Surfacing

Turning the spotlight on musicians making a commercial breakthrough.

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-- CASEY DOLAN

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“Hustler’s P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment)”

Jim Jones

Koch

Artist info: Jones provides a state of the union report on East Coast gangsta rap. Nicknamed “Capo,” Jones is part of the hard-core center with a rap that is direct, aggressive, raw and not overly produced. He has openly dissed rappers including Jay-Z, Ma$e and Tru-Life, even going so far as to challenge the latter to a fight with a $50,000 stake. The challenge was accepted, but the stake has never been put up.

Back story: Born to an African American mother and Puerto Rican father in 1976, Jones was raised in Harlem and the Bronx, eventually rising to become one of the top entrepreneur-artists in hip-hop. He first achieved success as a member of the Diplomats (with Cam’ron and Juelz Santana) and the Dipset Crew, and directed videos for Cam’ron, Santana and State Property as well as his own. He founded Diplomat Records with childhood friend Cam’ron and managed many of the acts. His debut solo album in 2004, “On My Way to Church,” sold more than 200,000 copies and produced successful singles and videos for “Certified Gangsta” and “Crunk Muzik.” The second album, last year’s “Harlem: Diary of a Summer,” produced three singles, including one that featured P. Diddy, and entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 5. The new album has a good chance of doing as well. Jones, who identifies himself as a member of the Bloods, also has the distinction of being a director of A&R; at Warner Music Group, a combination that must lend a certain urgency to his staff meetings.

Influences: Diddy, Damon Dash.

Trivia: The New York Giants’ defensive line has adopted Jones’ single “We Fly High” as its theme music for celebrating quarterback sacks and good defensive plays, and the jump shot in the video has become the choreography of choice.