J. Period Teases Dave Chappelle, Lin-Manuel Miranda Features in Album Trailer
DJ/producer J. Period has released a new animated trailer for his upcoming debut album, Story to Tell (Chapter One), set to arrive April 30th.
The clip features audio from the previously released song, “All in Your Head,” which features Dave Chappelle, Black Thought, and Tiffany Gouché. Made by Stellar Hawk and illustrator Dan Lish, the video offers a vibrant preview of the album and its many guests, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jemele Hill, Shad, Bobbito Garcia, Joell Ortiz, Crazy Legs, Mayda Del Valle, Masego, and Garth Trinidad.
In an email to Rolling Stone, J. Period spoke about all the features on Story to Tell, saying: “I’ve been blessed to collaborate with some towering figures of the culture, and all of those moments laid the foundation for this album — that’s its own set of stories. The rest is hard work, persistence, and in many cases, patience! I drove nine hours to Yellow Springs, Ohio, in the middle of a pandemic to record Chappelle — which Black Thought immortalizes on ‘All in Your Head’; I waited nearly a year for a chance to record with Lin-Manuel. More than anything, I wanted this storybook to reflect my own story, and every artist involved represents a different part of that story. I’m grateful to all of these incredible artists for helping to bring that vision to life.”
J. Period also noted how the trailer is part of his effort to present Story to Tell as a “musical storybook,” inspired by the “book-and-record” sets he grew up with. “From the moment the needle drops, I wanted to make it clear this is no ordinary album; we are going on a journey,” he said. “This project has been the greatest undertaking of my career, and the most powerful lesson I’ve learned is the power of intention: envisioning your goal, and having the courage to reach toward it. Every artist struggles with fear and doubt; the challenge is to push through in pursuit of your vision, and that is no easy task.”
While Story to Tell is technically J. Period’s debut album, his extensive work as a DJ and producer has found him collaborating with artists like Black Thought, the Roots, Q-Tip, Mary J. Blige, and John Legend. He also worked on The Hamilton Mixtape and has a founding seat on the Kennedy Center’s Hip-Hop Culture Council.
