J. Stalin (born. Jovan Smith) is a rap musician from Cypress Village in the neighborhood of West Oakland in Oakland, California. In 2007, he signed to Zoo Entertainment Production Company run by artist Mekanix. Although young and boyish-looking, J. Stalin adopted a tough rapper persona. He references Joseph Stalin in his stage name because they shared the same initials, and "he was short like me, but he was always smashin' on everybody." In a recent interview he remarked about his home and lifestyle, "This is West Oakland, man.