User:Jvdarapsinga

A lot of singers wish they could rap. A lot of rappers think they can sing. Some artists are blessed to be able to do both. So what do you do when you find yourself spittin’ and singing at the same time? If you’re Javon Townes, you dub yourself JV Darapsinga, take your talent for rap-n-B, and run with it.

Though he’s been singing since he was nine, Townes didn’t start making music until he was seventeen, when the pressures and pleasures of life growing up in Boston’s ghettos provoked him to put his feelings and frustrations into song. Raised by his grandmother in Mattapan, Hyde Park, and finally Roxbury, basketball kept the six-footer out of trouble, but didn’t make him immune to the grittiness of his surroundings. Like most kids raised in rough neighborhoods,Townes grew accustomed to having to ward off the constant violence and oppression that threatened to take him off his path. He knew he needed a way to vent and a vehicle to inspire others to keep dreaming and striving to make their dreams a reality.

While his love of basketball kept his eyes trained on the hoop, his love of music kept his ears tuned in to the radio. He soaked up the sounds of innovative urban entertainers like R. Kelly, Jay-Z, Usher, Michael Jackson, Busta Rhymes, and seminal Boston R&B boy band New Edition, letting their music be the soundtrack to his teenage life and eventually, the inspiration for his own sound. By the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, singers were crooning over hip hop beats and rappers were singing their own hooks and adopting more melodic flows. The line between hip hop and R&B was getting blurry, and Townes took notice. He hit the studio and started experimenting with a unique vocal style that blended hip hop flows and cadences with the smooth, sensual melodies of R&B to create a sound that would eventually erase the line between hip hop and R&B altogether.

Intent on creating music that spoke on everything from life in the streets to love made between the sheets, Townes christened himself JV Darapsinga and dropped his first collection of rap/sung bangers and ballads, It’s Not a Game Vol. 1, in 2004. Spurred by a burst of creativity and growing demand for his music, he went on to release an album a year over the next four years. When he wasn’t recording, he was performing, bringing his energetic and engaging stage show to hundreds of venues throughout Boston and New England and opening up for high-profile hip hop artists like Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Foxy Brown, Beanie Sigel, Jadakiss, and Mobb Deep. He even toured the country with gritty Philly rap collective State Property.

Over the next few years, he continued to gain recognition and respect from fans and industry professionals alike. He won two awards at the first annual Mass Industry Committee Awards: “Best Single of the Year” for his appearance on IroQ & John D.O.E.’s “I Believe” and “Best Collaboration” for “Get Right,” a track with Dre Robinson and Mobb Deep that appeared on the soundtrack for the major motion picture film Hair Show starring Academy Award® winner Mo’Nique. A year later, the video for his song “I Gotta Be a Superstar” was nominated for “Best Video of the Year” at the 2007 M.I.C. Awards.

His tireless work ethic and constant networking has led to collaborations with Gator Gotti, Trackbangers, E Ness (of MTV’s Making the Band), a slew of Boston producers and artists, and most importantly, legendary music producer DJ Ron G. Impressed by JV’s artistry, the industry veteran took the rap-singer under his wing, using his expertise and connections to help JV prepare to present his vocally-arranged raps to a wider audience. His latest single, “Kiss Me (Remix),” produced by Ron G, has been extremely well-received, racking up ample spins on radio stations across the country, thousands of views on internet video channels, and featured slots on a bevy of mixtapes. Motivated by this most recent success, JV continues to use Ron G’s sage advice and strong support to help him create and promote his music, operate his own label (Hoodsingaz Entertainment), and land a record/publishing deal.

Whether kicking rhymes, crooning catchy choruses, or singing soulfully raw melodies, JV’s music constantly reflects the pain and passions in his life and the grit and glory of the streets. After more than a decade of recording and performing, the seasoned singer/songwriter has already proven he can go the distance. It’s only a matter of time before the acclaim and accolades catch up withhis talent.