Nelly’s Derrty Ent. First Round Pick: King Jacob

By TORIANO L. PORTER
Evening Whirl Entertainment Writer
ST. LOUIS – Pressure is nothing new to Derrty Entertainment rap artist King Jacob. In fact, Nelly’s handpicked protégé said he feels nothing but sure confidence after this past summer’s guest star appearance on “Errtime”, the lead single from The Longest Yard movie soundtrack, featuring none other than Derrty CEO Nelly and Taylor Made’s Jung Tru.
“You’ll be surprised by what lacing a hot song with a few bars can do for your career,” said an even-keeled King Jacob, mulling over the expectations placed on him since signing with Derrty. “It can kinda get the ball rolling more than you actually think.”
To tame expectations, and chase the the momentum caused by “Errtime”, Jacob hit the lab hard, releasing a series of mix-tapes, including last fall’s “Still Standing”. Jacob’s latest mix-tape, Tha Setup: Mix-Tape ’06 is officially in the streets. The 16-song disc contains “I’m a G”; a single Jacob says will solve the clamoring for a more gritty sound from Nelly’s camp.
“I sent out some advance copies of the song and people were like “that’s it, Jacob, that’s the shit’,” Jacob said of the gangster-fide sound of “I’m a G”. “So I’m just gon’ clean it up (mix and mastered radio edit), throw it out there and see if the DJ’s pick it up.”
Jacob reached out to longtime collaborator, producer Fala Beats, for the supped, trunk rattling single. The pair, who has a history dating back to 1998, has become synonymous with the new sound that is emerging from from the Lou. The pair envisions “I’m a G” as the vehicle that will usher in a new era of metaphoric, urban grit, amid quality laced instrumentals.
“King Jacob is the future of the St. Louis sound,” says a proud Fala Beats. “He’s gangsta, he’s gutta, he’s gritty, he’s smart, intelligent and the ladies love that combination. What’s crazy is – on top of all of that – the brother knows how to rap.”
Jacob predicts “I’m a G” will squash all of the talk about St. Louis being the home of popular ‘party and bullshit’ music.
“Man, everybody should already know St. Louis is a gritty, gutta ass city,” says Jacob. “If they don’t, “I’m a G” will surely let them know.”
Jacob’s said harshest critics so far have been the guy who signed him (Nelly) and Derrty president Ali of the Lunatics. Growing up in the same University City enclave as the label’s head honcho, King Jacob had already established a fierce reputation with the mic by the time he signed with Derrty nearly three year’s ago. Still, he said, the hard work remains.
“They heard the song and was like ‘yeah, Jacob, it’s cool, but we need a whole album full of “I’m a G’s,” Jacob confided. “They expect hit records like that from me all the time. That’s why they signed me.”
With the signing King Jacob’s name became fodder for rumors and gossip surrounding Derrty’s imperious game plan to groom the artist signed to the label, instead of rushing projects to the masses.
“A lot of people thought I may have been ready to come out two or three years ago,” Jacob explains, adding “but I used the time for development. I’ve just been hitting the booth, developing my skills. I feel I’m more ready now than I ever was before”

King Jacob Discography

2001
Training Day Soundtrack
”Let Us Go”

2002
Nellyville
”On The Grind”

2003
Da Derrty Versions: The Reinvention
”Batter Up RMX”

Murphy’s Law
“So X-Treme”
”Gods Don't Chill”

2005 Longest Yard Soundtrack
“Errtime”
”Stomp”

For King Jacob Music Contact:
kingjacobfanclub@hotmail.com