J.Havana

Redwood City is where it all started. On a December day of 1982, J.Havana took his first breath of fresh, smoggy California air. Before Jae was brought into this world, his parents came into the United States in search of the American Dream. Just as many refugees have done in the past and continue to do so today, hopes of creating a future in the land of opportunity was one of the goals his parents worked for. Briefly living in Palo Alto, his family shifted out to the city of Sunnyvale during his childhood years. After living throughout the bay area, his family decided to relocate into the progressive Central Valley town of Modesto, California. He ended up living out the rest of his younger years in Westside Modesto despite its chaotic street life. Like many cities across the United States, it is a town where many of his friends fell apart throughout the harsh realities of gangbanging, drugs, early pregnancy, incarceration, or death. Jae admits that it was these obstacles that helped him realize that he did not want to end up as another product of his environment. Music became an essential part of his escape.

He first discovered rap when he started listening to West Coast pioneers such as NWA, Souls of Mischief, and Snoop Dogg. But it was not until the sounds of Warren G's "G-Funk Era" where Jae developed his love for rap music. Even as his mother disapproved of his choice of music, it didn't stop him from getting into works of classical rap. Overall, any type of music that is essential for every emcee was most likely to be found in Jae's tape deck. Hip-hop became more than just music he listened to. The music became his passion. Writing his first song, Jae Havana realized that his love for hip-hop could instill inspiration and truth. Learning from the greats, he figured out that he had the lyrical prowess to create rap music that various people can relate to.