Jay Quan

Jay Quan


JayQuan is a music historian, lecturer, narrator and writer. Since 1998 he has been writing online about Hip Hop, the art of Emceeing and the evolution of rap records. Jay is the founder and operator of The Foundation (jay-quan.com), a website that contains in-depth interviews with the founders of Hip Hop, biographies and profiles of the legendary rap groups of yesteryear as well as a detailed timeline which chronicles the history of rap records. JayQuan produces, narrates and edits an acclaimed series of what he describes as mini documentaries called The Lessons on his YouTube channel (Foundation Hip Hop). The Lessons are best defined as video cliff notes about the legendary pioneers of the rap genre.        

 

In 2020 Jay decided to expand his smaller docs into full length, broadcast quality pieces. He is currently producing documentaries, as well as authoring his first book: The Evolution and De evolution of Rap Music. JayQuan serves as The Minister of Information for Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5 and he is the official historian for the Hip Hop Museum in D.C. Additionally he writes for Rock The Bells, Universal Music, B Boy Document and Richmond Magazine.

 

Jay is well-versed in the histories of Progressive Jazz, Soul/R&B, and Funk. He has conducted extensive interviews with Jazz legends Lonnie Liston Smith and Tom Browne; as well as Funk/Soul pioneers Parliament Funkadelic, Cameo, Steve Arrington and Switch. JayQuan is available for lectures, voice overs, and interviews concerning all things related to Hip Hop, specifically from a historical view. Jay resides in Richmond, VA.

Jay'S ARTICLES

Don Cornelius poses for the camera in between takes during a videotaping of Soul Train.
Don Cornelius poses for the camera in between takes during a videotaping of Soul Train circa 1979-1984. news

RTB Rewind: Kurtis Blow Gets Chilly Reception As 1st Rapper on 'Soul Train'

news

Marley Marl's 'In Control, Volume 1' At 35

25 DOPEST DJ SONGS listicles

The 25 Dopest Deejay Songs

Rock The Bells Festival listicles

Rock The Bells Festival: 10 Onstage Collabs We'd Love To See

listicles

20 Forgotten Songs From Rap Music's Drum Machine Era

Hip-Hop and House Music listicles

10 Times Hip-Hop and House Music Merged

B-Real of Cypress Hill poses with Marijuana. listicles

10 Hip-Hop-Themed Cannabis Strains

Das EFX pose during KMEL Summer Jam at Shoreline Amphitheatre on August 1, 1992 in Mountain View, California. listicles

The Das Effect: The Songs Directly Influenced By Das EFX