Born and raised in Northeast Baltimore, MD, Jay R took an ear for music at an early age. He grew up listening to his grandparents’ music via their basement parties that featured the sounds of Grace Jones, Michael Jackson, The Temptations, Tom Tom Club & Stevie Wonder. He remembers dancing for company and trying to sing the lyrics to the songs. As Jay R grew older, so did his musical tastes. He learned to dance and in the process was introduced to the Baltimore Club Music scene/sound.