KUT 90.5 | By Jerry Quijano
Published September 16, 2024 at 3:03 PM CDT
Jay Herrera didn’t set out to become a rapper. He was just looking to share his poetry on social media when a friend encouraged him to make the transition from the written to the spoken word.
Herrera has since released four albums in five years under the name Vintage Jay. A new collaboration with fellow Austinite BLAKCHYL is set for release Sept. 27.
Herrera was born in Mexico, but he’s spent most of the 21st century living in North Austin, which served as the inspiration for the title of his debut album, A Kid from Runderg.
Herrera taught himself to rap and is still growing as both a storyteller and rapper. Tracking along through his albums Begotten Son, When Thugs Cry and Still I Rise, you’ll notice the development not only in the lyrics and rhyming styles, but also in the production.
With his latest single, Como Tu, Herrera sings and raps in Spanish for the first time.
In his time away from the studio, Herrera coordinates events and projects for the nonprofit arts organization MAS Cultura.
It’s been a big September for Herrera: He is the KUTX Artist of the Month, his upcoming project is set to be released and the City of Austin proclaimed Sept. 12 as “Vintage Jay Day,” to boot.
