Boldy James
Preferring a literate style over simple hooks or radio-friendly fodder, Detroit rapper Boldy James delivers sharply focused rhymes that describe drug deals in acute detail. Some of his best-received work, including 2013's My 1st Chemistry Set and 2020's The Price of Tea in China, has been produced by the Alchemist, whose minimalist production befits Boldy's cold, unflinching narratives. 2020's Manger on McNichols, a jazzy collaboration with Sterling Toles, represented a new height in his artistry. He followed it with the Griselda-issued The Versace Tape and further Alchemist productions such as 2021's Super Tecmo Bo. A prolific 2022 included efforts with Nicholas Craven (Fair Exchange No Robbery) and Cuns (Be That as It May).
Born in Atlanta but raised in Detroit, where his parents were originally from, James Clay Jones III established Boldy James as his stage name in tribute to his friend Boldy, who was murdered. The cousin of rapper/producer and Cool Kids member Chuck Inglish, Boldy made appearances on Cool Kids mixtapes before releasing his first tape, Trapper's Alley: Pros and Cons, in 2011. Consignment: Favor for a Favor, the Redi-Rock Mixtape followed in 2012, and the EP Grand Quarters preceded My 1st Chemistry Set, Boldy's Alchemist-produced studio debut, issued by Decon in 2013.
Boldy became one of the first signees to Nas' Mass Appeal Records in 2014. His output for the label included the 2015 mixtape Trapper's Alley 2: Risk vs. Reward, 2017 EP The Art of Rock Climbing, and 2017 mixtape House of Blues. He went independent with 2018's Live at the Roxy (Tabs & Caps), then linked back up with the Alchemist for 2019's Boldface EP and 2020's full-length The Price of Tea in China. Soon after the album was released, Buffalo-based Griselda Records announced that they had signed Boldy. Following Manger on McNichols, a jazzy and long-gestating LP made with producer Sterling Toles, Boldy released his Griselda debut, The Versace Tape. He capped off an especially prolific period with Real Bad Boldy, his fourth full-length project of 2020, self-issued by album collaborator Real Bad Man.
Two albums with the Alchemist, Bo Jackson and Super Tecmo Bo, were released in 2021. Numerous Boldy albums appeared in 2022. Killing Nothing, a second effort with Real Bad Man, appeared in May, followed in September by Fair Exchange No Robbery, with Nicholas Craven. Mr. Ten08, with Futurewave, was released in November, and the year closed with a collaboration with Cuns titled Be That as It May.
© Paul Simpson & David Jeffries /TiVo
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Prisoner of Circumstance
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Droppin Science Productions - Boldy James on Jun 9, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Indiana Jones
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Boldy James & RichGains on Jan 15, 2023
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Manger on McNichols
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Sector 7-G Recordings on Oct 9, 2020
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Penalty of Leadership
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Nicholas Craven Productions on Jan 12, 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Price Of Tea In China (Deluxe Edition)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by ALC - Boldy James on Jul 10, 2020
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Killing Nothing
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Real Bad Man Records on May 20, 2022
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Real Bad Boldy
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Real Bad Man Records on Dec 11, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Brand New Chanel Kicks
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Nicholas Craven Productions on Nov 17, 2023
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
No Pun Intended
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Nicholas Craven Productions on Dec 8, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Fair Exchange No Robbery
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Nicholas Craven Productions on Sep 30, 2022
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Price Of Tea In China
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by ALC - Boldy James on Feb 7, 2020
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Be That as It May
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Tuff Kong Records on Dec 14, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mr. Ten08
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by WAVGODMUSIC INC. - FXCKRXP on Nov 4, 2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Versace Tape
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Griselda on Aug 14, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
My 1st Chemistry Set
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mass Appeal on Oct 15, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Trapper's Alley 2: Risk vs. Reward
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mass Appeal on Feb 27, 2015
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Scrabble
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Nicholas Craven Productions on Sep 2, 2022
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
House of Blues
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mass Appeal on Feb 24, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo