J-Wess
Encyclopedia
James Wesley Essex, better known by his stage name J-Wess, is an American-Australian hip hop and R&B musician. He is based in Melbourne
, Australia. His sole album, J-Wess Presents Tha LP
, reached the top twenty in Australia in 2004, and included three hit singles.
and played basketball
in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA
) while studying business finance at college. In 1999, J-Wess was invited to Australia to train with the Gold Coast Rollers
, a National Basketball League
team based on the Gold Coast, Australia. The Gold Coast Rollers folded shortly after he arrived and he moved to Adelaide
to play with the Woodville Warriors and the South Adelaide Panthers in the subsidiary Australian Basketball Association
.
J-Wess has 2 younger L.A based siblings, a sister and a brother. His brother Jason, is producer of 2008 Sundance selected film 'Downloading Nancy' starring Jason Patric and Maria Bello.
singles charts, and reached the top ten of the Australian urban and dance charts.
The second single, "What Chu Want", was released in late 2003. It reached the Australian top 10 in February 2004, and went gold.
His album J-Wess Presents Tha LP was released on 5 April 2004 and debuted in the Australian top 20 album charts of 12 April 2004, peaking at #19.
A third single, "Luv Ya", debuted at #15 on 7 June, and was written about the encounters J-Wess had with an exotic waitress he met at a surbuban melbourne cafe. 2004.
A fourth single "Fantasy" was planned, with a music video filmed, but due to the "Luv Ya" and "Tha LP" not selling to their expectations, Fantasy was scrapped.
J-Wess had announced his new single 'Anything For You' from his upcoming album "The Director's Cut". The single was released on June 10.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia. His sole album, J-Wess Presents Tha LP
J Wess Presents Tha LP
J Wess Presents Tha LP is the debut album of American-Australian urban musician J-Wess, released in April 2004. The album has made the top twenty of the Australian album charts and three songs from the album "Bang This", "What Chu Want" and "Luv Ya" have been hits in Australia.-Making of the...
, reached the top twenty in Australia in 2004, and included three hit singles.
Early years
J-Wess was born in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and played basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
) while studying business finance at college. In 1999, J-Wess was invited to Australia to train with the Gold Coast Rollers
Gold Coast Rollers
The Gold Coast Rollers were an Australian basketball team, that played in Gold Coast, Queensland, in the National Basketball League. The team was originally named the Gold Coast Cougars before being renamed the Rollers in 1992. The team was one of only two teams from the state of Queensland when it...
, a National Basketball League
National Basketball League (Australia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
team based on the Gold Coast, Australia. The Gold Coast Rollers folded shortly after he arrived and he moved to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
to play with the Woodville Warriors and the South Adelaide Panthers in the subsidiary Australian Basketball Association
Australian Basketball Association
The Australian Basketball Association, often abbreviated to the ABA, is the second-tiered semi-professional men's and women's basketball minor leagues in Australia which sit under the professional National Basketball League and Women's National Basketball League .The ABA is representative of the...
.
J-Wess has 2 younger L.A based siblings, a sister and a brother. His brother Jason, is producer of 2008 Sundance selected film 'Downloading Nancy' starring Jason Patric and Maria Bello.
Music career
In the middle of 2003, J-Wess's first single, "Bang This", was released. It garnered airplay on Australian radio and Australian video programs, peaked at #18 on the ARIAAustralian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
singles charts, and reached the top ten of the Australian urban and dance charts.
The second single, "What Chu Want", was released in late 2003. It reached the Australian top 10 in February 2004, and went gold.
His album J-Wess Presents Tha LP was released on 5 April 2004 and debuted in the Australian top 20 album charts of 12 April 2004, peaking at #19.
A third single, "Luv Ya", debuted at #15 on 7 June, and was written about the encounters J-Wess had with an exotic waitress he met at a surbuban melbourne cafe. 2004.
A fourth single "Fantasy" was planned, with a music video filmed, but due to the "Luv Ya" and "Tha LP" not selling to their expectations, Fantasy was scrapped.
J-Wess had announced his new single 'Anything For You' from his upcoming album "The Director's Cut". The single was released on June 10.
Singles
- Bang ThisBang This"Bang This" is a pop-R&B song released by American-Australian urban artist J-Wess as the lead single from his debut album, J-Wess Presents Tha LP . "Bang This" was written by J. Essex and A. Gardner and produced by J-Wess himself. "Bang this" features vocals from Kulaia and rapper Digga...
(2003) #18 AUS - What Chu WantWhat Chu Want"What Chu Want" is a Pop-R&B song performed by American-Australian urban artist J-Wess featuring Kulaia, Lolly and MC Digga. The single was released in late-2003 as the second single from his debut album, J-Wess Presents Tha LP...
(2003) #10 AUS - Luv YaLuv Ya"Luv Ya" is a Pop/R&B song released by American-Australian Urban artist J-Wess in early 2004, from his album "J-Wess Presents Tha LP" . "Luv Ya" also features vocals by Kulaia and MC Digga who both also appeared on J-Wess' previous singles "Bang This" and "What Chu Want"...
(2004) #15 AUS - "Fantasy" (2004)
- "Anything for You" (2009)