Jords

Jordan Edwards-Wilks (born 6 June 1994), better known as Jords, is a British singer and rapper from Croydon, South London. His music style blends several genres, including grime, jazz, R&B, garage, house, and drill. Raised in a musical family, Jords grew up during the advent of grime music. He created and released music as a child, with his first tracks inspired by the local South London artists Krept and Konan. Jords began to release music on YouTube and released his debut mixtape, Means to an Ends, in 2016.

Jords signed with Universal Music in 2020. He released his debut album, Almost an Adult, in 2021, exploring themes of love and loss. Following the murder of George Floyd, he released the track "Black & Ready", gaining recognition and support from Ebro Darden and BBC Radio 1Xtra. In 2022, BBC Radio 1Xtra included Jords on their Hot For 2022 list. He signed to Motown in 2023, becoming the first British rap act to sign to the label. He released his second album, Dirt in the Diamond in the same year.

Outside of music, Jords co-hosts the podcast Almost a Conversation and established the Pickni Uniforms charity with his friend Jamahl Rowl. He served as the executive producer of the West End play PlayFight, which discussed racism's impact on black males in education.

Early life and education Jords listened to Wretch 32 (pictured) as a youth. They later collaborated on Jords' song "iPray". Jordan Edwards-Wilks was born on 6 June 1994 in Croydon, South London, to Jamaican parents. and his father is a member of The Jazz Defektors who performed with Sade and Paul Weller. During his youth, Jords' mother acquainted him with the R&B and reggae artists like Brownstone, Buju Banton and Kelly Price. Jords' childhood coincided with the birth of grime music; he often listened to music by Chip, Wretch 32, Ghetts and Scorcher. He was interested in creating music during this time; his elder brother bought him his first microphone from Argos for £1 when he was 13. Aged 16, Jords began to think about a music career more seriously. His first tracks produced were inspired by the South London duo Krept and Konan and spread by Jords to locals under the pseudonym "Vicious Kid". Jords released his debut project in 2016 when he independently released the mixtape Means To An Ends. The album is influenced by love and loss, specifically, the emotions Jords felt after losing his grandparents during production. The song appeared on Jords' later album, Dirt in the Diamond.

Jords was one of ten artists named on BBC Radio 1Xtra's Hot For 2022 list, cited for his work with D Double E and Maxi Priest, and his support from BBC Music Introducing. In May 2022, Jords was approached by Motown at The Great Escape Festival to join the label, becoming the first British rap act to be signed to Motown. He released his debut album on the label, Dirt in the Diamond, on 26 May 2023. Themed around "growing and manoeuvring through life with your brothers", with BBC News' Mark Savage describing it as "a thoughtful, powerful and bold exploration of identity and self-acceptance that transcends the norms of UK rap". After seeing long lines for school uniforms in Croydon, he was going to start a school uniform business to capitalise on the demand but, inspired by the footballer Marcus Rashford's similar scheme for school meals, he decided to give uniforms away for free. Pickni Uniforms also helps recycle old uniforms in collaboration with the QPR Community Trust.

Discography Albums Almost an Adult (2020) Dirt in the Diamond (2023)

Mixtapes Means to an Ends (2016) Mixtape J (2025)