EBK Jaaybo has become a force to be reckoned with on the West Coast.
His haunting concepts and aggressive cadences from his latest album may strike fear in the hearts of unsuspecting listeners. Yet, to the hundreds of thousands of fans who know his music well, the Stockton native is a family man and dedicated artist who's been traumatized by his life in the streets and devastating loss.
Jaaybo, born Jaymani Gorman, recently shed light on the internal darkness that clouds his brain on his brand-new project, The Reaper. The album could easily be the latest entry in Hip-Hop's everlasting horrorcore genre thanks to bone-chilling bangers like "Satanic" and "Straight To Hell."
"I ain't write none of them songs or nothing," Jaaybo tells iHeartRadio about making the album. "I just went in there and just went crazy. I was fresh out. I had so much to say and so much on my mind that I couldn't express. I was in jail. A n***a just hit the booth and went crazy and it just turned out to be phenomenal."
At its core, The Reaper is full of genuine reflections on his real-life experiences in the streets that impacted his life and made him into the man he is today. Don't let the creepy title fool you. The 21-track LP may have some haunting metaphors, but Jaaybo uses his music to vent about the things he's seen and the trauma he's been through. His ability to convert his authentic lyrics about pain and suffering into an enticing body of work makes him stand out more than any other rising act in California.
Jaaybo instantly rips the band-aid off his wounds with the sentimental intro "Pops Punch Me In" featuring an appearance from his late father James Gorman. His dad, who was also an artist who rapped under the name "Rrari," was shot and killed in 2015. He continues to make confessions about his grueling past in songs like "I Was Just A Child," in which he reflects on the first time he saw a dead body on the pavement. Jaaybo also raps about the PTSD he has from hearing gunshots in "Kaboom."
The Reaper arrived on EBK Jaaybo's 21st birthday as he sat behind bars at the San Joaquin County Jail. He recorded the album before he turned himself in earlier this year. He was charged with illegal firearm possession by a felon. It's the seventh bid he's served since his first run-in with police at age 14.
While behind bars, Jaaybo's team helped him select and drop singles like "Probably Cursed" and the album's lead single "Boogieman." Jaaybo initially objected to releasing the latter record — in fact, he was "adamant on not dropping that motherf**ker." Fortunately, "Boogieman" became an instant hit and turned out to be the most successful track on the album. The song amassed over 72 million streams across multiple streaming platforms and its accompanying music video racked up 11 million views on YouTube. His family and manager Donte West, who has watched him flourish from childhood into adulthood, describes him as a "generational talent" who's dedicated to perfecting his craft.
"He's really excited to get back into real-life mode," West says. "He makes so much good music but I think you guys will see an opportunity of Jaaybo really opening up his craft and versatility with heartfelt music which he'll sell forever. I really think fans will see how versatile he is. His head is on straight. I really do believe Jaaybo is gonna flourish in this next round of freedom because he's going to have an opportunity to put the criminal past behind him and look forward to just growing and delivering for his fans and himself."
In between his brief periods of freedom, Jaaybo's main goal has always been to provide for his two sons and family with earnings from his music. During our conversation, we spoke to EBK Jaaybo about dropping his new album while behind bars, some of the powerful songs on the LP and how he's spending his time behind bars. He also speaks about what he plans to do when he gets out of jail including a new album and a tour in 2025.
Peace Jaaybo! First of all, happy birthday. You just turned 21. All circumstances aside, how did you spend your day?
I really didn't even do nothing. I called my family and s**t and they was telling me about my album growing up and s**t bro. So that really meant a lot to a n***a for the birthday bro, to see that my album was on the charts
It did great! You did a lot better than some artists.
That's what I'm saying bro. So that's really all I got to do on a birthday. I couldn't indulge in too much because of my deal. But most definitely got to see the album go up and see that people was f**king with my s**t bro. That meant a lot to me. That's really all I needed on my birthday bro. Have a n***a feeling good.
That's great man. I know this isn't your first time around but how's your mental doing?
I'm doing good. Just got to keep my head up in this motherf**ker and just move accordingly. There be times when a n***a's stressing that s**t, but it's the good s**t going on in my life overpowers the stress. I'm keeping my head up and stay in programs. Stay going to class. So I'm just occupied.
What kind of classes are you doing in there?
I got a little SAP program. It takes off 21 days. It's supposed to be a drug program but it's like they don't teach you about staying off drugs. They just teach you about life skills or how to talk to people, communication skills and just s**t to stay out of jail. I'm in all programs so I ain't in this motherf**ker sitting around not doing nothing.
What else are you doing to pass the time?
I write music, listen to music. Really just up game planning, you feel me? It's the only time I really got to myself to think like once I hit them streets again I got to put everything I'm thinking about in effect. This the best time to really think, get the game plan and then do that s**t once I get home. I spent a lot of my time thinking.
You've probably cooked up a couple of ideas by now. What have you been thinking about as far as music goes?
Yeah when I come home I really just want to perfect my craft with this music bro. With this next album that I drop, I want to really show the world that —— I know the world know I could really rap, but I feel like I haven't even put my all in this s**t yet. I know probably to a lot of people it seems like a n***a really be rapping but it's like I been in and out of jail, focused on the streets. I'm telling myself if I could do a year in jail bro and do all these years in jail, imagine if I spent not even a year, a few months. I ain't even ever spent a few months taking music serious. I always take music serious for this long, double back to this, go back to music, double back to this. But I'm telling myself, if I just focus on this music s**t for a period of time and put my all in this. I put my alll in the s**t that don't matter bro. I'll be great.
I feel you on that. As long as you put effort into it then you're going to succeed. You've done great so far so imagine if you put all that energy into it.
That's what I'm saying. It's getting serious. It's life changing now. It's not like it's how it just was. It's like I was going crazy but it wasn't life-changing yet. Now it's life changing. I got the chance to really be great. I was already great though, but a n***a got a chance to be one of the greats so I'm finna take advantage of this little opportunity I got and try to perfect my craft and give it my all even if I don't plan on doing it for my whole life bro. I'm going to make sure this next run legendary.
I think you put your all into the new album. You got 21 songs on there. Talk about making of the album. Was it already basically done before you went in? How did you put that all together?
I got that out the way immediately because I knew I was going to have to turn myself in. So it's like as soon as I got out I was just hitting the studio, going to shows and hitting the studio. My set goal was already to make an album. So it's like I just went in the studio. I ain't write none of them songs or nothing. I just went in there and just went crazy. I was fresh out, I had so much to say and so much on my mind that I couldn't express. I was in jail. A n***a just hit the booth and went crazy and it just turned out to be phenomenal.
You've had a lot of success with your song "Boogieman." Talk about making that song and your reaction after it blew up.
I really didn't drop it, if you want me to be honest, I was adamant on not dropping that motherf**ker like "Man we ain't dropping this. We need to drop something else." But they ended up dropping it and it was the most viewed video that I ever dropped on my YouTube in a day. Then it just starts going crazy. In a month, it had 3 million or something. I'm just seeing how crazy it was going bro. My mom telling me about it and the numbers that it was doing. That s**t really meant a lot to a n***a bro. It's like the background that I come from... n***as from my city don't get that type of chance. It's n***as from my city that got that chance, but they wasn't on what we was on. They just made a song and blew up. We really was on that. We really came from that background who we rapping about. We really had seen some s**t and have been through some s**t bro that made us this way. So it's like when n***as like us make it, it hit different. The s**t that's happening for me —— its rare so I'm grateful for it. That's why I'm humble about it and I move a certain way. I move how I move and interact with my fans how I interact with 'em bro because I can't act like I'm better than nobody. I still know what I came from.
I feel like your fans understand you, and that's what's important. They see and hear how authentic you are and they're putting you up there with the greats. I don't know if you know about this, but have you seen the mashup with "Boogieman" and Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us"?
What's the mashup?
It's your verse from "Boogieman" over the "Not Like Us" instrumental. It's a mashup I saw on the timeline. How do you even feel getting that kind of comparison from your fans?
Man, a n***a grateful though on the dead homies. Like I said, n***as don't get these type of opportunities bro. So just to even be brought up in a conversation with someone like Kendrick Lamar that's a main n***a, you feel me? I'm just from Stockton and then he's been all across the world. I ain't been nowhere on the dead homies. So just to be brought up in that conversation, it's an accomplishment for me. So I'm grateful
I'm going to try and pull it up just so you can hear it. *Plays mashup*
On dead homies, I ain't never heard that. That's fire for sure.
I feel like this isn't even your best co-sign though. You've had artists like Chris Brown post your music and athletes like Ryan Garcia acknowledge you too. What do these co-signs mean to you?
Yeah that's respectable. I grew up reciting a little Chris Brown. On the damn homie I was on that, "I don't know your name but excuse me miss..." For him to post some of my s**t. That's major though. And Ryan Garcia, he boxing, he got millions of views. That's the shit that they don't got to do bro. But that just tell you a lot about their character too. Real recognize real. So I appreciate it though.
Word I hope you get to connect with them as soon as you get out man that would be crazy man. What would you say are the most important songs on the new album?
"Pops Punch Me In," and "Lost Inside a Graveyard." Them two songs had sentimental value to me. "Pops Punch Me In" really meant a lot because at the beginning it's my pops. He like "Man I'm finna punch him in. Watch what he do." Then I start rapping. That's why I call it "Pops Punch Me In" because it's kind of like as if my pops was recording me. That's my pop speaking. That song really has sentimental value. Then, at the end, it's my pops like "Man he took off too fast. He went over the speed limit." That's my pop's voice doing that s**t. And what I'm talking about, it kind of makes sense because I'm like "Baby I lost my mind when my brother died." My brother just died while I was in here. I wasn't talking about my brother that died while being in here. I wasn't talking about him, but it kind of makes sense though. So it's like that song really mean a lot to a n***a bro. I like that song. I really love that song.
It's powerful song. My condolences to you. I know you lost a couple of people like your father, your mentor Young Slo-Be and your brother EBK Osama. It must be tough to deal with all that loss especially while you're jammed up in here.
For sure. I appreciate that bro. I just got to stand tall. It's a time and place for everything. It's time and places to mourn but it's like that's why I get time like this where I could get all that out the way. So when I hit the streets, I can be strong for the family and that's all it is bro. This s**t just comes with wins and losses. This is what I signed up for. So it's like it ain't nothing wrong with stress, ain't crying or none of that but it's like at the end of the day I still got to look at the bigger picture bro. It ain't over. It ain't never over.
At least your time in here is almost over. You got about four months or so left in here. What are your plans after that? What's the first thing you're going to do when you get out?
I'm going to take my mama on vacation. She deserves it. I got the kids, my sons. I'm going to take them on vacation. That's first thing first bro. I got to make sure the fam is good and I'm going to get in that booth. Wherever I decide to go, I'm going to get in that studio bro. I'm going to clear my mind. I got to get my mind right because it's easy to get my mind right in here when a n***a in a situation where I gotta think. But once I get out there and get all that freedom back again, I might start overlooking all the s**t that I done been through and I don't want to do that. So I'm very adamant on getting out and watching the world from a distance like I'm doing now. You feel me? I could watch the world right now I'm from in jail but I feel like it'd be better if I'm in it doing it too. I just got to get out there because when I get out there it's going to be a whole different world. Even though I ain't been gone for that long, s**t still changed, you feel me? I got to get out there and get my mind right. That's the main objective because if my mind ain't right, the ship ain't going to flow.
Who do you think about working with as soon as you get out? Who's someone or multiple people that you'd want to work with?
I went to work with rap n***as that's on what we on. I tried to tap in with Ot7 Quanny, but he ain't tap back in yet but n***as like Ot7 Quanny and Lil Buckss. The Philadelphia n***as, like, them n***as hard dope. That's really it. I like Meek Mill. I'm a fan of Meek Mill music. Rylo Rodriguez and Lil Durk. Other than that I don't really be off a lot of rappers for real.
What about producers?
Probably DJ Mustard. A n***a want something with blood. And some singers. I'll do some s**t with some industry people that sing. I like Lil Zay Osama's s**t.
Is there anything else you want to say to fans before we wrap up?
To all my fans bro, to my supporters, I appreciate y'all bro, for supporting and not giving up on me. Even though I'm in a certain situation, at the end, y'all still rocking with me. So it's like I owe y'all one and you feel me to everybody out there, it don't matter if you in the streets bro. It don't matter where you at. Chase your dreams because a n***a like me bro. All odds stacked against me and I still made something out of myself. I'm in prison right now so I feel like anybody could do that s**t. On the dead homies, free [EBK Mad] Max, free [EBK Lil] Play and free [his manager] Dada.