538:, on 26 May 2023. Themed around "growing and manoeuvring through life with your brothers", it includes tracks that are tributes to his Jamaican ancestors and family, produced over five years. The album's name refers to preconceptions of Jords being labelled a "diamond in the rough" because of his birthplace, which he argues "insinuates that everything around you is rough"; he flipped the phrase to represent how "everyone is a diamond but we all have these bits of dirt within us" to improve on. A track on the album, "iPray", features
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is featured on the track "Swing"; other tracks feature resamples of Jords' earlier work. To accompany the album's release, a short film lasting eight minutes was produced by Jords in collaboration with the filmmakers Curtis Essell and
Christina Nwabugo. The film looks into Jords' family background
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To help children who may not be able to afford school uniforms, Jords set up the Pickni
Uniforms charity with Rowl in September 2020. After seeing long lines for school uniforms in Croydon, he was going to start a school uniform business to capitalise on the demand but, inspired by the footballer
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Jords' music draws from his experiences of growing up as a black man in London. Some of his songs discuss injustices that affect communities close to him, like those he sees as perpetuated by the criminal justice system, the government and the police. His music merges several genres, including
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and
Kadiata. According to Jords, "Enemies" is about moving past conflicts, forgiving and having "no bad energy". The single features idioms from several genres, including two-step beats, hand claps and lounge piano. Writing for
427:, was released in May after several teasers. The album is influenced by love and loss, specifically, the emotions Jords felt after losing his grandparents during production. In a piece for
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allowed Jords to publish his music on a larger scale, gaining support from channels like J Star
Entertainment. Jords released his debut project in 2016 when he independently released the
175:. Raised in a musical family, Jords grew up during the advent of grime music. He created and released music as a child, with his first tracks inspired by the local South London artists
481:. "Black & Ready" was influenced by the events surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement, with Jords including a protest chant in its lyrics. It went on to get recognition from
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for £1 when he was 13. Aged 16, Jords began to think about a music career more seriously. His first tracks produced were inspired by the South London duo
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832:"'Men are frustrated right now – we feel misunderstood and misrepresented': Rapper Jords on masculinity, Black British identity and his debut album"
265:. His father never told him about his musical background, with Jords only finding out after his father was recognised by strangers in a Manchester
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as "skat through genres with slick confidence and impressive dexterity", likening the opening track's style to a fellow
Croydon rapper,
625:. Pickni Uniforms also helps recycle old uniforms in collaboration with the QPR Community Trust. Jords also runs a jewellery business.
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written by
Christina Alagaratnam about how racism affects black males in education. During its runs at the Seven Dials Playhouse and
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and established the Pickni
Uniforms charity with his friend Jamahl Rowl. He served as the executive producer of the West End play
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to join the label, becoming the first
British rap act to be signed to Motown. He released his debut album on the label,
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Jords released the single "Black & Ready" in 2020, influenced by the Black Lives Matter protests in London.
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Jords was one of ten artists named on BBC Radio 1Xtra's Hot For 2022 list, cited for his work with
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Jords listened to Wretch 32 (pictured) as a youth. They later collaborated on Jords' song "iPray".
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in 2023, becoming the first
British rap act to sign to the label. He released his second album,
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in 2020. Touted as "an extended coming-of-age tale", his first album,
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Jords was part of with his brother and friends, which progressed to
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Jords dropped out of university twice: he studied for a year at the
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and his father is a member of The Jazz
Defektors who performed with
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In 2021, Jords released a single, "Enemies", in collaboration with
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and spread by Jords to locals under the pseudonym "Vicious Kid".
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and includes scenes of him with his extended family in Jamaica.
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store. During his youth, Jords' mother acquainted him with the
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202:, in 2021, exploring themes of love and loss. Following the
758:"How Jords became the first UK rap act on Motown records"
871:"Jords: The UK rapper who's challenging the status quo"
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received a positive reception from music critics, with
489:. Proceeds from "Black & Ready" were donated to
1191:"Jords Launches New Free School Uniform Initiative"
628:In 2023, Jords was appointed executive producer of
589:With his school friend Jamahl Rowl, Jords produces
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601:calls and then the podcast. Past guests include
249:Jordan Edwards-Wilks was born on 6 June 1994 in
793:, Recording with Prince's Equipment & More"
400:. Jords' 2019 single "Glide" was successful on
388:. After the mixtape's release, Jords signed an
289:. Jords' childhood coincided with the birth of
1094:"BBC Radio 1Xtra's Hot For 2022 list revealed"
225:Outside of music, Jords co-hosts the podcast
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469:movement coming into public focus after the
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562:for their dead child. It was described by
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795:(Interview). Interviewed by Niall Smith.
479:protests in central London on 6 June 2020
999:"London Rapper Jords Drops Debut Album
686:
526:. In May 2022, Jords was approached by
789:"GRM Exclusive: Jords Talks New Album
198:in 2020. He released his debut album,
147:, is a British singer and rapper from
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709:Scott, Nicolas-Tyrell (9 July 2020).
322:London School of Business and Finance
16:British singer and rapper (born 1994)
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902:Mahanty, Shannon (7 August 2021).
179:. Jords began to release music on
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330:British Institute of Modern Music
328:. He left, moving to attend the
293:; he often listened to music by
1030:Swash, Olivia (15 April 2021).
970:Long, Jen (23 September 2021).
869:Onapa, Emmanuel (25 May 2022).
1276:Prinsley, Jane (1 June 2023).
571:Ellie Muir as "reminiscent of
1:
1153:Murray, Robin (30 May 2023).
1067:Album Is An Essential Listen"
1121:Murray, Robin (5 May 2023).
1061:Keith, James (26 May 2023).
830:Muir, Ellie (16 July 2023).
756:Savage, Mark (27 May 2023).
433:, Shannon Mahanty described
326:Higher National Certificate
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1419:Black British male rappers
1252:at Seven Dials Playhouse"
1123:"Jords Details New Album
532:The Great Escape Festival
475:killing of Breonna Taylor
445:. A prominent sample of
237:Early life and education
522:, and his support from
390:artist development deal
183:and released his debut
471:murder of George Floyd
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204:murder of George Floyd
904:"One to watch: Jords"
591:Almost a Conversation
524:BBC Music Introducing
460:
415:After the release of
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227:Almost a Conversation
1037:The Line of Best Fit
977:The Line of Best Fit
972:"On the Rise: Jords"
504:The Line of Best Fit
491:The Black Curriculum
398:Arts Council England
141:Jordan Edwards-Wilks
1404:People from Croydon
1394:Grime music artists
1157:Dirt In The Diamond
1125:Dirt In The Diamond
1065:Dirt In The Diamond
791:Dirt In The Diamond
661:Dirt in the Diamond
552:Dirt In The Diamond
536:Dirt in the Diamond
509:Dirt in the Diamond
220:Dirt in the Diamond
1429:UK drill musicians
1227:. 9 September 2021
1102:. 14 December 2021
467:Black Lives Matter
463:
419:, Jords signed to
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222:in the same year.
194:Jords signed with
1282:at The Pleasance"
623:free school meals
451:K. P. & Envyi
373:The emergence of
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1199:. 27 August 2021
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406:Anthony Hamilton
382:Means To An Ends
189:Means To An Ends
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560:nine-night wake
487:BBC Radio 1Xtra
435:Almost an Adult
425:Almost An Adult
421:Universal Music
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200:Almost An Adult
196:Universal Music
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1289:. Retrieved
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1259:. Retrieved
1256:The Upcoming
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909:The Guardian
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581:anthology".
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191:, in 2016.
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18:
1409:1994 births
1369:MusicBrainz
644:Discography
611:Joy Crookes
520:Maxi Priest
483:Ebro Darden
410:Better Days
386:spoken word
291:grime music
287:Kelly Price
283:Buju Banton
263:Paul Weller
208:Ebro Darden
95:Occupations
41:6 June 1994
1383:Categories
1170:19 January
941:Wonderland
876:Soho House
681:References
595:group chat
516:D Double E
279:Brownstone
107:songwriter
37:1994-06-06
1339:Interview
1291:3 January
1280:PlayFight
1278:"Review:
1261:3 January
1250:PlayFight
1231:4 January
1203:3 January
1155:"Jords –
1138:3 January
1106:3 January
1078:3 January
1043:3 January
1015:3 January
983:3 January
948:3 January
915:3 January
882:3 January
843:3 January
802:3 January
797:GRM Daily
769:3 January
722:3 January
630:PlayFight
578:Small Axe
540:Wretch 32
443:Dev Hynes
299:Wretch 32
231:PlayFight
127:Universal
1328:AllMusic
1224:BBC News
1063:"Jords'
763:BBC News
668:Mixtapes
575:'s 2020
556:BBC News
548:Tay Iwar
473:and the
394:Iluvlive
307:Scorcher
1355:Discogs
1072:Complex
1008:Complex
936:"Jords"
603:Big Zuu
544:Kranium
439:Stormzy
402:Spotify
379:mixtape
375:YouTube
356:R&B
271:R&B
251:Croydon
185:mixtape
181:YouTube
161:R&B
149:Croydon
86:R&B
47:Croydon
676:(2016)
663:(2023)
657:(2020)
649:Albums
569:'s
528:Motown
498:Masego
360:garage
336:Career
303:Ghetts
275:reggae
216:Motown
171:, and
165:garage
122:Motown
115:Labels
104:singer
101:Rapper
66:garage
54:Genres
1365:Jords
1351:Jords
1345:Clash
1342:with
1324:Jords
1196:Clash
1164:Clash
1132:Clash
392:with
368:drill
364:house
348:grime
341:Music
311:Argos
173:drill
169:house
153:grime
145:Jords
76:house
71:grime
61:Drill
25:Jords
1293:2024
1263:2024
1233:2024
1205:2024
1172:2024
1140:2024
1108:2024
1080:2024
1045:2024
1017:2024
985:2024
950:2024
917:2024
884:2024
845:2024
804:2024
771:2024
724:2024
609:and
599:Zoom
546:and
518:and
485:and
408:'s "
366:and
352:jazz
305:and
295:Chip
285:and
273:and
267:Asda
261:and
259:Sade
210:and
157:jazz
81:jazz
31:Born
1326:at
716:NME
530:at
449:by
412:".
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