About

Thello Jay is an independent recording artist, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He was born in Anniston, Alabama, raised on Chicago's South Side, and has spent more than a decade performing, releasing music, and building his name on his own terms.

Music was around him early. His mother, Vonnie, was a vocalist and background singer who worked with R. Kelly and gospel recording artist Darius Brooks of SDM Inc. As a child, Thello spent time in recording studios and saw how records were made.

By sixteen, he had sold out his first self-promoted show while still in high school. Before streaming took over, he built his audience through live shows, direct sales, and promotion across Chicago and the Midwest.

At Rich South High School, Thello came up in a creative circle that included Dreezy, Rello Dreamer, and videographer A Zae Production. Those relationships later led to released and unreleased collaborations with Dreezy and Rello Dreamer.

In 2011, he connected with Chicago music entrepreneur Von “Chef Vino” Harris, gaining early insight into artist promotion, marketing, and the independent music scene.

During hip hop's blog era, his music reached more people through releases, shows, and collaborations. In 2014, he met with Roc Nation executive Lenny S in New York City as his work began drawing industry attention and media coverage.

Thello writes from lived experience. He has collaborated with Grammy Award-winning composer Rob Diggy, former Death Row Records vocalist Danny Boy Steward, Jon Connor of Aftermath Entertainment, Saba of Pivot Gang, and Chicago recording artist YP (Backwood Jones). He has also shared stages with Hopsin, Logic, Machine Gun Kelly, Wiz Khalifa, King Los, Stalley, Chevy Woods, and other touring artists.

He later earned a degree in Marketing, giving structure to the business and branding work he was already doing.

He went on to found Virgil Holding LLC, Virgil Music Group, and MSN Dynamics™, extending his work into business, technology, and media.

His catalog features production from Grammy-nominated producer RMB Justize, Billboard-charting producer Pyro The Space Boy, Young Myke, and more.

His work has been featured by The Source, Genius, AllHipHop, Hip Hop Since 1987, ThisIs50, The Hype Magazine, Howard University's The Hiltonian, Ruby Hornet, Fake Shore Drive, Elevator Magazine, CHIRP Radio, Disrupt Magazine, 2DopeBoyz, and many more.