J. Onyx

James Phillips, best known as J. Onyx. This young prodigy has always had natural skills and talent, he just needed a platform to showcase himself. He grew up in the arts and has always had a love for all things music. Most would describe his distinct style of music as a mixture of lyricism, and contemporary storytelling, all coming together into conscious rap.

As a child, his grandmother would play James Brown and sing and dance with him around the house, this sparked his love of music. As he grew older and learned more about the different styles of music, he found himself listening to Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and Common. Hearing them rap ignited an interest in rapping and songwriting.

His dedication is inspiring and is what keeps him ahead of the rest. He uses the things he goes through on a daily basis and his love for creating to motivate him to succeed. He’s learned how to evolve and expand his mindset to keep himself focused on getting the job done and following his dreams. He refuses to give up on his dream because there is no alternative for him, so he does all that he needs to stay dedicated to making it work against all odds and obstacles. Always making time for it and is willing to lose sleep to accomplish his goals.

His biggest supporter in his corner is Marcus ”Ewokiez” Phillips, his older brother, who partially founded iCONiC Records, LLC, in support of James, stating, “There's no excuse not to work with family.” James said he wouldn’t be able to do this without him, and he’s glad to have that kind of love and motivation in his life. He’s inspired by knowing that he has a gift and that he can share it with the world, in a way that is unique to him.