Miles Jones

CLICK LINK ABOVE to see Clip - CP24

This guy is a solid combination of everything that’s current in electronica, pop, and rap right now. Miles Jones finds a delicate balance in two ways on this album. First, he has created rap songs that sound mainstream enough to make radio but are not overly pop. The layered vocals and synth percussion provide a pop appeal, but each song has enough substance to give it a lasting quality. Second, Jones has made an album that is half gangster swag and the half a love album. “Somebody” is a sexy R&B jam and “Scorpio” has old-school street appeal. Consider Miles Jones to be Canada’s version of Drake. The energy and confidence permeated through Jones’ music is empowering enough to make this artist a star. - SLUG Magazine - National Review

The vastly talented DJ/Producer/emcee/songwriter/CEO of Mojo Records and Publishing, known as Miles Jones, has stepped outside of himself with his latest project The Jones Act Part III by creating a character through his music to deal with an emotional time in his life. Through struggle and reinvention, The Jones Act emerged as something beyond the boom bap hip-hop that Jones was previously known for as the emcee created a new sound for himself and a new lane with his new release, which includes not just his music, but the art of comics.
HOW DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE GROWN SINCE YOUR LAST ALBUM RUNAWAY JONES IN 2009? I think my taste for music as a fan has changed a lot since 2009. That has created a new bar for me as a creator as far as challenging myself and not staying in that hip-hop bubble, which is so easy to do, for any genre really. I started experimenting and listening a little bit more to song arrangements and structure in other music and try and apply that to what I was doing when I was creating and writing.
“I find that it is a lot easier for me as an artist and as a creator to not only have to be necessarily myself… it is sort of creating this character or imaginative space where you can allow yourself to express all these different sides.”
WHAT WAS THE VISION BEHIND YOUR LATEST PROJECT THE JONES ACT PART III? It kick-started with the single that I recorded about a year after I dropped my Runaway Jones project in 2009 and it was a song called “All Lies” and I was singing on the hook instead of getting someone else to come and sing the hook and you can say it created the blueprint to the theory and concept that I had for this record where I wanted to be able to kind of step out of myself. I find that it is a lot easier for me as an artist and as a creator to not only have to be necessarily myself in the way that, the way a writer writes a script, or the way a director directs a movie, it is sort of creating this character or imaginative space where you can allow yourself to express all these different sides. I was going through a lot… My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and I was dealing with that and a few things career wise that were changing and I felt that music was my outlet during that time and I was able to use The Jones Act as an escape and you can hear that in the record.
WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE WHEN PUTTING OUT THE NEW ALBUM? A challenge is always picking which songs that the industry wants to hear as your “single” or your hit and when you’re so close to a project and you’re so attached to something, it’s really hard to be objective and really feel what’s right for yourself and also what is right for your audience or for what the media is going to write about. I think that’s a constant ongoing challenge. For this project, we did something a little bit different. I had a comic book writer create an issue of a comic to a song called “Catch Me in the Rye”, which is track four on the record and it turned into an actual comic that we showcased at this comic convention and it spawned into this comic series. There is going to be other comic books written to go with each song on the record so it’s cool having the hit song and the music video, but I think for this record, I wanted to do something different and do something to make the listener think a little bit more and dig a little bit deeper than the traditional ways that we are told that we are supposed to consume music… It’s still a challenge to really push some of these ideas… My team and I are trying to figure out how to get these ideas to the forefront and inspire other artists to try these things as well. - Urbanology by Samantha O' Conner

On the heels of his five-track EP release, Act So Strange, Toronto Hip Hop artist Miles Jones has expanded upon his newfound sound with The Jones Act (Part III). The full-length follow-up is 12-tracks of effects-laden Rap, raw beats and with a healthy dose of electronica nuances. The style and flow of the albums bring facets of several genres to light; borrowing from groove R&B and electronica to elements of African-style percussion on backing beats.


Opening to the eerily hypnotic “All Lies” the album immediately veers in a direction illustrating this isn’t typical, run-of-the-mill Hip Hop. The backing vocals are heavily effects-laden with Jones spitting over the backing din. The agro pace of this one is a good launching track and foreshadows the bounds the album breaks through. The real life message in the lyrical matter is rife with pop culture references and is a remark on the often, disingenuous nature of the entertainment industry. “Catch Me In The Rye” opens with mysterious clicks and clanks in the background with more effects at the chorus vocal delivery. A low-fi “Wub” vein runs underneath the stanzas, which tell the story of a romp through NYC with the protagonist in the role of Salinger’s famous character Holden Caulfield. The surreal lyrical matter and the down tempo give this one a dark edge and a commentary on the faux nature of the city. Funk shines through within the instrumentation on “Satisfied” with piano and bass plucks holding up the melody. The pace of this one is all groove and swagger and the lyrical delivery matches up alongside. “Better Life” continues in the vein of “Satisfied” with its urgency in delivery and musicality. Again, this one is rife with swagger and confidence. The pace is set to full flow through the verses and chorus on to through the outro.

Jones may have found something within his new sound and approach. Yes, this is still Hip Hop but there are so many layers of differing sounds and influence that it transcends the notion of this being. - Skope Entertainment Inc.

The buzz around Miles Jones’s latest album is that it sounds nothing like his previous musical output. And to hear the rapper/producer/songwriter say it, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s a bit of a different message, as opposed to your boom-bap hip-hop sound,” says the 29-year-old of his latest effort. “I think the feedback I got for this record is that it sounds nothing like my last record.”

Indeed, The Jones Act Part III represents a sound somewhat different from his 2009 sophomore effort Runaway Jones. More to the point, it marks an evolution of sorts, an obsession with music coupled with fearlessness in pushing the proverbial envelope when it comes to his hip-hop sound.

“It still sounds like me though," Jones assures. "It’s still me breathing through each song. There’s still that warm quality and familiarity in my delivery and my voice. But musically, it sounds a lot different and definitely a little more electronic, a little more pop, a little more experimental. It still has those bangers hip-hop wise."

With a musical background that includes collaborations with names like Black Milk, Boi-1da and Shad, Jones has been doing his thing for more than a minute. In 2004, he formed Mojo Records and Publishing as a way to build a platform for fellow producers, DJs and artists. Today, wearing the hats of producer, rapper and songwriter are ways to ensure that Jones's creative output is expressed in the best way possible. “It’s a balance. If I was going to do one of them 100 per cent of the time, I wouldn’t like it,” he says.

And after whetting appetites with a five-track EP, Act So Strange, The Jones Act Part III delivers a hip-hop sound that sees Jones in full chill vibe, a laid-back stance that leverages electronic and melodic R&B sounds throughout. It’s a project where harder joints like “Scorpio” (featuring D-Sisive and Ghettosocks) coexist with the soulful sound of “Somebody.”

“I wrote this song called ‘All Lies,’” Jones says. “That’s what kickstarted the idea for The Jones Act. That’s when I knew the type of sound and direction that I was heading in. It’s not necessarily your textbook and traditional boom-bap hip-hop. For me, the type of sounds I like are the more progressive type of sound — something super-progressive and brings a different hip-hop sound."

“Obviously I want to sell a lot of units but I’m not going to use that as a unit of success,” he says of his expectations for the latest project. “I put the music out there and people can take it in how they want. There’s definitely an evolution as far as production and sound quality — this is the record that sounds the biggest and the baddest. I want to keep pushing the envelope and I feel that The Jones Act Part III shows that this is my sound moving forward. ”

See Miles Jones live at Revival in Toronto on Nov. 21. - CBC Music by Ryan B. Patrick

Producer/singer/songwriter/DJ/comic book creator Miles Jones made noise with his second album, 2009's Runaway Jones. Its tracks scored placements on network TV shows and the Olympics broadcast, and won a Toronto Independent Music Award. Don't be surprised at similar success for this strong outing. Jones has recruited such hiphop luminaries as D-Sisive (on album highlight "Scorpio") and Kae Sun (on the winning sounding "Fresh,") as

guests, and he impresses with his lyrical flow, imaginative rhymes and catchy beats. Jones is the son of noted Toronto DJ Hedley Jones, so talent clearly runs in this family.

Kerry Doole
- New Canadian Music

One of the best things about Canada’s hip-hop landscape is the sheer diversity of artists within its broad reaches. In a reflection of our multicultural country, the Canadian hip-hop scene features unique sounds from East to West Coast, and everywhere in between. One such example is Toronto-born Miles Jones. Blending futuristic beats inspired by dance and house, and infused with an ever-present boom bap quality, Jones has crafted a unique sound that reflects his musically diverse upbringing in a household with his father, Hedley Jones Jr., a longtime radio and club deejay. Most recently, Jones’ efforts have culminated in the release of The Jones Act (Part III), a 12-track album released on his own label, Mojo Records and Publishing. On top of that, in an equally unique endeavour, Jones has been collaborating with illustrator Ben Roboly to create comic book issues based on the songs from the album. The Come Up Show caught up with Miles Jones to discuss The Jones Act (Part III), the key to success in the Canadian rap industry, making comic books, and much more. Read the full interview below.
M-Bomb: First and foremost, welcome back to The Come Up Show. It’s great to have you again.
Miles Jones: Yeah, no doubt man. I’ve been looking forward to it.
M-Bomb: Before we get into your latest album, I’d like to build towards it. You were born in Toronto, and graduated from McMaster. What did you study there?
Miles Jones: Multimedia and Communications.
M-Bomb: How did you get into hosting a radio show at McMaster?
Miles Jones: I basically just volunteered. It was something that I was always interested in – my dad was a broadcaster, and he used to bring me on the air when I was little, like on CFNY and Mix 99.9 – and I just had this idea to host this radio show where I could [showcase] the history of breaks and things that inspired hip-hop and connect it with the current hip-hop culture. I had this idea for the show, and so I pitched it in first year, and I didn’t get it. They gave me a little time slot in my second year, where I had to wake up at like 8:30 in the morning and bust my ass to get there. By the time I was in third and fourth year, I had a really cool time slot at 9:00 in the evenings, and [my co-host and I] were able to turn it into an actual show, where we were able to get guests, and started to get some really good feedback, so it kinda just escalated into that vision that I had in the beginning.
M-Bomb: In 2004, you started Mojo Records & Publishing. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’ve described the Canadian hip-hop landscape as “prime real estate,” in that it’s vast and unclaimed. Can you elaborate on this?
Miles Jones: Yeah, that wasn’t actually me that described that; it’s in my bio. But I think what they were looking at [in that description] is there are a handful of artists that have made note of themselves in the Canadian hip-hop industry over the past few decades, but it still seems to be this fresh, young, and exciting genre. It’s not completely over-saturated, and there’s room for artists doing new things and creative hip-hop to find a place and establish themselves. I think it’s one of those things, and it’s interesting, because you see the artists that were working five years ago, ten years ago – however long any of these people have been making hip-hop music – and the ones that are still there are the ones that are doing it because they love doing it, or because it’s something that they have to do, as opposed to just trying to make a record to make a quick buck, or because it’s something cool to do. I think there’s room for a lot of Canadian hip-hop still to be heard.

M-Bomb: So many times, people talk about the lack of infrastructure in the music industry in Canada – at least when it comes to hip-hop. Most recently, D-Sisive and Muneshine were talking about calling it quits and trying something different out of frustration with the industry.
Miles Jones: Yeah, I saw that.
M-Bomb: What’s the key to success in Canada?
Miles Jones: I don’t know if you can pinpoint the key to success. It’s tough to compare ourselves to the U-S, because hip-hop came from the U-S. It’s something that has a big, huge following in the indie and the college scene, much like we do with our indie-rock scene, or our rock scene or folk scene in general – there’s a huge support system of fans and audiences that build up over time. Hip-hop still has work to do in that regard, so I think it just gets frustrating for some of these really dope, talented artists, who put all this time, and energy, and money into these projects, and then they’re not able to recoup them back. It’s tough to go make another project if [you feel like] the first project should have been heard more, or put on a larger platform to [reach] a larger audience. If that doesn’t happen, then it becomes frustrating. And for artists like D-Sisive, or Muneshine, or myself, you keep putting out projects, and you look to get a reaction, and it’s - The Come Up Show, January 9, 2013

Toronto, ON – Miles Jones, a Toronto born and bred DJ, producer, songwriter, rapper and multi-talented musician has released his third album, The Jones Act Part III. Coming out through his own label, Mojo Records and Publishing, the release features collaborations with fellow Canadian hip hop mainstays like Kae Sun, D-Sisive, Kayo, Ghettosocks, Tona and A-Jaxx. Blending futuristic beats with that unassailable boom-bap head nod quality and familiar strains of house, Jones has crafted a critically acclaimed brand of urban music that speaks to his eclectic upbringing in one of the most multicultural cities in the world. His infectious charisma at live shows can be in part attributed to the early influence of his father, Hedley Jones Jr., an influential DJ in Toronto’s club scene. - Hip Hop Canada

Toronto, ON – Miles Jones, a Toronto born and bred DJ, producer, songwriter, rapper and multi-talented musician has released his third album, The Jones Act Part III. Coming out through his own label, Mojo Records and Publishing, the release features collaborations with fellow Canadian hip hop mainstays like Kae Sun, D-Sisive, Kayo, Ghettosocks, Tona and A-Jaxx. Blending futuristic beats with that unassailable boom-bap head nod quality and familiar strains of house, Jones has crafted a critically acclaimed brand of urban music that speaks to his eclectic upbringing in one of the most multicultural cities in the world. His infectious charisma at live shows can be in part attributed to the early influence of his father, Hedley Jones Jr., an influential DJ in Toronto’s club scene. - Hip Hop Canada

While many a rap record has described the grind’s incompatibility with romance, Miles Jones isn’t giving up on love without a fight. On Maybe Tomorrow, a freshly-released record off his next mixtape, the Canadian emcee struggles to patch up a relationship damaged by his careerism, praying that the desired reconciliation will come with the dawn of a new day. As usual, the artist paris his reflective, often abstract bars with some attention-grabbing production; this time around Joshua Sadlier-Brown does the honors, crafting an upbeat instrumental laced with 8-bit synth arpeggios. The Jones Act Part III is scheduled to drop October 23 - Dj Booth.net

The story of underground hip hop phenom Miles Jones and his debut U.S. release, Runaway Jones, is inextricably tied to his famed bloodline. His grandfather was a jazz and ska musician who helped pioneer the reggae movement at Studio One in Jamaica, where Bob Marley and a slew of other legends recorded their first major hits. And his father, Deadly Hedley Jones Jr, was an integral proponent of the early Toronto club scene and an influential DJ on CFNY FM.

Some might say that young Mr. Jones was born with big shoes to fill. But another way of looking at the situation slants toward the notion of inevitability. In other words, when you couple the luck of genetics with an inclination for poetry and a deep-seated admiration for master hip-hop story-tellers like Eric B & Rakim, Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J, and Big Daddy Kane, the recent success of Miles Jones seems only natural. - Big Rock Finish… reviews of independent music

Say what you want about Canadian Hip Hop, but what often emerges from the north is a credible, mature sound which captivates even the most hardened American Hip Hopper. Whereas acts like K-OS, Slakah the Beatchild and Kardinall Offishial have remained consistent, the likes of Drake and K-NAAN have rapidly become internationally recognised performers. Acclaimed rapper and an established name within the scene, Miles Jones, drops his much anticipated second album, Runaway Jones, for the rest of the world to embrace as its much earlier release in Canada has already won many fans over.

Much like his fellow Canadians K-OS and Slakah The BeatChild, Jones’ sound is a stirring, soulful one, which marinates the often steady pulse of the beats on hand. ‘Again’ takes on the classic boom-bap format, aided by a feel-good ’90s-esque beat (produced by the rapper himself).
Miles Jones is a narrator who possesses a likeable optimism and charm within his verses. When exploring the various continents he’s toured on ‘Coast To Coast’, its deep bass and leading keys provides the vehicle for the rapper to smoothly tell his tale.

Runaway Jones explores themes throughout and it becomes easy to identify which of those provides the standout tracks. When playing the chilled out master of ceremonies, Miles’ swagger scores him many points. The Slakah The BeatChild-produced ‘Say What’ is a slick, jazzy score, which Jones sits on comfortably, whilst ‘Rhymes Like This’ pays tribute to the supposed ‘good old days’ when music was more substance over style.
Jones is also effective when trawling through the grander Hip Hop beats, as proven when rapping over the recognised sounds of Black Milk on ‘Never Too Late’ and doesn’t disappoint even when jumping into the trance and indie fuelled rocket on ‘Time Machine’.

Whilst it may have been two years since its first release, Runaway Jones doesn’t sound dated as it provides a soothing, refreshed approach to the commercially constructed music around. Miles Jones may not come with a deep, booming voice which shakes the foundations but his composed, elegant flow is suitable for the sombre moods which the album often finds itself in. A solid project, which provides some of the finer aspects of the genre, Miles Jones can expect to be embraced by more than those residing in the northern regions of CA. - Henry Yanney

Say what you want about Canadian Hip Hop, but what often emerges from the north is a credible, mature sound which captivates even the most hardened American Hip Hopper. Whereas acts like K-OS, Slakah the Beatchild and Kardinall Offishial have remained consistent, the likes of Drake and K-NAAN have rapidly become internationally recognised performers. Acclaimed rapper and an established name within the scene, Miles Jones, drops his much anticipated second album, Runaway Jones, for the rest of the world to embrace as its much earlier release in Canada has already won many fans over.

Much like his fellow Canadians K-OS and Slakah The BeatChild, Jones’ sound is a stirring, soulful one, which marinates the often steady pulse of the beats on hand. ‘Again’ takes on the classic boom-bap format, aided by a feel-good ’90s-esque beat (produced by the rapper himself).

Miles Jones is a narrator who possesses a likeable optimism and charm within his verses. When exploring the various continents he’s toured on ‘Coast To Coast’, its deep bass and leading keys provides the vehicle for the rapper to smoothly tell his tale.

Runaway Jones explores themes throughout and it becomes easy to identify which of those provides the standout tracks. When playing the chilled out master of ceremonies, Miles’ swagger scores him many points. The Slakah The BeatChild-produced ‘Say What’ is a slick, jazzy score, which Jones sits on comfortably, whilst ‘Rhymes Like This’ pays tribute to the supposed ‘good old days’ when music was more substance over style.

Jones is also effective when trawling through the grander Hip Hop beats, as proven when rapping over the recognised sounds of Black Milk on ‘Never Too Late’ and doesn’t disappoint even when jumping into the trance and indie fuelled rocket on ‘Time Machine’.

Whilst it may have been two years since its first release, Runaway Jones doesn’t sound dated as it provides a soothing, refreshed approach to the commercially constructed music around. Miles Jones may not come with a deep, booming voice which shakes the foundations but his composed, elegant flow is suitable for the sombre moods which the album often finds itself in. A solid project, which provides some of the finer aspects of the genre, Miles Jones can expect to be embraced by more than those residing in the northern regions of CA.

- http://www.soulculture.co.uk/

A passionate and poetic hip hop artist can take even the least enthusiastic listener and truly inspire with the flow of musical notes and spoken voice. Miles Jones embodies all of these traits and yet still has time to be the owner of his own record label Mojo Records & Publishing. Rising from the up and coming Toronto hip hop scene, Jones brings a unique perspective with the dynamic influences in his life. Grandfather Jones was a pioneer of the Jamaican reggae movement that harnessed early reggae artists like Bob Marley. Poppa Jones aka Deadly Hedley Jones Jr. inspired Miles with his influential mark on a popular Toronto radio station and his foot in the early Toronto club scene. Take a listen to a these tracks and then be a music supporter and go forth to purchase the new album Runaway Jones. - http://www.goupthere.com

Toronto emcee Miles Jones celebrated the upcoming release of his Runaway Jones album at the Drake Underground Thursday night in front of a sold-out crowd.

The buzz around the T.O. native is significant, and his eclectic, exuberant style and grassroots approach was validated by a lengthy lineup in front of the venue come showtime.

But for those that got in, the combination of live bass and drums, digital accompaniment, a guest spot from London transplant RaSoul and appearances by DJ Serious and DJ Dopey was infectious.

And the fact that it was hosted by beaming father, Hedley Jones, aka Deadly Hedley (a longtime Toronto DJ), was a nice personal touch.
- CityTV News by: Aaron Miller

Toronto emcee Miles Jones celebrated the upcoming release of his Runaway Jones album at the Drake Underground Thursday night in front of a sold-out crowd.

The buzz around the T.O. native is significant, and his eclectic, exuberant style and grassroots approach was validated by a lengthy lineup in front of the venue come showtime.

But for those that got in, the combination of live bass and drums, digital accompaniment, a guest spot from London transplant RaSoul and appearances by DJ Serious and DJ Dopey was infectious.

And the fact that it was hosted by beaming father, Hedley Jones, aka Deadly Hedley (a longtime Toronto DJ), was a nice personal touch.
- CityTV News by: Aaron Miller

With the help of several producers including Black Milk, Natural Diggers and DJ Serious, Toronto emcee/DJ/producer Miles Jones has crafted a record which shuffles between street beats and club beats, classic and contemporary styles. "Coast to Coast," came about from a trip that Jones took in Japan and sounds like a pinch of Lupe Fiasco with a dash of Akon. If Runaway Jones were an actual cartoon, "Runaway," whose tempo gradually accelerates as if to accompany a moment of suspense, would be the perfect theme song. To answer Jones's question, "Do you remember them days at a time like this? When the music was fly, and you could rhyme like this?" I'll answer with a solid "Heck, yeah!"
- Vue Weekly (Edmonton) by: KRISTINA DE GUZMAN

Toronto producer, songwriter and MC Miles Jones has musical wanderlust in his blood. His photographer father, Deadly Hedley Jones, is a former CFNY-FM host and pioneering club DJ. Grandfather Hedley Jones Sr. was a Jamaican jazz and ska musician who helped design and build the massively influential rocksteady and reggae recording studio Studio One.

“They could never be stuck in one space,” recalls Miles Jones. “They were always moving towards the future, to wherever a progressive movement would take them.”

As a youngster, Jones favoured the music of Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder, but by age six, his father had introduced him to ’80s hip-hop artists like Kool Moe Dee, Big Daddy Kane, LL Cool J and the especially influential Eric B. & Rakim.

“When I heard Rakim rap, it didn’t sound like the way anybody else rapped,” says a still-appreciative Jones. “He could command the mic.”

Encouraged by his schoolteacher mother, Jones wrote poetry as a youth and started freestyling at high-school ciphers. In 2002, he headed to Hamilton to study multimedia at McMaster University. Here, he started DJing and made beats that he then sang and rapped over. Two years into his studies, Jones was invited by family friend (and famous Canadian singer/songwriter) Dan Hill to participate in a Canadian Idol songwriter’s conference.

“My response to Dan was, ‘I don’t write adult-contemporary music,’ and he said ‘Well, you write lyrics don’t you? I think you could do it,’” laughs Jones. “I went there at 21, the youngest guy in the camp. There were 50 writers from all over the world, you’d be sent into a room, four people at a time, and had four hours to write a song. You’d demo it and then do another in the afternoon. It was intense.”

Armed with newfound confidence and skills, Jones wrote, produced and recorded his 12-song debut album, One Chance, as a thesis project and released it on his own Mojo Recordings label in 2006. Surprisingly mature, the album signaled the emergence of a new Canadian hip-hop talent. Jones now follows on its promise with the musically diverse Runaway Jones.

“Post–One Chance, I really had a phase of writer’s block and didn’t know how I was going to approach another album,” Jones admits. “I needed to be able to create something new, something that wouldn’t sound like the ten other artists I just heard on the radio or saw videos for — something that would make me want to get up and dance.”

He chose to collaborate with a number of favourite producers for inspiration and innovation, including Mr. Attic, Slakah the BeatChild and DJ Serious who crafted both the hip-hop heavy “Rhyme Like This” and the clubby “Runaway.”

“Serious is always ahead of the pack, way off doing his own thing,” says Jones. “He’d already done two hip-hop albums and I think in his head there was no real reason for him to come out with more music unless I could tell him why. He came over and let me hear about 20 tracks, saying ‘Do you want to hear hip-hop shit or do you want to hear everything?’ I chose ‘Everything.’”

On the denser hip-hop tip is “Never Too Late,” produced by Detroit’s Black Milk. Jones had written him in 2007 as a fan, “to say how much I loved his music and what he was doing for hip-hop.” Milk’s participation in Runaway Jones was later requested.

“The fact that he checked me out and gave me music to hear was really inspiring. Right now, Black Milk is the hip-hop beast producer who’s pumping out track after track and everything that he does seems to smash what everyone else is doing in that hip-hop bubble. Everything he does has a feel or sound to it — it’s so heavy and emotional in some sense.”

Also contributing are MCs and vocalists including Bronx-based Percee P, London’s Shad (“This is the kind of rap that I’ve always wanted to hear come from Canada”) and Ghanaian born singer-songwriter Kae Sun for whose upcoming album Jones is contributing production.

“I’m really interested in stepping outside of the hip-hop box and producing other artists,” says Jones of his future. “That’s part of why I’ve created Runaway Jones as a character. Runaway Jones is the one up on stage and touring; Miles Jones is the guy in the studio and making business decisions.”

- EYE WEEKLY (Denise Benson)

Toronto producer, songwriter and MC Miles Jones has musical wanderlust in his blood. His photographer father, Deadly Hedley Jones, is a former CFNY-FM host and pioneering club DJ. Grandfather Hedley Jones Sr. was a Jamaican jazz and ska musician who helped design and build the massively influential rocksteady and reggae recording studio Studio One.

“They could never be stuck in one space,” recalls Miles Jones. “They were always moving towards the future, to wherever a progressive movement would take them.”

As a youngster, Jones favoured the music of Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder, but by age six, his father had introduced him to ’80s hip-hop artists like Kool Moe Dee, Big Daddy Kane, LL Cool J and the especially influential Eric B. & Rakim.

“When I heard Rakim rap, it didn’t sound like the way anybody else rapped,” says a still-appreciative Jones. “He could command the mic.”

Encouraged by his schoolteacher mother, Jones wrote poetry as a youth and started freestyling at high-school ciphers. In 2002, he headed to Hamilton to study multimedia at McMaster University. Here, he started DJing and made beats that he then sang and rapped over. Two years into his studies, Jones was invited by family friend (and famous Canadian singer/songwriter) Dan Hill to participate in a Canadian Idol songwriter’s conference.

“My response to Dan was, ‘I don’t write adult-contemporary music,’ and he said ‘Well, you write lyrics don’t you? I think you could do it,’” laughs Jones. “I went there at 21, the youngest guy in the camp. There were 50 writers from all over the world, you’d be sent into a room, four people at a time, and had four hours to write a song. You’d demo it and then do another in the afternoon. It was intense.”

Armed with newfound confidence and skills, Jones wrote, produced and recorded his 12-song debut album, One Chance, as a thesis project and released it on his own Mojo Recordings label in 2006. Surprisingly mature, the album signaled the emergence of a new Canadian hip-hop talent. Jones now follows on its promise with the musically diverse Runaway Jones.

“Post–One Chance, I really had a phase of writer’s block and didn’t know how I was going to approach another album,” Jones admits. “I needed to be able to create something new, something that wouldn’t sound like the ten other artists I just heard on the radio or saw videos for — something that would make me want to get up and dance.”

He chose to collaborate with a number of favourite producers for inspiration and innovation, including Mr. Attic, Slakah the BeatChild and DJ Serious who crafted both the hip-hop heavy “Rhyme Like This” and the clubby “Runaway.”

“Serious is always ahead of the pack, way off doing his own thing,” says Jones. “He’d already done two hip-hop albums and I think in his head there was no real reason for him to come out with more music unless I could tell him why. He came over and let me hear about 20 tracks, saying ‘Do you want to hear hip-hop shit or do you want to hear everything?’ I chose ‘Everything.’”

On the denser hip-hop tip is “Never Too Late,” produced by Detroit’s Black Milk. Jones had written him in 2007 as a fan, “to say how much I loved his music and what he was doing for hip-hop.” Milk’s participation in Runaway Jones was later requested.

“The fact that he checked me out and gave me music to hear was really inspiring. Right now, Black Milk is the hip-hop beast producer who’s pumping out track after track and everything that he does seems to smash what everyone else is doing in that hip-hop bubble. Everything he does has a feel or sound to it — it’s so heavy and emotional in some sense.”

Also contributing are MCs and vocalists including Bronx-based Percee P, London’s Shad (“This is the kind of rap that I’ve always wanted to hear come from Canada”) and Ghanaian born singer-songwriter Kae Sun for whose upcoming album Jones is contributing production.

“I’m really interested in stepping outside of the hip-hop box and producing other artists,” says Jones of his future. “That’s part of why I’ve created Runaway Jones as a character. Runaway Jones is the one up on stage and touring; Miles Jones is the guy in the studio and making business decisions.”

- EYE WEEKLY (Denise Benson)

The legacy of Miles Jones precedes him. With a Jamaican grandfather who helped shape the Studio One reggae sound and a DJ father (the infamous Deadly Hedley Jones) who stoked the fires of the Toronto music scene, Jones has some big shoes to fill. But the rapper steps tall with an easy-going hip-hop sound that's as polished as it is reverential.

Runaway Jones is the result of a young career honed by family history, a stint in university, international touring and appearances supporting KRS-One, Souls of Mischief, Raekwon and Thunderheist. Detroit's Black Milk blesses the project on first single "Never Too Late," a straightforward cut that effectively showcases Jones's less-is-more lyrical flow approach. "Runaway" ventures a little too much into the '90s era funk electronica but smooth joints like "Say What," "Never Wrong" and "Trust Me" (featuring RaSoul) rein it in and set heads nodding right. Despite the foray into AutoTune-land, a track like "Coast to Coast" (featuring Kae Sun) features a smooth flow that begs forgiveness. With Runaway Jones, the rapper sets the hip-hop foundation for a career that aims to reach the lofty heights set by the bloodlines before him.

You obviously come from a strong musical background. How does this influence your music and sound?
Being around my father and learning so much about my grandfather, I think it undeniably had an effect on me whether I wanted to be in music or not. I was just immersed in it and eventually the music seeped through and came to the main stage.

You started your label (Mojo Recordings) and you wear the hats of DJ, producers, rapper and songwriter? What drives you to do so much?
Wearing so many hats came out of necessity. I started DJing and DJing led to producing, which led to me looking for artists and songwriters, and [it] turned out I was the best artist and songwriter that I could find. I started out experimenting by recording a few tracks here and there and people started giving me encouragement to take it to the next level.

How do you define career?
As I get older, I start to realize how important it is to enrich and inspire others that are afraid and need that extra push to do something that they're not sure they can. So success to me is when you can affect and inspire those around you. That being said, you need a means to do so and that's what I've been trying to do with this record and this label. (Mojo)
- ExClaim Magazine By Ryan B. Patrick

The legacy of Miles Jones precedes him. With a Jamaican grandfather who helped shape the Studio One reggae sound and a DJ father (the infamous Deadly Hedley Jones) who stoked the fires of the Toronto music scene, Jones has some big shoes to fill. But the rapper steps tall with an easy-going hip-hop sound that's as polished as it is reverential.

Runaway Jones is the result of a young career honed by family history, a stint in university, international touring and appearances supporting KRS-One, Souls of Mischief, Raekwon and Thunderheist. Detroit's Black Milk blesses the project on first single "Never Too Late," a straightforward cut that effectively showcases Jones's less-is-more lyrical flow approach. "Runaway" ventures a little too much into the '90s era funk electronica but smooth joints like "Say What," "Never Wrong" and "Trust Me" (featuring RaSoul) rein it in and set heads nodding right. Despite the foray into AutoTune-land, a track like "Coast to Coast" (featuring Kae Sun) features a smooth flow that begs forgiveness. With Runaway Jones, the rapper sets the hip-hop foundation for a career that aims to reach the lofty heights set by the bloodlines before him.

You obviously come from a strong musical background. How does this influence your music and sound?
Being around my father and learning so much about my grandfather, I think it undeniably had an effect on me whether I wanted to be in music or not. I was just immersed in it and eventually the music seeped through and came to the main stage.

You started your label (Mojo Recordings) and you wear the hats of DJ, producers, rapper and songwriter? What drives you to do so much?
Wearing so many hats came out of necessity. I started DJing and DJing led to producing, which led to me looking for artists and songwriters, and [it] turned out I was the best artist and songwriter that I could find. I started out experimenting by recording a few tracks here and there and people started giving me encouragement to take it to the next level.

How do you define career?
As I get older, I start to realize how important it is to enrich and inspire others that are afraid and need that extra push to do something that they're not sure they can. So success to me is when you can affect and inspire those around you. That being said, you need a means to do so and that's what I've been trying to do with this record and this label. (Mojo)
- ExClaim Magazine By Ryan B. Patrick

Unheralded Canadian cat Miles Jones must be doing something right as well (like having a family member in the biz pulling some strings? We’re leering at you Mr. Degrassi Next Generation). Rising through the ranks of the largely untapped metropolis of Toronto (OK, we’ll give you Drake, Saukrates & Kardinal Offishall) and recruiting the likes of Boi 1-da, Black Milk and Percee P for 2009’s Canadian release of Runaway Jones off his own Mojo Records imprint. You heard the showpiece but there’s more in store as the MC tries to extend his reach beyond the Great White North. You crazy Canucks can check out his steez on his blog roll. - URB Magazine, Nov 1, 2010

Unheralded Canadian cat Miles Jones must be doing something right as well (like having a family member in the biz pulling some strings? We’re leering at you Mr. Degrassi Next Generation). Rising through the ranks of the largely untapped metropolis of Toronto (OK, we’ll give you Drake, Saukrates & Kardinal Offishall) and recruiting the likes of Boi 1-da, Black Milk and Percee P for 2009’s Canadian release of Runaway Jones off his own Mojo Records imprint. You heard the showpiece but there’s more in store as the MC tries to extend his reach beyond the Great White North. You crazy Canucks can check out his steez on his blog roll. - URB Magazine, Nov 1, 2010

Hailing from a long line of reputable musicians, Miles’ grandfather Headly Jones Sr. from Jamaica started Studio and was arguably the first to invent the electric guitar. His father Headly Jones Jr aka Deadly Headly was a DJ on CFNY and an early Toronto Club DJ pioneer.
Growing up with musical influences coming from both West Indian and Canadian cultures, Miles created a unique urban sound that maintains the key elements of true hip-hop, which lead to collaborations with Percee P Detroit-based producer Black Milk and most recently Boi 1da.
Miles Jones, recently dropped his worldwide debut single “Never Wrong” on October 12th. “Never Wrong”, produced by super-producer Boi 1da, comes from Miles Jones’ debut album Runaway Jones, released exclusively in Canada and recorded on Mojo Records & Publishing with URBNET Records (Moka Only, D-Sisive, DL Incognito). - USA TODAY

Hailing from a long line of reputable musicians, Miles’ grandfather Headly Jones Sr. from Jamaica started Studio and was arguably the first to invent the electric guitar. His father Headly Jones Jr aka Deadly Headly was a DJ on CFNY and an early Toronto Club DJ pioneer.
Growing up with musical influences coming from both West Indian and Canadian cultures, Miles created a unique urban sound that maintains the key elements of true hip-hop, which lead to collaborations with Percee P Detroit-based producer Black Milk and most recently Boi 1da.
Miles Jones, recently dropped his worldwide debut single “Never Wrong” on October 12th. “Never Wrong”, produced by super-producer Boi 1da, comes from Miles Jones’ debut album Runaway Jones, released exclusively in Canada and recorded on Mojo Records & Publishing with URBNET Records (Moka Only, D-Sisive, DL Incognito). - USA TODAY

Miles Jones almost didn't have a choice about going into music. His father, Deadly Hedley Jones, pioneered urban radio in Toronto by doing the first live broadcasts of mix shows from nightclubs back in the late 80s, and his grandfather helped build Studio One in Jamaica. His dad passed his massive record collection down to his son, and you can hear fragments of that history sampled throughout his debut album of back-to-basics hiphop. Considering that this was originally his university thesis, the production is pretty tight and professional-sounding, although style-wise it's much closer to underground hiphop than to the bling-and-rims crowd. If you like your hiphop steeped in tradition, you'll likely dig this, but it would be nice to hear some more contemporary sounds in there, too.

Benjamin Boles
NOW | JUNE 8 - 14, 2006 | VOL. 25 NO. 41
- NOW Magazine

Free of the usual stereotypes that plague mainstream hip–
hop, MJ sings positively and prefers rhyming about politics and interpersonal relationships than drugs and violence.
- The View by: SHAIN SHAPIRO

Torontonian Miles Jones has his eye on international success, and Runaway Jones demonstrates what a breakout hip-hop album should sound like. Jones’s commentary on youth cocaine use pulls this album together, while his unique voice and delivery make him one to watch in coming months.


There are impressive collaborations with legendary Percee P on Rhyme Like This and local hero Shad on Say What. The production isn’t slouchy either. Offerings from Mr. Attic, Slakah the Beatchild and Detroit wunderkind Black Milk keep things soulful, jazzy and driving.
- by: Andrew Rennie

Torontonian Miles Jones has his eye on international success, and Runaway Jones demonstrates what a breakout hip-hop album should sound like. Jones’s commentary on youth cocaine use pulls this album together, while his unique voice and delivery make him one to watch in coming months.


There are impressive collaborations with legendary Percee P on Rhyme Like This and local hero Shad on Say What. The production isn’t slouchy either. Offerings from Mr. Attic, Slakah the Beatchild and Detroit wunderkind Black Milk keep things soulful, jazzy and driving.
- by: Andrew Rennie

The production is drenched in soulful samples and ecclectic instrumental sounds able to satisfy the pickiest bboy's rhythms, while the emcee takes your head, shoulder and boomboom bumping on a dance move. And I'm still trying to get over the intro. This album is a good example of why I'm married to Hip Hop.
- Donna - Radio Host CFMU 93.3

Featuring 13 tracks, some romantic, some political, and some autobiographical, One Chance is a unique timepiece of a nascent artist beginning to find himself and his musical ingenuity. Couple that with guest appearances from opera singer Ashleigh Semkiw and local MC Kae Sun, and One Chance is a fine hip hop album that exhibits an artist destined for much more - The VIEW Hamilton (DISC REVIEW)

Mar. 14 at The Marquee was quite possibly the most ridiculous and entertaining hip hop experience in Halifax music history, combining up-and-coming Canadian talent with the legendary and lyrically masterful skills of "The Blastmaster," KRS-One.

Opening acts included Toronto-based MC Miles Jones, a well-known rising star in the Canadian hip hop universe. A McMaster University student and a talented performer in the prime of his hip hop shelf-life, Jones is on the verge of exploding into the mainstream market.

As the founder of Mojo Records and Publishing and recent recipient of the 2007 Ontario Independent Music Award for Hip Hop Artist of the Year, Jones is expanding his musical production talents across Canada while making himself better known among students and younger music moguls.

The impressive Toronto-based DJ Chaput (Dalhousie international development studies student Brian Chaput) was behind the turntables, but his high-energy spinning did little to spur Jones, whose performance left much to be desired in terms of vocal power and general stage presence when measured up to the incomparable KRS-One.
As usual, the Canadian talent did not disappoint, and after a few short sets to warm up the crowd and promote local artists, it was time for the main event.

Without any introduction, KRS-One exploded onstage with a passion and fire that likely hasn't been seen in The Marquee since... well, ever. The legendary power and expertise of The Blastmaster was in full effect, as he fired through classic tracks like "Love's Gonna Get'cha (Material Love)," "Step into a World" and "Sound of da Police," and casually freestyled about Canada, Halifax, the U.S. government and whatever else seemed to cross his mind.

- Dalhousie Gazette