Jay Versace
{{short description|American record producer and former internet personality}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Jay Versace
| birth_name = Jahlil Gunter
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|01|24}}
| origin = Pleasantville, New Jersey, U.S.
| occupation = Record producer
| genre = {{nowrap|{{hlist|Hip hop|boom bap}}}}
| image =
| years_active = 2014–present
}}
Jahlil Gunter{{Cite web |last=Darville |first=Jordan |date=September 22, 2023 |title=Read the credits for Doja Cat's new album Scarlet |url=https://www.thefader.com/2023/09/22/doja-cat-new-album-scarlet-credits-stream |access-date=September 24, 2023 |website=The Fader}} (born January 24, 1998),{{Cite web |last=Osborne |first=Susanna |date=January 24, 2022 |title=Happy Birthday: Jay Versace's Seamless Transition From Social Media Star To Executive Producer On Tyler, The Creator's Album |url=https://globalgrind.com/5078569/jay-versaces-seamless-transition-from-social-media-star-to-executive-producer-on-tyler-the-creators-album/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422095802/https://globalgrind.com/5078569/jay-versaces-seamless-transition-from-social-media-star-to-executive-producer-on-tyler-the-creators-album/ |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 22, 2023 |website=Global Grind |publisher=iOne Digital}} known professionally as Jay Versace, is an American record producer and former Internet personality.{{Cite web |last=Rodrigues |first=Ashwin |date=May 13, 2020 |title=How Vine Star Jay Versace Became a Rap Producer |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-vine-star-jay-versace-became-a-rap-producer/ |access-date=April 18, 2023 |website=Vice |archive-date=April 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418180514/https://www.vice.com/en/article/m7jj33/how-vine-star-jay-versace-became-a-rap-producer |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Wallace |first=Riley |date=September 4, 2020 |title=Griselda Collaborator & Social Influencer Jay Versace Is Paving The Way For Queer Hip Hop Producers — & He Knows It |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.57703/title.griselda-collaborator-social-influencer-jay-versace-is-paving-the-way-for-queer-hip-hop-producers-he-knows-it |access-date=April 18, 2023 |website=HipHopDX |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423004952/https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.57703/title.griselda-collaborator-social-influencer-jay-versace-is-paving-the-way-for-queer-hip-hop-producers-he-knows-it |url-status=live }} He began posting comedy videos onto Vine as a teenager, and amassed over three million followers on the platform{{Cite web |last=Cahill |first=Ryan |date=April 20, 2018 |title=Jay Versace interview: "I want to be free of sexuality and not boxed in as a guy who's gay" |url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/jay-versace-interview/ |access-date=April 18, 2023 |website=Gay Times |archive-date=April 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418180514/https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/jay-versace-interview/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Hawkins |first=Erica |date=June 17, 2020 |title=Jay Versace Is Living The American Dream, 2.0 |url=http://www.ladygunn.com/culture/jay-versace-is-living-the-american-dream-2-0/ |access-date=April 18, 2023 |website=Ladygunn |archive-date=April 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418180515/http://www.ladygunn.com/culture/jay-versace-is-living-the-american-dream-2-0/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Starling |first=Lakin |date=July 12, 2016 |title=How Jay Versace Became The Funniest Teenager On The Internet |url=https://www.thefader.com/2016/07/12/jay-versace-comedian-interview |access-date=April 22, 2023 |website=The Fader |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423154601/https://www.thefader.com/2016/07/12/jay-versace-comedian-interview |url-status=live }} before shifting focus onto a career in music production in 2018.{{Cite web |last=Rose |first=Jordan |date=August 4, 2020 |title=Beats, Blackness, and Revolution: A Conversation With Jay Versace |url=https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/jay-versace-interview-682935/ |access-date=April 21, 2023 |website=Vibe |archive-date=April 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421154832/https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/jay-versace-interview-682935/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Nwanji |first=Ngozi |date=December 9, 2022 |title=Jay Versace Went From The Face Of Popular Memes To Producer On SZA's Highly Anticipated 'SOS' |url=https://afrotech.com/jay-versace-social-media-to-producer |access-date=April 18, 2023 |website=AfroTech |archive-date=April 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418180515/https://afrotech.com/jay-versace-social-media-to-producer |url-status=live }} He has since been credited on the Billboard 200-number one albums SOS (2022) by SZA{{Cite magazine |last=Conteh |first=Mankaprr |date=December 12, 2022 |title=How Jay Versace Got SZA to Talk Her Shit on 'SOS' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/jay-versace-sza-new-album-interview-1234645412/ |access-date=April 18, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-date=January 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127111244/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/jay-versace-sza-new-album-interview-1234645412/ |url-status=live }} and Call Me If You Get Lost (2021) by Tyler, the Creator—both of which also won Grammy Awards.{{Cite web |last=Bloom |first=Madison |date=June 25, 2021 |title=Tyler, the Creator Releases New Album Call Me If You Get Lost |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/tyler-the-creator-releases-new-album-call-me-if-you-get-lost-listen/ |access-date=April 21, 2023 |website=Pitchfork |archive-date=April 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421160725/https://pitchfork.com/news/tyler-the-creator-releases-new-album-call-me-if-you-get-lost-listen/ |url-status=live }} His other work includes songs for Doja Cat, Lil Yachty, Boldy James, and Westside Gunn.
Early life
Versace is from Pleasantville, New Jersey.{{Cite magazine |last=Holmes |first=Charles |date=May 12, 2020 |title=From Memes to Music: How Jay Versace Landed On a Westside Gunn Album |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/how-jay-versace-got-on-a-westside-gunn-album-988466/ |url-status=live |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418180514/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/how-jay-versace-got-on-a-westside-gunn-album-988466/ |archive-date=April 18, 2023 |access-date=April 18, 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Sheppard |first=Elena |date=May 30, 2018 |title=This aspiring comedian got famous by making people laugh in six seconds |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/aspiring-comedian-got-famous-making-people-laugh-six-seconds-222611466.html |access-date=April 22, 2023 |website=Yahoo! Life |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422141808/https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/aspiring-comedian-got-famous-making-people-laugh-six-seconds-222611466.html |url-status=live }} His moniker was inspired by a Vine video in which American rapper Riff Raff feeds his dog "Versace water from the fountain of life".
Career
= 2014–2017: Social media career =
In 2014, Versace began making comedic videos onto the video-sharing platform Vine, usually involving reenactments of certain scenarios involving his family members, friends, and entertainers. His work was also noted to involve the amplification of the spirituality, creativity, and mental health of black people.{{Cite news |last=Hughes |first=Jazmine |date=October 31, 2016 |title=Vine Dries Up. Black Humor Loses a Home |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/01/arts/vine-jay-versace-black-culture.html |access-date=April 22, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422132303/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/01/arts/vine-jay-versace-black-culture.html |url-status=live }} He relocated to Los Angeles in 2016 at the age of 18. He was nominated for Viner of the Year at the 8th Shorty Awards.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Ashley |date=April 11, 2016 |title=Shorty Awards: The Complete Winners List |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/shorty-awards-2016-winners-full-882622/ |access-date=April 22, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-date=April 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403210055/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/shorty-awards-2016-winners-full-882622 |url-status=live }} Versace had amassed over three million followers and two billion total views on Vine before the platform was discontinued in January 2017. Thereafter, he turned to other social media platforms, amassing 2 million followers on Instagram and 500,000 subscribers on YouTube. He also starred alongside American actors Danielle Campbell and Nathan Kress in his own Fullscreen web series, Jay Versace is Stuck in the 90s,{{Cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=August 15, 2017 |title=Fullscreen Sets Fall Slate: Shows Starring Jay Versace, Danielle Campbell, Nathan Kress |url=https://deadline.com/2017/08/fullscreen-sets-fall-slate-jay-versace-danielle-campbell-nathan-kress-1202149339/ |access-date=April 22, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422131309/https://deadline.com/2017/08/fullscreen-sets-fall-slate-jay-versace-danielle-campbell-nathan-kress-1202149339/ |url-status=live }} which was nominated for Best Web Series at the 10th Shorty Awards.{{Cite web |last=Ramos |first=Dino-Ray |date=January 16, 2018 |title=Shorty Awards Nominees: Tiffany Haddish, Lena Waithe Among Those Recognized For Social Media Excellence |url=https://deadline.com/2018/01/shorty-awards-tiffany-hadish-lena-waithe-tracee-ellis-ross-cardi-b-lebron-james-1202243565/ |access-date=April 22, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=February 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227034448/http://deadline.com/2018/01/shorty-awards-tiffany-hadish-lena-waithe-tracee-ellis-ross-cardi-b-lebron-james-1202243565/ |url-status=live }} Versace signed a representation contract with United Talent Agency in January 2018,{{Cite web |date=January 18, 2018 |title=Comedian And Actor Jay Versace Signs With UTA |url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2018/01/18/jay-versace-signs-with-uta/ |access-date=April 22, 2023 |website=Tubefilter |language=en-US |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422141349/https://www.tubefilter.com/2018/01/18/jay-versace-signs-with-uta/ |first=Geoff|last=Weiss|url-status=live }} and then was slated to feature alongside American internet personality Miles McKenna in an eight-part web series by Portal A Interactive titled My Wizard & Me, yet this did not come to fruition.{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Geoff |date=July 24, 2017 |title=Portal A Unveils Eight-Series Slate Featuring Jay Versace, Miles McKenna |url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2017/07/24/portal-a-8-series-slate-jay-versace-miles-mckenna/ |access-date=April 22, 2023 |website=Tubefilter |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422141349/https://www.tubefilter.com/2017/07/24/portal-a-8-series-slate-jay-versace-miles-mckenna/ |url-status=live }}
= 2018–present: Music career =
Versace started experimenting with music production for the first time in May 2018, with help from his musician friends Knxwledge and Pink Siifu. He began posting atmospheric, lo-fi music instrumentals to his SoundCloud account. Versace approached American rapper Westside Gunn and asked to work together, before the latter discovered his account and ended up using one of Versace's first-ever songs on his own album, Pray for Paris (2020), titling the track "Versace".{{Cite web |last=Setario |first=Shawn |date=August 14, 2020 |title=How Boldy James Made His Griselda Debut With Help From Jay Versace and Westside Gunn |url=https://www.complex.com/music/2020/08/boldy-james-westside-gunn-jay-versace-interview |access-date=April 22, 2023 |website=Complex |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422141337/https://www.complex.com/music/2020/08/boldy-james-westside-gunn-jay-versace-interview |url-status=live }} He then produced all tracks on the mixtape, The Versace Tape (2020) by American rapper Boldy James, which became Boldy's first-ever release on Griselda Records in August 2020.{{Cite web |last=Threadcraft |first=Torry |date=August 6, 2020 |title=Boldy James Announces 'The Versace Tape,' Produced By Jay Versace - Okayplayer |url=https://www.okayplayer.com/music/boldy-james-versace-tape.html,%20https://www.okayplayer.com/music/boldy-james-versace-tape.html |access-date=April 22, 2023 |website=Okayplayer |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426121814/https://www.okayplayer.com/music/boldy-james-versace-tape.html |url-status=live }} In March 2021, Versace contributed a remix version of the song "Lay_Up.m4a" by Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats to the duo's remix album, Unlocked 1.5 (2021).{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Joe |date=March 5, 2021 |title=Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats Release 'Unlocked 1.5' Project f/ Benny the Butcher, Joey Badass, and More |url=https://www.complex.com/music/denzel-curry-kenny-beats-unlocked-15 |access-date=April 22, 2023 |website=Complex |archive-date=April 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416230358/https://www.complex.com/music/denzel-curry-kenny-beats-unlocked-15 |url-status=live }} He also produced the song "Safari" off of American rapper Tyler, the Creator's sixth studio album Call Me If You Get Lost (2021), which won the award for Best Rap Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. Released in August 2022, the track "On God" by American rappers Meechy Darko, Freddie Gibbs and A-Trak, which was co-produced by Versace and Dot da Genius.{{Cite magazine |last=Blistein |first=Jon |date=August 3, 2022 |title=Flatbush Zombies' Meechy Darko Teams With Freddie Gibbs, A-Trak for New Song 'On God' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/flatbush-zombies-meechy-darko-teams-freddie-gibbs-a-trak-for-new-song-on-god-1392399/ |access-date=April 22, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426121705/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/flatbush-zombies-meechy-darko-teams-freddie-gibbs-a-trak-for-new-song-on-god-1392399/ |url-status=live }} Versace then produced the songs "SOS" and "Smoking on My Ex Pack" from American singer SZA's second studio album, SOS (2022), which earned him critical acclaim and commercial success. SZA credits her first attempts at rap music to Versace, who encouraged her to "talk her shit".
Personal life
Versace came out as queer via a Snapchat post in 2016, claiming that "I love people in general idgaf what gender you are".{{Cite web |last=Hamedy |first=Saba |date=September 28, 2016 |title=Vine star Jay Versace opens up about his sexuality in a Snap |url=https://mashable.com/article/jay-versace-vine-sexuality |access-date=April 21, 2023 |website=Mashable |archive-date=April 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421160726/https://mashable.com/article/jay-versace-vine-sexuality |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=McNamara |first=Brittney |date=September 27, 2016 |title=Vine Star Jay Versace Comes Out to Fans About His Sexuality |url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/vine-jay-versace-comes-out-sexuality |access-date=April 21, 2023 |website=Teen Vogue |archive-date=April 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421160726/https://www.teenvogue.com/story/vine-jay-versace-comes-out-sexuality |url-status=live }} His mother, Nikesha Dolly Gunter, died of illness in May 2022.{{Cite web |last=Cole |first=Ty |date=May 24, 2022 |title=Fans Come To Jay Versace Defense After Social Media Star Posts A GoFundMe Page For Mother's Memorial |url=https://www.bet.com/article/5mbol4/jay-versace-opens-go-fund-me-account-for-mother-memorial |access-date=April 21, 2023 |website=BET |archive-date=April 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421162228/https://www.bet.com/article/5mbol4/jay-versace-opens-go-fund-me-account-for-mother-memorial |url-status=live }}
Production discography
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year | Artist | Album | Song |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="12" | 2020 | Westside Gunn | Pray for Paris | "Versace" |
| rowspan="9" | Boldy James | rowspan="9" | The Versace Tape | "Maria" | |
| "Nu Wave" | |||
| "Cartier" (featuring ElCamino) | |||
| "Brick Van Exel" | |||
| "Long Live Julio" | |||
| "Monte Criso" | |||
| "Cardinal Sin" | |||
| "Bentayga" | |||
| "Roxycontin" (featuring Keisha Plum, Tiona Deniece and Westside Gunn) | |||
| Pink Siifu and Fly Anakin | FlySiifu's | "Mind Right" | |
| Lil Yachty | Lil Boat 3.5 | "Lil Diamond Boy" {{Small|(bonus track)}} | |
| rowspan = "4" | 2021 | Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats | Unlocked 1.5 | "Lay_Up.m4a (Jay Versace Version)" |
| Patrick Paige II | If I Fail Are We Still Cool? | "Who Am I | |
| Tyler, the Creator | Call Me If You Get Lost | "Safari" {{Small|(co-produced with Tyler, the Creator)}} | |
| Westside Gunn | Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B | "Free Kutter" (featuring Jay Electronica) | |
| rowspan="6" | 2022 | Fly Anakin | Frank | "Bag Man" |
| Draft Day | {{n/a|Non-album single}} | "How Far Will I Go" (featuring Lil Yachty) | |
| Xavier Omär | b l u r r | "A Dream" | |
| Meechy Darko | Gothic Luxury | "On God" (featuring A-Trak and Freddie Gibbs) {{Small|(co-produced with Dot Da Genius)}} | |
| rowspan="2" | SZA | rowspan="2" | SOS | "SOS" | |
| "Smoking on My Ex Pack" | |||
| rowspan="5" | 2023 | rowspan="2" | Summer Walker | rowspan="2" | Clear 2: Soft Life | "Pull Up" |
| "New Type" (featuring Childish Gambino) | |||
| rowspan="3" | Doja Cat | rowspan="3" | Scarlet | "97" | |
| "Often" | |||
| "Love Life" | |||
| rowspan="2" | 2024 | Vince Staples | Dark Times | "Étouffée" |
| FLO | Access All Areas | "Caught Up" |
Awards and nominations
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs artist|artist=Jay Versace}}
- {{AllMusic|id=mn0003999896}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Versace, Jay}}
Category:People from Pleasantville, New Jersey
Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people
Category:21st-century American musicians
Category:21st-century African-American musicians
Category:21st-century American comedians
Category:LGBTQ record producers
Category:American LGBTQ songwriters
Category:African-American LGBTQ people
Category:African-American male comedians
Category:African-American comedians
Category:American male comedians
Category:Record producers from New Jersey
Category:American hip-hop record producers
Category:American Vine (service) celebrities
Category:American comedy YouTubers
Category:Comedians from Atlantic County, New Jersey