J Rag [Former Artist] Atlantic Records

Synthesis Magazine:



J Rag, HipHop and R&B Recording Artist, SongWriter, Producer, Host, & Entertainer. Executive Producer and Founder of MindScApe Entertainment(R). Full Entity Production, Entertainment Company & Record Label. Recently taking on the additional role of Artist Management and Developement. To help other aspiring talent and artists get to where they want to be and help another reach the goals that he also once had. Always felt like when it wasnt his time anymore he would take on the role of guiding another young artist into the right position. Once being signed to Atlantic Records, and after a very short time being released and the question being up in the air and remaining to fans and everyone, why? Still to this day, never really being answered.
Alot of people may actually forget where J Rag or Joe Rago started. As a Child, he had his first jo, for a print work ad campaign with Disney and the Disney World Franchise. At 8 Yearls Old, he began as a Model with Patti Fleischer and the Generation Model Agencey. Print work was the focus on the agents mind, from Colgate, to all of the things that lead into the point where it was time for the growth and the change and start to move into the direction of Commercials and Books and things of that nature on the larger scale. At 12 Years Old he was made the face of the BoardGame "Othello" and was brought on the Children's Book Series "The BoX Car Children". The Cammy Baker Novel Series brought him in to be a cover and insert model for the series, in that same time frame of 12 Years Old to 16 Years Old, he did Magazines, Print, Commercials, Books, such as: Target, Lord & Taylor, Macy's Print & Commercials, Bloomingdale's Print & Commercials, FingerHut, & The Teen Book Series "Sweet Valley High" & "Sweet Valley Jr. High" wich shortly after completing the entire Book Series Photo Shoots, became a TV Series wich was brought on to by UPN 9. Immediatley 21st Century Fox Entertainment signed and contracted him After the series aired. But, by its 3rd and what would be its final Episode, being beaten out by other Teen Series Shows, the series was canceled.
If anyone knows Joe Rago, where he is from, and any History on his family, Family Background and History, knows that while trying to pursue a career in the Entertainment World, how it could be very distracting and how other influences could guide his life into another direction. As You know, majority of those types of things all became of public record. So details for the Protection of other Parties, Persons, and Record can remain protected. He rathered us not to go into any detail or further notation on that particular subject and we granted him that right and privacy when agreeing to let us Publish this Article. Rather than to do a "Where Are They Now" on his life and Biography, we looked further into his life to see that he is still active in the Entertainment Industry but totally changed his whole role and goals in the pursuit of his future. After the TV Show ended, Joe Rago naturally took on the Person that became J Rag. While always writing and story telling and keeping records, notes and books of his stories and rhymes, over time recited them into what became Raps, or Verses and ultimatley HipHop Music.
Having the growing knowledge and experience of Life, and certain LifeStyles, made it that much more of an easier transition from Modeling & Acting into the Music Industry. On Set, it had been said to his then Agent, Patti Fleicher, this Kid is too Ruggid to be doing Teen Modeling & Shows. Though it would be a positive life move and change for the garunteed betterment of one's future. They could see that there was a turning point where his interests were somewhere else. Still being asked to Speak and Be a guest Host and Pannel Guest during the Annual Fashion Week and Fashion Shows including the International "Model Search America" with David Mogul & Ford. When not following through with Go-Sees & Screenings for new Jobs and Parts on TV & Series, eventually Joe Rago was dropped & Released from 21st Century Fox.
Working on Music and at the same time growing and maturing as a Young Man and the transition into a Man. Starting to want more for himself and realizing that he had the opportunity to live a different life then what was Handed to him and is what he felt was automatically paved for him. And he told us, "it is something that you feel you have no other choice but to follow in those footsteps, and Live the Life that you were born in to...". Again, Working on Music and now laying the foundation and recording the music and learning the business, structure, as well as utilizing the old contacts that he remained to stay friends with and stay in contact with after all of those years. Having the opportunity to shop the music he was creating with several different record executives, Record Labels, and A&R's such as Atlantic Records. There, Joe Rago called to represent himself and was persistent and finally after a short time, a woman by the name of Dara Macintosh who was the Director of the A&R Department of Atlantic Records at the time, said for him to come in, and there is where J Rag was Born. She, from the Moment that this Bigger than Life Presence entered the Room, as it did with our interview, she was interested in hearing the Music and Vision of J Rag. After the 4 Songs Played, she immediatley called into the Room, G & HipHop, who were the A&R's at Atlantic At the time, to listen and talk with J Rag. Dara, while giving the standard let us listen and continue to talk this over and we'll be in touch, she called several friends, and associates that she had that were at other Labels in New York City, and told them that she wanted them to see J Rag and make time while he is in the city, in case Atlantic didn't feel J Rag was a Product that they needed, She believed that somewhere there was gonna be a place for him, and someone could benefit from what he had to offer. After speaking with Dara MySelf, she said, "He took over the room like nothing I had ever seen. Carisma, Character, Persistent, Flowing, and his presence was demanding and an original unforgettable style. And when i put the cd on, I really didn't know what to expect, but I was taken back by what came through the speakers. This person was talking to you with a smooth rhythmic delivery. I hate the stereotype, but it was almost hard for me to believe that the person on the records was a white male. Wich made it that much better."
Dara, sent him to a few more offices where she thought would be the best fit. One of the other offices she sent him over to was BadBoy Entertainment. Harve Pierre took out time to meet with him and listen to him, but as Diddy said, "we already got a whiteboy on the roster.... It's too big of a risk to have another one". At the time, Kane was signed to the BadBoy Entertainment Record Label. Following that J Rag made his way a few blocks over to where he met with Karen Rait with Interscope/Geffen Records and there the visit was about the same time consumed as in the BadBoy office. They weren't seeing what Dara had saw. Last stop of the day was going to be at Virgin Records with then A&R Lenny Santiago [Lenny S.] who came right out to the Lobby to greet J Rag himself and felt that same energy that was felt by Dara at Atlantic. Lenny spoke with J Rag for 2 Hours and listened to each and every song that was on the disc. He told him to go home and he would be back in touch with him before the week was up. First one to contact J Rag was Dara and Atlantic Records. From there the Relationship would continue to build and progress.......
J Rag at 21 was finally just putting the ground work in to release his single "The Day After Forever" wich Premiered on Philly Hit Top 20 Radio Station Q102, and Radio picked up on it and his other records started to create the buzz, another LifeChanging decision would have to be made in Joe Rago's Life. Joe's Girlfriend got Pregnant. He chose the Moral ground and put his own life to the side so that he could be there for the Mother of His soon to be Child, and be there for her and with her during the Pregnancey and Birth of there Child. With time going by, Atlantic Records decided to pull this artist J Rag from there Roster. In this time, companies were merging, making personel changes, and executive changes, and there was this artist who, in there eyes, looked to be inactive. Shortly after he was officially released from the Label and both parties mutually agreed to part ways.
Now it is 2009 and J Rag is still making great music and creating different paths for him in this Industry. A Big part of his future is to help young artists who were where he once was, get to where they need to be. Using his knowledge, resources, and skill to help artist(s) succeed and possibly Manage at some point. But, right now, J Rag is still enjoying the creative process, making songs, and working with new people, and people that he was a fan of growing up, and making new relationships going forward. To see what happens from this point on stay tuned to new J Rag Music & Adventures as well as see where the rest of this story will go. It has been such a pleasure to research someone like Joe Rago and to be inspired by him myself. To speak to the People that surround him, past and present, and have so many people speak highly of you is a great great mark to leave on another person. It has been fun and look forward to what is to come.

Sara Jacobson
(c)2009 Synthesis Magazine
Written by & Interviewed by Sarah Jacobson