Joseph Guillermo Jones II (born July 15, 1976), better known by his stage name Jim Jones (or Jimmy Jones), is an American rapper and record executive. He was a member of the now-defunct hip-hop group the Diplomats (also known as Dipset), which he formed alongside fellow Harlem native Cam'ron in 1997.Goias, Matt. "Capo for a Day ". Mass Appeal Magazine. Retrieved December 20, 2006.Kwak, Donnie (August 13, 2004). "Jim Jones – Gotham City Hustler + 'Certified Gangsta' Video ". Vibe Magazine. Retrieved 2006-12-20.
Following the commercial success of the group's debut album, Diplomatic Immunity (2003), Jones self-released his debut solo album, On My Way to Church (2004), to moderate success. His second and third albums, Harlem: Diary of a Summer (2005) and Hustler's P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment) (2006), both peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200. The release of the former coincided with Jones's appointment as an A&R executive for Entertainment One Music (then known as Koch Records), while the latter was preceded by the single "We Fly High", which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, received platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and led to Jones briefly signing with Columbia Records.
Jones' fourth album and only release by a major label, Pray IV Reign (2009), was met with continued success and spawned the single "Pop Champagne" (with Ron Browz featuring Juelz Santana), which peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. His fifth album, Capo (2011), was led by the pop rap single, "Perfect Day" (featuring Chink Santana). After a hiatus, he self-released his sixth and seventh studio albums, Wasted Talent (2018) and El Capo (2019).Jim Jones El Capo (Album). 8o8wave.com. Retrieved on June 3, 2019.
Early life Jones, the son of a Puerto Rican father and Aruban mother, was born on July 15, 1976, in the Bronx. He was raised in the Taft Houses project in East Harlem, which he called "the gutter within the gutter." In 1996, Jones made a cameo appearance on New York Undercover.
Music career 2004–05: On My Way to Church and Harlem: Diary of a Summer On My Way to Church is Jones' debut album. The album spawned two singles that made the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart: "Certified Gangstas" (featuring Cam'ron, Bezel and The Game), which reached number 80, and "Crunk Muzik" (featuring his Dipset cohorts Cam'ron and Juelz Santana), which reached number 84. The album peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard 200 chart, number three on Billboard's Independent Albums chart, and number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Harlem: Diary of a Summer, Jones' second album, reached number five on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Independent Albums charts, selling 350,000 copies. Three of its singles placed on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart: "Baby Girl", which reached number 58; "Summer Wit' Miami", which reached number 78; and "What You Been Drankin' On?" (featuring Diddy, Paul Wall, and Jha Jha), which reached number 106.
2006–09: Hustler's P.O.M.E., Pray IV Reign and The Rooftop Jones' third album Hustler's P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment), was more commercial and once again featured Dipset members along with Lil Wayne. The album spawned Jones' biggest single to date, "We Fly High". Jones introduced a signature dance move in the "We Fly High" video, throwing up a fake jump shot every time the ad-lib "Ballin!'" was stated in the song. This dance move became so popular that it inspired Michael Strahan and Plaxico Burress to do the dance move after big plays during a Monday Night Football game in 2006.NFL Players Shooting Jump Shots During Games? Blame Jim Jones.
From 2006 to 2008, Jones released a collaborative album with his rap group ByrdGang, titled M.O.B.: The Album, which peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200, selling 16,000 the first week in stores and eventually selling 65,000 units. He has two Christmas compilation albums, A Dipset X-Mas and A Tribute To Bad Santa Starring Mike Epps, and a load of mixtapes, including Harlem's American Gangster, which peaked at number 19 on the Billboard 200 chart and spawned his single "Love Me No More".
Jones' fourth studio album, Pray IV Reign, released March 24, 2009, was his major record label debut. The album peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 chart. On July 8, Jones released a promotional single titled "The Good Stuff" featuring NOE.Jim Jones preps Beck 2 Back , defsound.com.The Good Stuff, Amazon.com. The album features "Pop Champagne", producer Ron Browz, and Juelz Santana. A bonus track on the album is "Jackin' Swagga From Us" with Twista, NOE, and Lil Wayne, which takes shots at T.I. and Jay-Z for allegedly stealing their styles and mocking their song "Swagga Like Us". It is his first solo album under Columbia Records. In 2009, Jim Jones became Vice President of Urban A&R at Koch Records, which is now E1 Music.[Jim Jones Accepts VP of Urban A&R Job at Koch Records] On June 11, Jim Jones appeared on BET's 106 & Park along with DJ Webstar and announced that they will be releasing an album together titled The Rooftop.Video: Jim Jones & DJ Webstar on 106 & Park . Nahright.com (June 11, 2009). Retrieved on 2012-01-11. He also announced that his documentary, This Is Jim Jones, will be released June 30, 2009. The first single from the album is "Dancin on Me", featuring Juelz Santana. It was officially released via iTunes on April 28. On September 22, hip hop website, RapRuckus, stated the album was scheduled for an October 6, 2009 release. The second single is titled "She Can Get It".Jim Jones collaborates with DJ Webstar to drop "The Rooftop" . Hiphopruckus.com. Retrieved on January 11, 2012. In December 2009, Jones left Columbia and signed a deal to release his next solo album on E1, formerly Koch, as well as a mixtape.Kuperstein, Slava. (December 3, 2009) Jim Jones Leaves Columbia For E1 . Hiphopdx.com. Retrieved on 2012-01-11.
2010–present: Capo, Dipset reunion and Vampire Life series The mixtape, titled The Ghost of Rich Porter, was released March 23, 2010. In April 2010, Cam'ron and Jim Jones announced they ended their feud.Miss Info Exclusive: Cam'ron and Jim Jones rebuild friendship, Jimmy issues public apology . Missinfo.tv (April 19, 2010). Retrieved on 2012-01-11. On June 26, 2010, Jones reunited with Cam'ron and Juelz Santana on a track titled "Salute", marking the return of the Diplomats.Koroma, Salima. (September 22, 2010) The Diplomats Reunite On Jim Jones' Next Album | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales. HipHop DX. Retrieved on 2012-01-11. They have begun working on an album together, and have been reportedly working with Dr. Dre. In 2010, it was confirmed that Jones had started up a new record label imprint with Damon Dash entitled Splash Records. On April 5, 2011, Jones' released his fifth studio album, Capo, on E1.Capo: Jim Jones: Music. Amazon.com. Retrieved on January 11, 2012. On November 3, Jones released a mixtape, titled Capo Life, to promote the album and celebrate the launch of his new website.Jim Jones – CapoLife (Mixtape). 2dopeboyz.com. Retrieved on January 11, 2012. The lead single off Capo, "Perfect Day" featuring Chink Santana and LOGiC, was released on iTunes December 7, 2010.iTunes – Music – Perfect Day (feat. Chink Santana & Logic) – Single by Jim Jones. Itunes.apple.com (December 7, 2010). Retrieved on 2012-01-11. The album is the first to feature Cam'ron since Hustler's P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment). Other guest appearances include rappers The Game, Lloyd Banks, Prodigy, Raekwon and R&B singers Rell and Ashanti among others, and features notable production from longtime collaborator Chink Santana, Aaron LaCrate, Wyclef Jean, Drumma Boy and Lamont "LOGiC" Coleman. The album peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200, selling 21,000 copies in its first week.
On October 1, 2011, when Funkmaster Flex premiered a song on New York City's Hot 97 titled "It Ain't My Fault" featuring rappers T-Rex, Boogie Black and Sen City, it was revealed that it was the first offering from Webstar and Jones's upcoming second collaborative effort The Rooftop 2. In the summer of 2011, he was featured on Randyn Julius' "Party Tonight" with Teyana Taylor and fellow Dispet member Cam'ron.Jim Jones Party Tonight produced by Duane Darock. hotnewhiphop.com On October 30, 2011, for the Halloween holiday, Jones released a mixtape titled Vampire Life: We Own the Night. The tape features twenty-four songs, including bonus tracks, freestyles and guest appearances from Meek Mill, J.R. Writer, Chink Santana, 2 Chainz, Maino, Yo Gotti and Jadakiss among others.
On May 1, 2012, Jones released the second installment of his Vampire Life series entitled Vampire Life 2, it went on to be downloaded over 300,000 times on mixtape-sharing website DatPiff. On March 11, 2013, Jones announced he was working on two new mixtapes V3 (Vampire Life 3) and The Ghost Of Rich Porter 2. Vampire Life 3 was released on August 13, 2013. On December 3, 2013, Jim Jones released an extended play (EP), titled We Own the Night. The EP was supported by the single "Nasty Girl", featuring American singer Jeremih. On June 24, 2014, Jones released a single titled "Wit the Shit", featuring American singer Trey Songz. In July 2014, Jones revealed he would be releasing another EP, titled We Own the Night Pt. 2: Memoirs of a Hustler; it was released on September 9.
On January 1, 2015, DJ Funkmaster Flex announced via Instagram that he had spoken to fellow Diplomat members Cam'ron, Jim Jones and Juelz Santana about an upcoming Diplomats mixtape which included fellow member Freekey Zeekey. He also stated that he would be hosting the mixtape along with DJs/producers DJ Khaled, Swizz Beatz and DJ Mustard.
2024–present: Feud with 50 Cent, At the Church Steps and BET Awards return On December 5, 2024, Dipset leader and Harlem rapper Cam'ron's interview with 50 Cent on his show "It Is What It Is" ignited a new feud between Jim Jones, and Cam'ron. Jim Jones took exception to the portion of the interview where Cam'ron told 50 Cent he felt disrespected when he brought out Jim Jones during a 2007 show. The show took place during the height of 50 Cent and Cam'ron's feud.
On 27 February 2025 he release his eighth album named At the Church Steps being a reference to his first album On My Way To Church.
At the BET Awards 2025 he returned to represent Harlem and perform his hit single We Fly High.
Other ventures ByrdGang
Jones introduced ByrdGang in 2006. The group released their debut album, M.O.B.: The Album on his label ByrdGang Records and Asylum Records.
Fashion designing Jones and Damon Dash co-own "Vampire Life Clothing".
Acting career Jones made his acting debut in the film State Property 2. He also appeared on the show Crash: The Series. Along with releasing the album Capo, Jones headlined in an off-Broadway musical called Hip-Hop Monologues: Inside the Life and Mind of Jim Jones, produced by Damon Dash and Footage Entertainment.Reid, Shaheem. (November 14, 2008) Jim Jones Sets His Sights On Broadway With 'Hip-Hop Monologues'. Mtv.com. Retrieved on 2012-01-11.
Reality television Jones appeared in a supporting role in seasons 1 and 2 of the VH1 reality show, Love & Hip Hop: New York in 2011. He also later appeared in the final tenth season, in 2020.
Jones also made a brief appearance in the 90s TV Show 'New York Undercover'.
Sports management In December 2017, he became part owner of the Richmond Roughriders of the American Arena League.
Controversies Junior M.A.F.I.A. During a basketball game at Rucker Park on August 2, 1999, members of Junior M.A.F.I.A. physically assaulted rap group the Diplomats, including Jim Jones. Jones was seen on camera, fleeing the altercation. The altercation was seen in the 2000 television documentary, On Hallowed Ground: Streetball Champions of Rucker Park.
Tru Life