Born in New York to Jamaican parents, JPEG spent the bulk of his childhood in East Flatbush, Brooklyn (deeply rooted in West Indian culture and black pride) most of his mid-teens in deep south rural Alabama, bouncing from place to place due to rough circumstances at home.
After graduating high school, JPEG joined the military, deploying to different parts of the world, meeting fellow artists and adding new elements to his producing and rapping repertoire. Now based in Los Angeles, JPEGMAFIA’s sound is dark but not without a humor that makes things even more uncomfortable. His role as villain or satirist, hood protector or nihilist is intentionally hard to put one’s finger on.
