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OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
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JORDAN MICHAEL LYLES
JORDAN MICHAEL LYLES
MORE THAN RAP,
MORE THAN VIDEOS,
MORE THAN FAME
AND FORTUNE.
1999
BLOODLINE
BORN IN 1999, JORDAN COMES FROM A CHURCH HOME OWNED BY HIS FATHER (MICHAEL LYLES) FROM LOS ANGELES AND MOTHER, (PAMELA LYLES) FROM HINESVILLE, GEORGIA. HE IS A MIXTURE OF BOTH PARENTS, BOLD AND WISE LIKE HIS FATHER, PRAYERFUL AND CONFIDENT LIKE HIS MOTHER. HE HAS 3 SIBLINGS, 2 OLDER SISTERS AND 1 OLDER BROTHER. HIS MAIN GOAL IS TO REPRESENT HIS FAMILY IN THE BEST WAY HE CAN AND IMPACT THE NATIONS THROUGH THE GIFT HE WAS GIVEN.
2006
CLASS OF 3000
"I'VE SEEN HIM GO FROM JUST A LITTLE KID WHO WAS RECITING LYRICS THAT HE HEARD ON HIS FAVORITE CARTOON TO WRITING HIS OWN MUSIC..." SAID JORDAN'S OLDER SISTER IN A DOCUMENTARY. CLASS OF 3000, A SHOW CREATED BASED ON THE IMAGINATION OF ANDRE 3000, WAS THE CARTOON THAT FIRST MADE JORDAN FALL IN LOVE WITH MUSIC, HE WANTED TO BE THE DRUMMER BOY IN THE SHOW, NAMED LIL'D. THE TV SHOW ALSO HAD A COMPUTER GAME CALLED "FUNK BOX" THAT ALLOWED KIDS TO STRUCTURE THEIR OWN BEATS. LITTLE DID JORDAN KNOW THIS IS REALLY WHAT HE WOULD BE PURSUING IN LIFE. BACK THEN, JORDAN WOULD RUN IN THE HOUSE TO MAKE SURE HE DIDN'T MISS ANY EPISODES THAT CAME ON AT 7PM ON SCHOOL NIGHTS. HE EVEN WAS GIFTED A SHIRT FROM HIS OLDER SISTER THAT HAD A PRINT OUT OF THE CHARACTERS FROM THE SHOW ON IT; HE WORE IT ENTIRELY TOO MUCH.
2014
Ford Explorer
JORDAN WROTE AND RECORDED HIS FIRST SONGS IN THIS TRUCK ON A PHONE APP ON HIS MOM'S CELL PHONE. HE USED TO STAY UP ON SCHOOL NIGHTS INSIDE THE CAR AND JUST SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT CREATING. AS TIME WENT BY, HE EVENTUALLY INVESTED IN A MIC AND RECORDING SOFTWARE AND EVERYTHING WENT UPHILL FROM THERE. HE MADE 2 MIXTAPES IN THIS CAR, WHICH ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE ONLINE.
2015
SIDE BY SIDE
FROM MATH CLASS, TO PLANNING A FUTURE TOGETHER. THE WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN SUPPORTING HIS DREAM SINCE DAY ONE IS ALSO THE WOMAN WHO HE WANTS TO START A FAMILY WITH. IN A SONG, JODIE JO' STATED "I'M JUST TRYING TO FULFILL EVERYTHING I SAID I WILL BACK IN 10TH GRADE YEAR, WHERE I MET MS. WOODLAND, PROMISED SHE WOULD BE MY GIRL EVEN WHEN I THOUGHT I COULDN'T PULL A PRETTY GIRL LIKE HER 3 YEARS LATER, SHE MY WOMAN, NOW SHE TELLIN' ME WHATEVER YOU DESIRE YOU PURSUE IT." SHE IS HIS BIGGEST MOTIVATION AND A VITAL PART OF HIS PURSUIT OF MUSIC.
2017
TALENT SHOW
AFTER DEALING WITH 3 YEARS OF DISAPPOINTMENT ON HIS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM, JORDAN DECIDED TO LEAVE THE SPORT ALONE COMING INTO HIS SENIOR YEAR. THE FAVORITISM AND NEGLECT FROM COACHES LEFT HIM WITH SORT OF A CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER. SO WITH SOMETHING TO PROVE TO HIMSELF, JORDAN TOOK FIRST PLACE IN HIS HIGH SCHOOL TALENT SHOW AFTER RAPPING A SONG OF HIS ENTITLED "DEEP WATER". SINCE THIS POINT, JORDAN HAS MADE IT UP IN HIS MIND THAT HE WILL BE THE GREATEST ARTIST TO EVER MAKE MUSIC. EVERY DAY AT SCHOOL HE WOULD WRITE RAPS IN HIS CLASSES AND WOULD ASK TO GO TO THE BATHROOM TO RECITE THEM TO HIMSELF IN THE BATHROOM STALLS. HIS GRADES BEGAN TO DROP AND THIS CAUSED TENSION BETWEEN TEACHERS. HOWEVER, AN ENGLISH TEACHER NAMED MRS. SANCHEZ GAVE HIM A CONNECTION THAT MADE HIM REALIZE THE IMBALANCE TAKING PLACE. JORDAN GRADUATED WITH HONOR ROLL WITH NO PLANS REGARDING FURTHERING HIS SCHOOLING. SOUNDS ALMOST LIKE FREEDOM WRITERS, MINUS THE DRUGS AND GANGS. SEEMS AS IF EVERY GOOD SUCCESS STORY STARTS FIRST WITH NEGLECT.
CHANGES
AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL AND ATTENDING A UNIVERSITY FOR ONE SEMESTER, JORDAN DROPPED OUT OF COLLEGE TO FOCUS IN ON HIS MUSIC CAREER. HIS MIXTAPE, “NINE FIVE ONE” WAS RECORDED IN 2017 AT THAT UNIVERSITY IN HIS DORM ROOM. HE MIXED AND MASTERED IT ON HIS OWN, AND WAS NOT YET PRODUCING HIS OWN BEATS AT THE TIME. AROUND THAT SAME TIME HE WENT BY THE RAP NAME "J LYLES" OR "LYLES". HE EVENTUALLY CHANGED IT TO “JODIE JO” WHICH IS HIS HOUSEHOLD NICKNAME. THE REASON THIS HAPPENED IS DUE TO THE FACT HE FELT THE NEED TO GET BACK TO HIS ROOTS BECAUSE HE CAME FROM A CHURCH BACKGROUND AND WASN'T NECESSARILY LINING UP WITH THE STANDARDS HIS FOLKS HELD BACK HOME. WHEN HE CAME HOME FROM COLLEGE, HIS FATHER CONFRONTED HIM ABOUT THE USE OF THE WORD “NIGGA” ASKING WHY HE CHOOSES TO TALK LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHEN HE WASN’T BROUGHT UP THAT WAY. HIS FATHER GAVE HIM A HISTORY LESSON ON THE WORD AND TOLD HIM WHY HE DOESN'T WANT HIM SAYING IT. JORDAN THEN CAME TO THE REALIZATION THAT HE WAS TRYING TO FIT IN BY DOING WHAT HE THOUGHT APPEALED TO EVERYONE ELSE. AS TOLD IN HIS DOCUMENTARY, HIS FATHER TOLD HIM THAT IF HE WAS GOING TO PURSUE MUSIC, HE HAS TO DEDICATE HIMSELF TO IT AND NOT DO WHAT ALL OF THE OTHER RAPPERS ARE DOING. JORDAN THEN, CHANGED HIS RAP NAME AND BEGAN TO FIND HIMSELF, LEADING HIM TO CREATE MUSIC THAT WAS MORE SUBJECTIVE TO HIS ROOTS WHILE PURSUING TO REACH MANY PEOPLE IN HIS PURIST.
2018
SOMETHING FROM NOTHING
COLBI ROBERTSON, A GOOD FREIND OF JORDAN; ALMOST LIKE FAMILY. SHE IS THE PERSON WHO HELPED HIM SHOOT MOST OF HIS MUSIC VIDEOS IN THE EARLIER PARTS OF HIS MUSIC PURSUIT. THE TWO MET IN 2ND GRADE AND THEIR FRIENDSHIP LASTED BEYOND SCHOOL YEARS. COLBI WAS THERE FROM THE BEGINNING HELPING ON THE HOTTEST DAYS SUPPORTING HIS GOALS. JORDAN NEVER HAD THE LATEST EQUIPMENT, OR THE LATEST SOFTWARE, AND SO ON; SO HE'D CALL UP COLBI AND SHE'D RECORD HIM ON HIS CAMERA PHONE. JORDAN WOULD EDIT THE VIDEOS FROM THE PHONE AND UPLOAD THEM TO YOUTUBE. "THIS IS ALL GON' PAY OFF ONE DAY" IS WHAT HE'D SAY TO HER WHENEVER SHE LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS TIRED FROM THE HOT SUN BEAMING DOWN DURING THE PROCESS. ONE DAY, WHAT WAS SOWN INTO THIS DREAM WILL REAP ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE WHO EVER GAVE A HELPING HAND. CHERISH THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT YOU.
2019
ATTRACTION
WALKING BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT IS SOMETHING JORDAN PORTRAYS IN HIS MUSIC AND HAS MANY STORIES THAT CONFIRM THAT HE'S NOT AS CRAZY AS MOST WOULD THINK. MANY KNOW ABOUT THE DESIRE JORDAN HAS HAD TO SIGN DREAMVILLE SINCE HE WAS 17 YEARS OLD. AS A YOUNG BLACK BOY FROM THE MIDDLE CLASS, THIS ALMOST SEEMS UNREALISTIC TO THINK A KID WITH NO FINANCIAL BACKING CAN EVEN GET NEAR A MAJOR LABEL. THIS NEVER PHASED THE FAITH AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD THAT JORDAN HAS.
AFTER ASKING FOR CLEARER SIGNS ABOUT THE WHOLE DREAMVILLE THING, GOD SHOWED OUT. IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, JORDAN WAS WORKING ON A NEW ALBUM AT THE TIME AND FREQUENTLY MET UP WITH HIS FREIND SOFIA WHO SANG BACKGROUND ON HIS ALBUM "MAMA CAN'T SAVE YOU". NOT TO LONG AFTER ASKING GOD FOR A SIGN, HE CAME ACROSS A VINYL WITH J. COLE'S SIGNATURE AT SOFIA'S HOUSE.
SOME MONTHS LATER, JORDAN GOT A CALL FROM A FRIEND FROM SEATTLE. THIS FRIEND BOUGHT HIM A TICKET TO ATTEND A CONCERT IN LA THAT DREAMVILLE ARTIST, BAS WAS PERFORMING AT. HIS FREIND WANTED JORDAN TO GO TO LA TO MEET HIS CAMERAMAN. AROUND THIS TIME, JORDAN WAS WRITING LETTERS TO ALL OF HIS OLD FRIENDS AND IT DAWNED ON HIM TO WRITE A LETTER TO BAS IN ATTEMPT TO GET IT TO HIM FACE TO FACE, BUT INSTEAD HE GAVE IT TO THE CAMERAMAN HE WENT TO MEET, WHO THEN DELIVERED IT TO BAS. LORD KNOWS WHAT GOD HAS PLANNED, BUT HOW ABOUT THAT FOR A SIGN.
2020
2 DECADES
AT THE AGE OF 20, INDEPENDENTLY, JORDAN HAS SELF PRODUCED 3 OF HIS 5 PROJECTS IN HIS HOME STUDIO, CREATED OVER 50 MUSIC VIDEOS & FILMS COMBINED, DESIGNED HIS OWN MERCHANDISE AND WEBSITE, WROTE A BOOK BASED ON HIS ALBUM, AND CONTINUES TO PUT OUT WORK THAT REFLECTS HIS TRUE SELF. MANY ARTISTS CAN CREATE, MANY ARTISTS CAN DO MANY THINGS, BUT NOT MANY ARTISTS ARE, IN REAL LIFE, EXACTLY WHAT THEY PORTRAY IN THEIR MUSIC. WITH HIS GOAL TO SIGN TO DREAMVILLE RECORDS, HE IS WELL ON HIS WAY TO LEAVE A LEGACY WHEREVER HE GOES.
BOOK & ALBUM
IN THE BEGINNING OF 2020, JORDAN RELEASED AN ALBUM ENTITLED "MAMA CAN'T SAVE YOU" AND FOLLOWED UP WITH A BOOK RELEASE THROUGH HIS SISTER AND BROTHER IN LAW'S PUBLISHING COMPANY, KINLY PUBLISHING. "THE IDEA TO WRITE A BOOK CAME TO ME IN THE SHOWER, I THINK IT'S NECESSARY BECAUSE IN A BOOK, YOU CAN REALLY EXPLAIN THE POINTS YOU'RE TRYING TO GET ACROSS AND IT GIVES PEOPLE A PIECE OF ME." SAID JORDAN. WHILE DOING MOST OF THE ALBUM AT HOME, ON THE OTHER HAND HE WROTE HIS WHOLE BOOK AT WORK IN THE BATHROOM STALL. MOST THAT WORKED WITH HIM THOUGHT OF HIM AS A SLACKER, OR SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T WANT TO WORK, LITTLE TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE, THE KID IS ON A MISSION. AFTER RELEASING HIS BOOK, HE SOLD THEM OUT FAIRLY QUICK. HE USED THE RESOURCES FROM HIS JOB TO HELP MAKE SHIPPING EASIER, TAKING THE THROWN AWAY PLASTIC TO PROTECT THE BOOKS WHEN SHIPPED OUT. AFTER COVID19 HIT, HE NO LONGER COULD PRINT BOOKS OUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR DUE TO BUSINESSES CLOSING. HOWEVER, NOT TOO LONG AFTER HE BEGAN ANOTHER QUEST TO TELL HIS STORY.
OPPORTUNITY
WITH THE BURDENS AND DARKNESS OF THE YEAR, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A LIGHT AROUND THE CORNER SOMEWHERE. JORDAN AND HIS GIRL HAVE BEEN PRAYING ABOUT THE YEAR OF 2020 SINCE THEY WERE 17 YEARS OF AGE. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, JORDAN DROPPED AN ALBUM CALLED "MAMA CAN'T SAVE YOU' AND THINGS BECAME VERY QUIET IN THE MUSIC REALM AFTER THE PANDEMIC HIT THE COUNTRY. PRAYERS AND REST BECAME MORE CONSISTENT DURING QUARANTINE. SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE, AN OPPORTUNITY WAS PRESENTED, DOTS STARTED CONNECTING, AND THE MOMENTS PREPARED FOR WERE EXECUTED. IN THE MONTH OF JUNE, A WONDERFUL LADY BY THE NAME OF KELLY, INTRODUCED TO JORDAN THROUGH CYRUS & UNCLE GENE, OPENED HER ARMS TO JORDAN TO SHOWCASE HIS SKILLS IN LOS ANGELES, CA AT BARKING OWL SOUND STUDIO. MANY OTHER THINGS TOOK PLACE BEHIND THE SCENES THAT CONFIRMED MANY PRAYERS AND DESIRES WHICH WILL SOON BE PRESENTED TO THE WORLD.
Leimert Park
FLASHBACK TO 2014 TO THE KID WHO WAS RAPPING IN THE FORD EXPLORER. AT THE TIME THE MAIN ARTISTS JORDAN WAS LISTENING TO WERE ALL FROM CHICAGO. MICK JENKINS, CHANCE THE RAPPER, & NONAME. ON HIS WAY TO PERFORM A COUPLE TRACKS OFF OF HIS ALBUM AT LEIMERT PARK JORDAN RANDOMLY CROSSED PATHS WITH NONAME. AGAIN, TO TIE IN WITH THE SIGNS FROM GOD; BACK IN 2017 HE DID A REMIX TO ONE OF HER SONGS CALLED "SUNNY DUET". EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON, AND A FUTURE COLLABORATION DOESN'T SOUND IMPOSSIBLE. FURTHERMORE, ON THIS DAY, A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE TOOK PLACE IN HONOR OF THE LATE GREAT, NIPSEY HUSSLE. RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM CRENSHAW AVENUE, IT WOULD ONLY BE RIGHT TO DEDICATE THE MOMENT TO A PERSON THAT THE CITY HOLDS NEAR AND DEAR. HOPEFULLY THE SONG WILL BE TAKEN TO TELEVISION NEXT TIME. AGAIN, IT'S CRAZY TO SEE THE STEPS BEING TAKEN THAT SEEM TO GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO SUCCESS.
HIATUS
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT ONLY GOOD TO END ON A HIGH NOTE BUT MAYBE EVEN TAKE A STEP BACK ON A HIGH NOTE. AFTER HIS LAST PERFORMANCE, JORDAN HAS TAKEN A STEP BACK FROM JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT FAMILY AND MUSIC. THE ARTIST, TOOK LOWKEY TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL, LOCKING HIMSELF IN HIS HOME STUDIO AFTER INVESTING IN SEVERAL NEW INSTRUMENTS. HE SPENT MONTHS LEARNING NEW INSTRUMENTS (GUITAR, BASS GUITAR, & TRUMPET) LEADING HIM TO COMPOSE A NEW ALBUM WITH A WHOLE NEW SOUND. THE ARTIST PLAYED EVERYTHING FROM SCRATCH AND PLANS TO USE THE PRODUCT OF HIS WORK FOR THE NEXT STEPS IN HIS CAREER.
THE HOMIE GOT MARRIED
ENGAGED ON DECEMBER 12TH, 2020 AND MARRIED ON THE 11TH OF JUNE, 2021. THE TWO HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER SINCE THE 10TH GRADE AND HAVE GROWN TOGETHER THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. SHE IS HIS GREATEST INSPIRATION AND SUPPORT WHEN IT COMES TO LIFE AND MUSIC. "I NEVER WANT TO PORTRAY A PERFECT RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE THAT IS UNREALISTIC, BUT I WANT TO PORTRAY AN EXAMPLE FOR THE GENERATION FOLLOWING US OF WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A STRONG UNITY WITH ANOTHER PERSON, A UNIT ONLY GOD COULD DICTATE." SAYS JORDAN.
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