Name: Sharaya J
Locality: Jersey City, NJ by way of Hawaii, USA
Color: Highlighter yellow: Highlighters make objects on
paper stand out.
The Story: Bass heavy, vibrant raps? Slick laser like delivery? Well, that's none other than Sharaya J, but that's not all this rapper/dancer brings to the table.
The newcomer in the game had her roots in the beautiful
state of Hawaii, but was bred in Jersey City, New Jersey to a musical family.
Her father was a member of the 90’s Hip Hop group Double XX Posse. In hip-hop respect the apple did not fall far from the tree.
Sharaya’s musical roots were Rap and R&B/Soul to the core. The classics of the 80’s and 90’s from artists such as TLC, Aaliyah, Biggie, WuTang, Mary J. Blige, and Janet Jackson instilled in her a love of lyrically skilled rap and high-octane dance.
Sharaya’s musical roots were Rap and R&B/Soul to the core. The classics of the 80’s and 90’s from artists such as TLC, Aaliyah, Biggie, WuTang, Mary J. Blige, and Janet Jackson instilled in her a love of lyrically skilled rap and high-octane dance.
It’s not a surprise that she would link up with the greats
in the industry today, Diddy, Rihanna, and Alicia Keys, supporting their
careers and training with eclectic dance mavens Laurianne Gibson, Fatima Robinson, and Jamaica Craft.
It was Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott, though, who reached out
to take Sharaya J to the next level. However, when
they went to certain record companies to market her, she was asked to change
her appearance and her image. Sharaya J, in contrast, wanted her talent to shine beyond that.
While they most graciously declined, this pushed Sharaya to
create the BANJI Movement. BANJI is an acronym for “Be Authentic and Never
Jeapordize Individuality,” and she already has a slew of “Banji Babez” who she
has profiled on her YouTube page for not letting other people’s views change
who they are.
Her first single, “BANJI,” is a mix of adrenaline, fashion,
and well-crafted raps. Her latest video is called “Takin’
It No More/Shut It Down;” in it, when Sharaya finds her and her significant other
in a sticky situation, she reacts in a way that is organic and stylish.
Turn on the heavy hitter DJ sirens. Sharaya J is the next
artist up to bat, and her talent hits out of the park.
Coloring Outside The Lines Because: Sharaya’s delivery is
pure bold confidence. With banging beats and dance innovation, her style is a
breath of fresh air, an infusion of fun. Put her song in your rotation, and it
will stay on rotation.
Think: phat, dope and fly; Adidas; house party; NYC studio;
SYTYCD; coffee; spitting hot fiyah.
