J Boog

Jerry Fealofani Afemata (born 1983),[1][2] better known by his stage name J Boog, is an American-Samoan reggae singer and songwriter. J Boog has released three albums that reached the top ten of the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, debuting with Hear Me Roar in 2007. His next two albums, Backyard Boogie (2011) and Wash House Ting (2016), both reached number one on the Reggae Albums chart.

Not to be confused with singer J-Boog from the group B2K.
J Boog
Birth nameJerry Fealofani Afemata
Born1983 (age 39–40)
Long Beach, California, U.S.
OriginHawaii
GenresReggae
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Years active2007–present
LabelsWash House
Websitejboogmusic.net u

Early life

Afemata was born in Long Beach, California and grew up in nearby Compton with six siblings in a Samoan American family.[3] As a child, Afemata became interested in reggae music when his sister played the Bob Marley song "Jamming" on the piano.[4] His siblings gave Afemata the nickname "Boog", a play on "boogie" and reference to him not being able to sit still.[4] Afemata first sang for an audience at age nine when his mother had him and his sister sing the Whitney Houston song "One Moment in Time" at a family reunion.[5]

Afemata attended Paramount High School, enrolling because his parents registered him with his cousin's address in neighboring Paramount.[6] While in high school, Afemata began listening to hip hop and the ska punk band Sublime.[6] After graduating from high school, Afemata worked at an oil refinery near Los Angeles and sang at nightclubs outside of his regular job.[4]

Music career

During a 2005 vacation in Hawaii, Afemata met Hawaiian reggae singer George "Fiji" Veikoso and provided a mixtape of his to Veikoso, who had a positive impression listening to it.[3] Recording as J Boog, Afemata collaborated with Veikoso for his 2007 debut album Hear Me Roar, which debuted on the Billboard reggae albums chart on March 1 and peaked at no. 8 on March 22, 2008.[7]

J Boog found more success in 2011 with his self-titled EP that peaked at no. 3 on the Billboard reggae albums chart in July 2011. In October 2011, his second album Backyard Boogie debuted on the top of the reggae chart.[7] Backyard Boogie featured the singles "Let Me Know", "Let's Do It Again", and "Sunshine Girl".[3] "Let's Do It Again" was later certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in 2022.[8] J Boog's 2013 EP Live Up!, reached no. 3 on the reggae albums chart.[7] Then in 2014, J Boog collaborated with Hawaiian singer Anuhea and reggae band SOJA for the single "Easier".[3]

In April 2016, Boog's EP Rose Petals topped the Reggae Albums chart.[7] Then in November 2016, Boog released his third album Wash House Ting, his first full-length album in five years and second straight to reach the top of the Reggae Albums chart.[3][9][7]

Discography
  • Hear Me Roar (2007)
  • Backyard Boogie (2011)
  • Wash House Ting (2016)

References
  1. "J Boog 1983-". WorldCat.org. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  2. "ASCAP Repertory: Afemata, Jerry Fealofani". ASCAP. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  3. Deming, Mark. "J Boog". allmusic. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  4. Linn, Sarah (February 10, 2017). "From Compton to the Grammys, reggae singer J Boog keeps it positive". San Luis Obispo Tribune. Archived from the original on February 10, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  5. "Interview: J Boog". The Pier. November 6, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  6. "How I Discovered Sublime…". The Pier. May 24, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  7. "J Boog: Reggae Albums". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  8. "British certifications – J Boog – Let's Do It Again". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  9. Gutierrez, Juan (November 17, 2016). "Reggae Got Samoan Singer J Boog Out of Compton and Into the Spotlight". LA Weekly. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
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