux Prima (Part II)" (30th Century, 2019) Lord Finesse / Sisters Love - "Now Is the Time" (Motown, 2020) Madlib - "Road of the Lonely Ones" (Madlib Invazion, 2020) Adrian Quesada - Boleros Psicodelicos (ATO, 2022) Danger Mouse & Black Thought - "Identical Deaths" (BMG, 2022) Hermanos Gutierrez - El Bueno Y El Malo (Easy Eye Sound, 2022) Greyhounds - Live on 29th Street (29th Street Recordings, 2024) Vampire Weekend - "Capricorn" (Columbia, 2024) Kelly Finnigan - A Lover Was Born (Colemine, 2024)

Books Root for the Villain: Rap, Bullshit, and a Celebration of Failure (Old Maid Entertainment, 2011)