Sticky Fingaz
| Sticky Fingaz | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kirk Jones |
| Also known as | Trop, Sticky |
| Born |
November 3, 1973 Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York |
| Origin | South Jamaica, Queens, New York |
| Genres | Hardcore hip hop, Gangsta Rap, East Coast hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, Record producer, Director, Writer |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels | JMJ Records, Def Jam, Universal Records, D3 Entertainment, Major Independents |
| Associated acts | Onyx, Jam Master Jay |
| Website |
stickyfingaz |
Kirk Jones (born November 3, 1973), better known by his stage name Sticky Fingaz, is an American hardcore rapper, record producer, actor, film director and writer, best known as a member of multi-platinum hardcore rap group Onyx.
Sticky Fingaz was discovered by Jam Master Jay of Run DMC, who signed Onyx on his label JMJ Records. Onyx went on to release three top-selling albums before Sticky Fingaz began his solo career. As a part of Onyx, Sticky Fingaz was nominated as "Rap/Hip-Hop New Artist" on American Music Awards of 1994 and won "Best Rap Album" on 1994 Soul Train Music Awards.
Sticky Fingaz made his acting debut in Forest Whitaker's award-winning HBO drama Strapped. His feature film credits include Spike Lee's Clockers, Ride, In Too Deep, Lockdown, Doing Hard Time and Breaking Point, but he best known for his role "Tyrone" in Next Friday. He made his television debut in New York Undercover and Nash Bridges, also starring as "Blade" in Blade: The Series. He also appeared in The Shield, Platinum (TV series) and Over There (U.S. TV series).
Sticky Fingaz wrote, produced, directed and starred in two feature films done entirely in the genre of "hip hopera" through his production company Major Independents: A Day In The Life and Caught On Tape. Both films were released by Lionsgate Home Entertainment. Major Independents has created and released in 2008 two films spotlighting Onyx: Onyx: 15 Years of Videos, History & Violence and Onyx Live Overseas: Da Illest Show On Earth 2008. Major Independents release its first documentary entitled How To Make A Major Independent Movie in 2015.
Early life
Kirk Jones was born in Kings County Hospital Center on November 3, 1973. He grew up in the Flatbush, Brooklyn. When he was a kid, he wanted to be a DJ:[1]
"...I wanted to be a DJ back then because I wanted to control the music. I was making pause tapes off the radio back then, in the late eighties. I told my moms that I wanted turntables for Christmas when I was twelve or thirteen, and she bought me some corny-ass ones. You know, the ones with the straight arm. I had those and a mixer and I had all the records of the time: Sparky D, UTFO, Run-DMC. So I tried to be a DJ."
But then he decided to be a rapper:[2]
"...I was DJing a bit, but I would always also be writing rhymes. I went to bad schools, and I'd be rhyming in the cafeteria, outside on the street, battling everybody."
His father left the family when Kirk was 11 years old:
"...The last time I met my father, my moms was taking that nigga to court. I was standing outside smoking a cigarette, and he said, 'You know those things will stunt your growth'. And that's the last word I heard from him. I had to teach myself to be a man." The Source Magazine #135 (December, 2000)
Lo-Lifes
According to an interview with DJ Vlad, Kirk never was a part of Decepticons (gang), but he was a part of "Lo-Lifes", Brooklyn's local gang. The "Lo-Lifes" were mainly known for stealing. Hence his nickname being "Sticky Fingaz". [3] Fingaz remembers that time:
"...When I was young, I didn't care about nothing. I was living in the moment. The only reason I was going to high school was to appease my moms." The Source Magazine #135 (December, 2000)
Nu Tribe Barbershop
When his mother moved the family to Bloomfield, New Jersey, she enrolled him in Manhattan's High School of Art and Design. She hoped Kirk, who had a gift for drawing, would focus his talents. But his cousin Fred (also known as Fredro Starr), was a barber in Queens while Kirk was attending high school. Fred had a portfolio of cuts with different designs. Kirk, who loved kicking it with the barbers, playing with the girls and selling a little dope, began concocting a scheme:
"...The barber shop was where it was at. Jersey was far as hell. I'm from New York. It was an hour commute just to go to school (High School of Art and Design). I said, 'Fuck that. I want to go live with my peoples'. And I did." The Source Magazine #135 (December, 2000)
In 1990, at the age of 16, Kirk moved out of his mother's house to South Jamaica, Queens to live with his cousin Fredro.[4]
"...We all lived in Southside, Queens and Sticky lived in Brooklyn. Sticky moved to Queens in 1990. He was doing his solo thing but we all got together." Hip Hop Connection Magazine #79 (September, 1995)
He also wanted to work as a barber. But he needed a portfolio. So Stick photocopied Fred's portfolio, took the train to a Queens barber shop, claimed the cuts were his own creations and started buzzing his own designs-all while selling weed from behind the chair. In this barbershop Fred and Kirk will make money until they hear on the radio their song "Throw Ya Gunz" in November 1992.[5]
Nightclubs
At the same time Fredro along with his cousin Kirk Jones, then known as Trop, visited the nightclubs of New York. The guys wore green dreadlocks and dressed in boots Dr. Martens. In an interview with Unkut, hip hop artist B-1 described his friendship with Fredro and Sticky:[6]
"...Yeah, that’s true. Fredro my man though. Trop is Sticky, I don’t know him a Sticky. I know him as Tropical. Fred has cut my hair before, I’ve knew them dudes a long time. They used to work at New Tribe Barbershop. They first song was “Ahh, And We Do It Like This” on Profile Records. They used to have a different type of style, but that was the style back then. The whole club style."
In 1990, Fredro and his cousin Sticky featured in Diane Martel's documentary about the dancers of New York - "House Of Tres"[7]
Music career
1991: Jam Master Jay
In 1991, Fredro Starr, Big DS and Suave (also known as Sonny Seeza) met Jam Master Jay in a traffic jam at The Jones Beach GreekFest Festival on July 13, 1991.[8] In an interview with Steve Lobel, Fredro Starr remembers:[9]
"...I met Jay at the "Freaknic" on Saturday in Queens on the beach. It was a traffic jam, and next car over was Jay's car. He was in a van, black van driven by his older brother Marvin. And they was "rolling up". I've seen smoke coming out a van, and it smells like weed. So I look, it was Jay smoking weed. I'm like "Yo! Jay, we can hit that with you?". And he like "Coming at a van!". And we were at a van with Jay, we smoke with Jam Master Jay at a van. Before I left I had to tell 'em: "I'm a rapper, man...". So he was like: "Yo'! Take my number ...". That was it!"
Jay give them about two months to get a demo, but Suave and Big DS were in jail for committing robbery.[10] They were replaced on the demo by Fredro Starr's cousin, Sticky Fingaz, who at that time was pursuing a solo career under the name Trop. Fredro and Sticky Fingaz recorded only one song, "Stik 'N' Muve", which Jam Master Jay liked enough to sign the group to his label, JMJ Records.[11][12] Onyx was signed to his label JMJ Records in 1991 for a single deal ("Nigga Bridges"), then for an EP deal followed by an album deal. Fingaz's signature lazy eye, raspy voice and boundless grit brought power to the group, and he became the front man.
Sticky Fingaz
The name "Sticky Fingaz" came up from Suave (also known as Sonny Seeza) who created the names "Sticky Fingaz" and "Mickey Billy" for the characters of Kirk Jones and Fredro Starr for the song "Stik 'N' Muve".[13]
"...This is a story about Sticky Fingaz and Mickey Billy's show. And there was a Stick and move." (Onyx "Stik 'N' Muve")
Sticky explains his nickname as "Everything i touch i take":
"...So a stick up, it’s a piece of cake. For the kid with the sticky fingers everything I touch I take." (Onyx "Here 'N' Now")
1993-1998: Def Jam years
In 1993, Onyx released their debut album entitled Bacdafucup. It proved to be a commercial success and eventually went multi-platinum, largely due to the well known single "Slam". Then Onyx released on JMJ Records another two albums: All We Got Iz Us and Shut 'Em Down. After the low sales of Shut 'Em Down album, Onyx left Def Jam in 1998.[14]
"...Only four years earlier, Onyx were “saving Def Jam,” as Sticky Fingaz put it, but now they were hoping the label would save them. Their third—and what would become their final—album on Def Jam, Shut 'Em Down, barely went gold. “Our unity with [Jam Master] Jay was broken, our unity with the label was broken,” says Sticky, who came by the office one day and threw a tantrum. “I flipped out, pulling plaques off the wall, throwing shit around, mad,” he remembers."
Solo career
That's when Sticky began producing beats and acting in movies like "Next Friday" and "Lockdown". Before Sticky could introduce the character of Kirk Jones to the world, he needed a new label that shared his vision. It was Universal that gave him his 40 acres and several mules.
"...Universal put up double the money that Dre offered. Universal is the same shit as Def Jam; it's just a different machine. At Def Jam, we smoked blunts in the hallway. At Universal, we smoke blunts in the office." (The Source Magazine #135 (December, 2000)
He released his debut solo album in 2001 which was titled Black Trash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones, a concept album that followed the (fictionalized) life of Kirk Jones in a story line fashion as he is released from prison and then ultimately his death. The album was a critical success being noted as very creative with substantial content, though it didn't gain much commercial recognition despite featuring well known artists such as Eminem, Raekwon, Redman and Canibus.
But Sticky insists that it's not about him. It's definitely his voice and his ideas, but it's not his autobiography; it's Kirk Jones's autobiography, who, according to Fingaz, is a character.
"...That's not my autobiography. That's the autobiography of Kirk Jones, played by Sticky Fingaz." (The Source Magazine #135 (December, 2000)
In 2003, he released his second album Decade "...but wait it gets worse" which was less well received by critics and gained even less mainstream acknowledgement, featuring on this album were performances from Fredro Starr & Omar Epps.
Featured projects
He has collaborated with various artists, including Eminem on his Marshall Mathers LP, and Snoop Doggy Dogg on No Limit Top Dogg. His performance on Eminem's Marshall Mathers LP song "Remember Me?" was intended for Dr. Dre's album, but Eminem loved the verse so much that he insisted it be on his album.[15] He has also appeared on albums by MC Eiht (Underground Hero), Biohazard (New World Disorder), Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz (Make It Reign), Pete Rock (Soul Survivor), Mobb Deep (The Infamous Archives), Dead Prez (Turn Off The Radio Vol 2), and others, as well as miscellaneous tracks by Benzino (Go Hard Remix), Knoc-Turn'Al (Eastwest Shyt), Da 5 Footaz (Unleash), Bang Em Smurf & Domination (One Way Or Another), and others.
Other ventures
Acting career
Jones was a regular on the short-lived UPN series Platinum as Grady Rhames. He also played the part of Pvt. Maurice "Smoke" Williams in the FX television series Over There, which depicts life as an American soldier in Iraq. He played Tyrone in Next Friday. Jones also played a recurring role as Kern Little, a gang leader and hiphop musician/producer on the FX series The Shield. He has also appeared in the direct-to-video and Sci-Fi Channel release House of the Dead II. Starting in 2006, Jones was cast as the half-human/half-vampire Blade in Blade: The Series, based on the Wesley Snipes movies, on Spike TV. The series was cancelled on September 29, 2006 through a press release from Spike. He has completed his work on a movie titled Karma, Confessions and Holi where he plays the character Rich Smooth. Jones was a major character in the remake of the movie Flight Of The Phoenix. In the video game Def Jam: Fight for NY he supplied his own voice and is one of the main antagonists throughout the story. He also has an appearance in the sequel, Def Jam: Icon, under the name Wink. He will be one of the character's friends until he is removed from his place as vice president. He recorded a public service announcement for Deejay Ra's Hip-Hop Literacy campaign, encouraging reading about Jam Master Jay. Fingaz wrote, co-produced, co-directed and starred in the movie A Day in the Life. Fingaz starred in the movie Caught On Tape alongside Vivica A. Fox and Cedric the Entertainer.
Film production
In 2001 Jones launched his production and multimedia company entitled "Major Independents" based in Woodland Hills, California. The company has released and distributed several successful independent straight-to-DVD films.[16]
Controversy
Source Awards incident
The 1994 Source Awards were never aired on television (as all subsequent Source Awards were), and it wasn't seen until 2008 when amateur footage of Sticky Fingaz shooting up the awards show was uploaded to YouTube. Before performing their hit single "Throw Ya Gunz", Sticky Fingaz fired off live rounds, and quickly disposed of the gun before authorities arrived.[17]
Discography
- Studio albums
- 2001: Blacktrash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones
- 2003: Decade: "...but wait it gets worse"
- 2018: It's About T.I.M.E. (The Illest Man Ever) (TBA)
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | American Music Awards of 1994 | "Bacdafucup" | Rap/Hip-Hop New Artist | Nominated |
| 1994 | 1994 Soul Train Music Awards | "Bacdafucup" | Best Rap Album | Won |
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Strapped | Suspect in Lineup |
| 1995 | Clockers | Scientific |
| 1995 | Dead Presidents | Martin |
| 1998 | Ride | Brotha X |
| 1998 | Le New Yorker | Harlem Homeboy |
| 1999 | In Too Deep | Ozzie |
| 1999 | Black and White | Himself |
| 1999 | Game Day | Wille |
| 1999 | Love Goggles | Jason |
| 2000 | Next Friday | Tyrone |
| 2000 | Boricua's Bond | |
| 2000 | Lockdown | Broadway |
| 2000 | The Price of Air | D |
| 2000 | The Playaz Court | T-Bone |
| 2001 | Lift | Quik |
| 2001 | MacArthur Park | E-Max |
| 2002 | L.A.X. | Leon |
| 2002 | Reality Check | Brock |
| 2003 | Malibooty! | Raymond |
| 2003 | Ride or Die | Demise |
| 2003 | Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood | Cedric |
| 2003 | Hot Parts | Toby |
| 2004 | Doing Hard Time | Eddie Mathematic |
| 2004 | Flight of the Phoenix | Jeremy |
| 2004 | True Vinyl | Power Z |
| 2004 | Gas | Craig |
| 2005 | House of the Dead II | Sergeant Dalton |
| 2008 | Nite Tales: The Movie | Dice |
| 2009 | Dough Boys | Deuce |
| 2009 | Karma, Confessions and Holi | Rich Smooth |
| 2009 | A Day in the Life | Stick |
| 2009 | Steppin: The Movie | Cedric |
| 2009 | Breaking Point | Richard Allen |
| 2010 | Once Fallen | Leshaun |
| 2010 | Love Chronicles: Secrets Revealed | Kevin |
| 2010 | Hard Breakers | Shay |
| 2011 | Fanaddict | Alex |
| 2012 | Changing the Game | Craig Jenkins |
| 2012 | Speed Demons | |
| 2013 | Caught on Tape | Mark |
| 2013 | Brooklyn Knight | Knight |
| 2014 | Motel | Lizard |
| 2014 | The Dead Sea | Sergeant Brooks |
| 2015 | The Road Movie (Short) | Sticky Fingaz |
| 2017 | The Fearless One | Tre |
| 2018 | Paradise City | Chief Frank Murdoch |
| 2019 | Slam: Let the Boyz B Boyz | Dmc |
Television
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | New York Undercover (You Get No Respect) | Khalil |
| 1997 | New York Undercover (No Place Like Hell) | Assassin |
| 1997 | Good News (TV series) (A Joyful Noise) | |
| 1997 | 413 Hope St. (Lost Boys and Gothic Girls) | |
| 1999 | Nash Bridges (Get Bananas) | Mario Baptiste |
| 1999 | The Parkers (It's a Family Affair) | Dwayne |
| 2000 | 18 Wheels of Justice (Two Eyes for an Eye) | Shooter |
| 2002-2006 | The Shield | Kern Little |
| 2002 | The Twilight Zone (2002 TV series) (Harsh Mistress) | Ricky |
| 2002 | Just Cause (TV series) (Fading Star) | |
| 2003 | Platinum (TV series) (Flow, Peace, Power, Loyalty, Love, Want) | Grady Rhames |
| 2005 | Over There (U.S. TV series) (Da Shootout) | Pvt. Maurice 'Smoke' Williams |
| 2005 | CSI: Miami (10-7) | Scott Owens |
| 2006 | Blade (TV series) | Blade |
| 2007 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Flipped) | Detective Harry Williams |
| 2007 | Tell Me You Love Me (TV series) (Episode #1.8) | Terrance |
| 2009 | The Beast (2009 TV series) (Pilot) | Caesar |
| 2009 | Burn Notice (Hot Spot) | Felix Cole |
| 2009 | Raising the Bar (2008 TV series) (Happy Ending) | Mr. Cantwell |
| 2010 | NCIS: Los Angeles (Blood Brothers) | Rashad 'Slide' Hollander |
| 2010 | Rizzoli & Isles (When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang) | Kirk 'Sticky Fingaz' Jones |
| 2011 | CSI: Miami (Countermeasures) | Leo Kendry |
| 2011 | NYC 22 (Firebomb) | Monsta White |
| 2015 | Blue Bloods (TV series) (The Art of War, New Rules) | Clinton Wallace / Clinton 'Ice' Wallace |
| 2016 | The Night Of (The Art of War, A Dark Crate) | Rikers Inmate |
| 2016 | The Grind TV 1.0 (Theft) | Sticky |
| 2016 | Loosely Exactly Nicole (Brother Visits) | Little Stroke |
| 2016 | Empire (A Furnace for Your Foe, Sound & Fury) | Brikk |
| 2017 | Grown Folks (TV Series) (Snitches Get Stitches) | Fatsy Bulger |
Video games
- Rap Jam: Volume One (1995) – Sticky Fingaz[18] (voice)
- Def Jam: Fight for NY (2004) – Himself (voice)
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2005) – Detective Harry Williams (voice)
- Def Jam: Icon (2007) – Wink (voice)
References
- ↑ "Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies (by Brian Coleman) - page 291". books.google.ru. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
- ↑ "Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies (by Brian Coleman) - page 291". books.google.ru. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
- ↑ "Onyx on Sticky Fingaz Joining the Group, Jam Master Jay Signing Them (Part 2)". youtube.com. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
- ↑ "Hip Hop Connection Magazine #79 [September, 1995] - BALD IN THE UZA (by June Joseph)". onyxdomain.com. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
- ↑ "Onyx on Going Double Platinum with 'Slam,' Song Inspired by Nirvana (Part 4) - 4:23". youtube.com. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
- ↑ "B-1 – THE UNKUT INTERVIEW". unkut.com. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
- ↑ "Diane Martel - House of Tres - 8:32". youtube.com. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
- ↑ "Sonny Seeza Explains Why You Don't See Him With ONYX That Much Anymore". youtube.com. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
- ↑ "Fredro Starr talks Onyx, Jam Master J & Signing to Def Jam Records". youtube.com. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
- ↑ "Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies (by Brian Coleman) - page 305". books.google.ru. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
- ↑ "Onyx on Sticky Fingaz Joining the Group, Jam Master Jay Signing Them (Part 2)". youtube.com. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
- ↑ "Freddro Starr Explains How Onyx Got It's Style". youtube.com. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
- ↑ "Sonny Seeza responds to being kicked out of platinum rap group Onyx". youtube.com. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
- ↑ "Def Jam, Inc., Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin, and the Extraordinary Story of the World's Most Inf (by Stacy Gueraseva) - page 282". play.google.com. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
- ↑ Shull, Zac. "Q&A: Sticky Fingaz Talks Past With 50 Cent & Dr. Dre, Hip-Hop Musical 'Caught On Tape'". Baller Status. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ↑ Majorindependents.com
- ↑ YouTube
- ↑ "Rap Jam - Volume One (USA) (En,Fr,Es)". retrogames.cc. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
