Jim Jones

Slinging street anthems with leisurely menace and authority, Jim Jones has been juggling a solo recording career with extensive efforts as a collaborator, executive, and entrepreneur for well over two decades. The Harlem native and Diplomats co-founder broke through on his own with On My Way to Church (2004), a Top 20 album that set up the artist for greater success with a string of Top Ten LPs and a pair of Top 40 pop hits highlighted by the Top Ten platinum single "We Fly High" (2006). Since scoring his seventh charting solo album with El Capo (2019), Jones has added to his extensive discography with full-length duo projects such as The Fraud Department (2021), Gangsta Grillz: We Set the Trends (2022), and Back in My Prime (2023). Back in the late '90s, Jones formed the Diplomats, aka Dipset, with fellow Harlem native and childhood friend Cam'ron. Before he made his solo debut, he was known as Jimmy Jones, heard on Cam'ron's albums -- starting with 1998's Confessions of Fire -- and assorted mixtapes and albums from the Diplomats. Jones worked out an independent distribution deal for his own output and in 2004 hit number 18 on the Billboard 200 with On My Way to Church, featuring the charting singles "Certified Gangstas" and "Crunk Muzik." Jones repeatedly hit the Top Ten the rest of the decade, first with his second proper album, 2005's Harlem: Diary of a Summer, and continuing with his third and fourth solo LPs, 2006's Hustler's P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment) and 2009's Pray IV Reign. The Hustler's P.O.M.E. single "We Fly High" peaked at number four on the R&B/hip-hop chart, crossed over to the Hot 100 -- reaching number five -- and went platinum. "Pop Champagne," off the 2009 release, became Jones' second big pop hit, reaching number 22. Jones' guest verses and other collaborations became increasingly copious each year and went far beyond the Diplomats and other close affiliates such as ByrdGang. For starters, he teamed with David Banner, Yung Joc, and Chris Brown for "Stuntin' Is a Habit," was on re