J. Holiday

Nahum Thorton Grymes, known professionally as J. Holiday, was born on November 29, 1984, in Washington, D.C. Raised primarily by his mother after the passing of his father when he was eleven, Holiday’s early life in Washington, D.C., and Alexandria, Virginia, instilled in him a foundational appreciation for R&B, hip-hop, and soul music, influenced by artists such as Marvin Gaye, Boyz II Men, and Tupac Shakur. Despite his passion for music, his mother emphasized the importance of education, which he completed before focusing on his musical career by recording demo tapes.

J. Holiday signed with Capitol Records in 2006, leading to the release of his debut album, “Back of My Lac'”, in October 2007. The album achieved commercial success, debuting at number 5 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 105,000 copies in its first week. His breakout single, “Bed”, released in June 2007, rose to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and held the number 1 spot on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for five consecutive weeks. Following this success, his second album, “Round 2”, released in 2009, debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200, featuring the single “It’s Yours,” which peaked at number 25 on the US R&B chart.

After departing from Capitol Records in 2010 and a brief period with Def Jam, J. Holiday continued his independent career with the release of his mixtape “M.I.A: The Lost Pages” in 2011. His third studio album, “Guilty Conscience”, was independently released on January 28, 2014, securing the No. 42 position on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and receiving positive critical reception. He has also ventured into acting, with roles in television shows like “Lincoln Heights” (2008) and films such as “School of Hard Knocks” (2013). His fourth studio album, “Time”, was released on February 7, 2022, preceded by singles like “25 to Life” (2018) and “Feel Like” (2019), showcasing his enduring presence in the R&B genre.