J. Rawls

Jason Rawls (born February 27, 1974), better known by his stage name J. Rawls, is an American hip hop musician, producer, disc jockey (DJ), educator, and speaker born in Columbus, Ohio. He is best known for his work with Masta Ace, Mos Def and Talib Kweli. Because of his work with Black Star, a hip-hop group composed of Mos Def and Talib Kweli, and their sole debut studio album, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, Dr. Rawls was soon placed on the map among independent hip-hop producers and became an independent hip-hop main-stay. The album became a huge success and was part of a major force in the late 1990s underground hip-hop explosion. Dr. Rawls has also worked with artists such as Dose One, Domo Genesis, Capital Steez, Beastie Boys, Slum Village, Diamond D, John Robinson, El Da Sensei, Sadat X, Count Bass D, Grand Agent, 9th Wonder, J-Live, Us3 and Moka Only. Dr. Rawls has released three solo albums, and contributed to the Neo soul movement producing the likes of Aloe Blacc, Eric Roberson, Dudley Perkins, and many others.Fusing jazz and hip-hop, then coining the term “Jazz-Hop”, his 2006 work with “The Liquid Crystal Project” led to national acclaim for his collaboration with B-Jazz, Rob Riley, Eddie Bayard and Charles Cooper and their tribute to the legendary producer J. Dilla. His Columbus-based production company and record label continues to make an impact in the national hip-hop scene, and he is in high demand as a DJ for top clubs and private functions around the country.Dr. Rawls was also a featured presenter for the Places of Invention, Bronx, NY exhibit that opened in July 2015 at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. In this exhibit, a virtual J Rawls walks visitors through the nuances of how to scratch and mix on a replica turntable. Dr. Rawls holds a bachelor's degree in Business from the University of Cincinnati, a master's degree in Education from Ashland University and an Educational Doctorate degree in Educational Administration from Ohio University. He is currently an adjunct instructor at Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio and has presented workshops on the music industry, Hip-Hop Education and beatmaking at several major universities around the country. He also has more than 15 years of K-12 teaching experience.