Since elementary school, Jay Mel, a full blooded Italian hip hop artist, has always had a grasp for music. Born Jason Melidona, he was placed in front of a piano at the age of eight and then drums at fifteen which gave him the platform to become what he is today—an up and coming hip-hop prodigy. By always making a conscious effort to avoid falling into tired rap clichés, Jay Mel takes a different approach to music, saying, “Anymore, music has no meaning. Even if I just write a song to be a banger, I’m still going to have depth in what I say.” One listen through his growing arsenal of tracks, which features songs covering real topics such as Iraq and having an unplanned son, proves that Jay Mel is a man of his word in a time when few rappers are. His biggest problem with the music industry is the abundance of artists who claim to live a lifestyle that they have never truly experienced. “What is so hard about just keeping it real? Just be yourself!” he says. Jay Mel has released three mixtapes and recently completed a full album that awaits release. “I live in the studio. If you ball for a living, you work on your jump shot. I rap, so my focus is on getting more potent every time I step into the studio,” says Jay Mel. With a style of hip hop that is a change of pace from the typical monotony radio listeners are used to, Jay has quickly grabbed the attention of a diverse and growing group of fans both inside and outside of hip-hop circles. Jay Mel has had contract talks with Sony, Virgin, and Interscope records, and he is now focusing on creating an army of fans to help him take his music to the next level. With the backing of a strong street team, and a buzz spreading throughout the entire city, Jay Mel’s time is now!