Nahum Thorton Grymes, known worldwide as J. Holiday, is an American singer-songwriter, actor and rapper. He first rose to fame in the late 2000s with Bed, his breakout single, and has subsequently released three chart-topping albums.
The Washington, D.C.-born artist first began recording tapes following his graduation. He released Back of My Lac’, his debut album, to critical acclaim in 2007. The album charted at number five on the Billboard 200 and debuted at number one on the Top R&B/ Hip Hop Albums chart, as well as charting highly worldwide, including in the UK and Canada. The album’s lead single Be With Me enjoyed universal success, but was eclipsed by the release of successive Bed. The number one hit catapulted Holiday to stardom. Holiday was recognised at the 51st Grammy Awards and was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album for Back of My Lac’.
Holiday’s subsequent release, Round 2, was dropped in 2009 and debuted at number four on the Billboard 200. In the years since, Holiday has released a mixtape, M.I.A.: The Lost Pages, and his third album Guilty Conscience, with Def Jam in 2014. On television, Holiday has appeared in Lincoln Heights, and Bravo’s popular show Real Housewives of Atlanta. Holiday is set to appear on in his debut film role in 2021 after being cast in crime drama Conflicted.
Today, Holiday boasts over one million monthly listeners on music streaming site Spotify. Spring 2021 will mark the release of his fourth studio album, Time, with lead single Ride having dropped in January 2021 much to the celebration of Holiday’s expansive fan base.