Johnny Reed McKinzie Jr. (born March 31, 1985), better known as Jay Rock, is a Los Angeles-based American rapper, singer, and songwriter. In 2005, he joined the indie label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). In 2007, Rock signed a record deal with Warner Bros. through TDE. Records and later Asylum Records, but mergers failed and Rock left the business soon after. He then inked a joint venture arrangement with fellow American rapper Tech N9ne’s Strange Music. In addition to his solo career, Rock is a member of the hip-hop ensemble Black Hippy, which includes fellow West Coast rappers and TDE labelmates Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul.
Rock has amassed multiple TDE-released mixtapes since 2006, and he initially received considerable notice with his 2008 commercial debut single, “All My Life (In the Ghetto)” (featuring Lil Wayne and will.i.am). Rock’s much-delayed and long-awaited debut album, Follow Me Home, was released in July 2011 after signing with Strange Music. The aforementioned hit, as well as “Hood Gone Love It,” provided support for the album (featuring Kendrick Lamar). In September 2015, he released his second album 90059, which was promoted by the singles “Money Trees Deuce” (with Lance Skiiiwalker), “Gumbo,” and the title track. Rock’s third studio album, Redemption, was released in June 2018. Jay Rock won his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance for “King’s Dead” in 2019.