J-Diggs

J-Diggs (Jamal Diggs) is a prolific Bay Area rapper and co-CEO of Thizz Entertainment, the influential label founded by the late Mac Dre that became instrumental in popularizing the style of hip-hop known as hyphy. As with many hyphy artists, Diggs' gruff yet laidback raps are typically focused on subjects such as fast cars/motorcycles, drugs, sex, and city life, highlighted on releases such as Da Bad (2009), California Livin', Pt. 3 (2016), and #90DayHouseArrestProject (2018). Active since the mid-'90s, J-Diggs, a native of Vallejo, California, has released well over a dozen solo and collaborative albums in addition to guesting on releases by his mentor Mac Dre as well as fellow Thizz artists including Little Bruce, Mac Mall, and Mistah F.A.B. He has also contributed to releases by collectives Crest Creepaz and Thizz Nation. His solo discography starts in 1999 with Both Sides of the Gate. In 2005, he released California Livin', Pt. 2, a sequel to Mac Dre's 1999 album. Four years later, Diggs' solo output grew considerably with a trilogy of separate albums titled Da Good, Da Bad, and Da Ugly. All Gas!! and No Brakes!! were simultaneously released in 2014, a year that also saw the arrival of Montana Montana Montana's Diggs-presented debut album, Really Not a Rapper, and yet another Diggs release, Soul of a Gangsta. California Livin', Pt. 3: Chasin' My Dreams was issued in 2016. Within two years, Diggs presented a sequel to Really Not a Rapper and also put together #90DayHouseArrestProject with over two-dozen featured guests, from Bay Area veterans (Spice 1) to newcomers (Phatt Black). ~ Paul Simpson