Jim Jones: Building a Hip Hop Cult out of the Bronx

Jim Jones is one of these rap stars who has more beefs with folks than songs on the radio, but hey, that only means that he is too legit to quit. So no disrespect hear for the rapper originally called (by his mother) Joseph Guillermo Jones. We only have love for Jim Jones and are all about getting ready to share it with you.

For starters the Aruban-Puerto Rican-American comes straight out of the projects of the Bronx, which says a lot right there about how tough he must be. In fact, he supposedly is a member of the Bloods-the 9 Trey Gangster Bloods to be exact, out of Harlem and the Bronx.

But we're talking hip hop here, not gang banging, right? So let's get to it. Joseph Guillermo Jones first claim to fame in the business was that he was the promoter of sorts for Cameron Giles, aka Cam'ron. He did more than just look out for his buddy though. Jim Jones also was there to get in some rhymes on Cam's first album, called "Confessions of Fire. Jim Jones guest MCed on the song "Me, My Moms, and Jimmy."

Mixing His Own Kool-Aid

Jim Jones and Cam stuck around for another album, Cam's "S.D.E." The two were so tight that in 1998 they formed the group called the Diplomats. Sure, it wasn't until 2002 that they got their first record distribution deal, with Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records, but who is counting?

It was that year, after all, that the first solo Jim Jones album came out, called "On My Way to Church." The album had the Diplomat touch to it, and other hip hop stars joined in to help Jim Jones out as well, including Bizzy Bone, Lil Flip, and The Game.

Following that album, the second Jim Jones record came out the following year in 2005, called " Harlem: Diary of a Summer." Expect more out of him coming soon. Joseph Guillermo Jones the businessman signed a new record deal in 2007, with Columbia Records and his own production company, called Jones Family Productions.

Jonesing for Trouble

What about all that talk about mischief and trouble? Well, I'm getting to that. Hold your horses, as old people still like to say. The question is more, where do we start with all of the Jim Jones controversies. For starters, he's had a running argument with Tru-Life. This might have stemmed from a problem that Cam was having with Jay-Z. Jay-Z, you see, signed Tru-Life to Roc-La-Familia. It also didn't help that Jim Jones called out Jay-Z about doing his job at Def Jam.

Like I said, I wouldn't mess with a Blood from the Bronx, especially one not scared of taking on one of the biggest producers on the East Coast.

Jim Jones is even having issues with his old bud Cam, seemingly over the fact that Jim Jones has been running with 50 Cent and he's tired of hearing it from Cam. Let's hope the Diplomats can sign a treaty someday.

From Jim Jones to Hip Hop Music