TueSep 23

J.I.

Justin Irvin Rivera, better known by his stage name J.I. the Prince of New York, was born on September 23, 2001. Having been introduced to music at a young age by his parents, Rivera knew he wanted to pursue a career in music. He began uploading his amateur music on YouTube where he was discovered by music mogul Jermaine Dupri who invited him to appear on “The Rap Game.” After his appearance in the reality T.V. competition, he went on to release several E.Ps and mixtapes. Many of his songs have broken records on the music streaming service Spotify, with whom he has partnered. Help us celebrate the promising rap star’s birthday here today!

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Justin Irvin Rivera

Nickname:

J.I. the Prince of N.Y.

Birth date:

September 23, 2001

Age:

23

Zodiac Sign:

Libra

Height:

5' 8"

Relationship Status:

Single

Net Worth:

$1 million

Justin's Social Media:

Background

J.I. is an up-and-coming star in the Gen Z rap world. J.I., whose full name is Justin Irvin Rivera, was born on September 23, 2001, in Brooklyn, New York. Rivera’s parents played a significant role in his musical career, having introduced him to reggaeton and hip hop at a young age. As a small child, Rivera would compose basic melodies on his miniature keyboard. In 2016, record executive and rapper Jermaine Dupri discovered Rivera’s freestyle raps on the image and video-sharing social media platform, Instagram. Dupri invited Rivera to appear on the second season of the reality T.V. rap competition “The Rap Game.” Although Rivera did not win the competition, the T.V. show gave him invaluable exposure.

He released his first extended play (E.P.) record entitled “Barely Famous” in 2017. He connected with GStarr Entertainment chief executive officer Gabriel ‘Gaby’ Acevedo and released his first mixtape entitled “Hood Life Krisis, Vol. 1” in October 2019. By the end of November, the song ‘Need Me’ from his mixtape had amassed over three million streams on the music streaming app Spotify. Through GStarr Entertainment, Rivera signed a record deal with Interscope Records. Before the close of the year, he released his album “Hood Life Krisis, Vol. 2.”

He collaborated with Puerto Rican rapper Myke Towers on the single ‘Spanglish’ which was released in 2020. Rivera used the song as the first single on his next E.P. called “Welcome to GStarr Vol. 1.” Like ‘Need Me,’ ‘Spanglish’ became an immediate success on Spotify, amassing over one million streams on the app within less than half an hour of its release. That same year, Rivera signed a partnership with Spotify as part of the streaming service’s music promotion program RADAR. Before the year concluded, he released his third mixtape, “Hood Life Krisis, Vol. 3,” and his song ‘Need Me’ was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Career timeline

2016
Rivera Stars on “The Rap Game”

The young rapper competes in Jermaine Dupri’s competition T.V. show and gains national exposure.

2017
He Releases His First E.P.

Rivera releases his first extended play record entitled “Barely Famous.”

2019
Rivera Releases His First Mixtape

The up-and-coming rap star releases “Hood Life Krisis, Vol. 1.”

2020
He Becomes a Spotify Success

His collaboration with Myke Towers, a single called ‘Spanglish,’ has over one million streams on the app within less than half an hour of its release.

2020
He Partners With Spotify

Rivera signs on to Spotify’s young artists' promotion program, RADAR.

2020
He’s Certified Gold

Rivera’s song ‘Need Me’ is awarded gold status by the R.I.A.A.

Why We Love J.I.

  1. He took accountability for his life

    Rivera has revealed that his mother kicked him out of the house after he spent his “The Rap Game” earnings on marijuana. The rapper said that period of his life was a huge motivating factor in dedicating his life to his music.

  2. He’s proud of his heritage

    Rivera has Puerto Rican heritage from his parents. He has recorded verses in Spanish as well as English, saying that he wants to be as successful in Puerto Rica as he is in America.

  3. He’s humble and mature

    Many celebrities in their early 20s have quite big egos but this couldn’t be further from the truth for Rivera. When he signed his record deal with Interscope Records, he said “You kind of have to redevelop yourself. I have done that by putting out new bodies of work.”

5 Surprising Facts

  1. His favorite school subject was English

    The rapper has said he enjoyed studying English and had a particular fondness for writing short stories.

  2. He likes old-school hip-hop

    Although he is young, Rivera has cited hip-hop legends like Nas, Biggie, and Jay-Z as his musical influences.

  3. He wanted to give up rap

    Rivera has revealed that after the hype of “The Rap Game” died down, he considered quitting making music and starting a career in construction instead.

  4. Drake is a fan of him

    Rivera’s music was played by fellow rapper Drake on one of his Instagram live sessions.

  5. He sold out the S.O.B.

    Rivera had three sold-out shows consecutively at the Sounds of Brazil venue in Manhattan, the first artist to do so.

J.I. FAQs

Does J.I. Prince of N.Y. have siblings?

Yes, he has one sister and two brothers.

Does J.I. Prince of N.Y. have a girlfriend?

It appears the rapper is not dating anyone as of 2022.

Is J.I. Prince of N.Y. signed to So So Def?

No, Mani signed with So So Def’s Jermaine Dupri.

J.I.’s birthday dates

Year Date Day
2025 September 23 Tuesday
2026 September 23 Wednesday
2027 September 23 Thursday
2028 September 23 Saturday
2029 September 23 Sunday