Jay Versace

Jahlil Gunter^[3] (born January 24, 1998),^[4] known professionally as Jay Versace, is an American record producer and former Internet personality.^[5][6] He began posting comedy videos onto Vine as a teenager, and amassed over three million followers on the platform^[7][8][9] before shifting focus onto a career in music production in 2018.^[1][10] He has since been credited on the Billboard 200-number one albums SOS (2022) by SZA^[2] and Call Me If You Get Lost (2021) by Tyler, the Creator—both of which also won Grammy Awards.^[11] His other work includes songs for Doja Cat, Lil Yachty, Boldy James, and Westside Gunn.^[3]

Jay Versace
Birth name	Jahlil Gunter
Born	(1998-01-24) January 24, 1998 (age 27)
Origin	Pleasantville, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop[1] boom bap[2]
Occupation	Record producer
Years active	2014–present

Early life

Versace is from Pleasantville, New Jersey.^[12][13] His moniker was inspired by a Vine video in which American rapper Riff Raff feeds his dog "Versace water from the fountain of life".^[9]

Career

2014–2017: Social media career

In 2014, Versace began making comedic videos onto the video-sharing platform Vine, usually involving reenactments of certain scenarios involving his family members, friends, and entertainers.^[9] His work was also noted to involve the amplification of the spirituality, creativity, and mental health of black people.^[1][14] He relocated to Los Angeles in 2016 at the age of 18.^[7] He was nominated for Viner of the Year at the 8th Shorty Awards.^[15] Versace had amassed over three million followers and two billion total views on Vine before the platform was discontinued in January 2017.^[7][5] Thereafter, he turned to other social media platforms, amassing 2 million followers on Instagram and 500,000 subscribers on YouTube.^[8] He also starred alongside American actors Danielle Campbell and Nathan Kress in his own Fullscreen web series, Jay Versace is Stuck in the 90s,^[16] which was nominated for Best Web Series at the 10th Shorty Awards.^[17] Versace signed a representation contract with United Talent Agency in January 2018,^[18] and then was slated to feature alongside American internet personality Miles McKenna in an eight-part web series by Portal A Interactive titled My Wizard & Me, yet this did not come to fruition.^[19]

2018–present: Music career

Versace started experimenting with music production for the first time in May 2018, with help from his musician friends Knxwledge and Pink Siifu.^[1][10] He began posting atmospheric, lo-fi music instrumentals to his SoundCloud account.^[12] Versace approached American rapper Westside Gunn and asked to work together, before the latter discovered his account and ended up using one of Versace's first-ever songs on his own album, Pray for Paris (2020), titling the track "Versace".^[20] He then produced all tracks on the mixtape, The Versace Tape (2020) by American rapper Boldy James, which became Boldy's first-ever release on Griselda Records in August 2020.^[21] In March 2021, Versace contributed a remix version of the song "Lay_Up.m4a" by Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats to the duo's remix album, Unlocked 1.5 (2021).^[22] He also produced the song "Safari" off of American rapper Tyler, the Creator's sixth studio album Call Me If You Get Lost (2021),^[11] which won the award for Best Rap Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.^[10] Released in August 2022, the track "On God" by American rappers Meechy Darko, Freddie Gibbs and A-Trak, which was co-produced by Versace and Dot da Genius.^[23] Versace then produced the songs "SOS" and "Smoking on My Ex Pack" from American singer SZA's second studio album, SOS (2022), which earned him critical acclaim and commercial success.^[2] SZA credits her first attempts at rap music to Versace, who encouraged her to "talk her shit".^[2]

Personal life

Versace came out as queer^[1] via a Snapchat post in 2016, claiming that "I love people in general idgaf what gender you are".^[24][25][8] His mother, Nikesha Dolly Gunter, died of illness in May 2022.^[26]

Production discography

Year	Artist	Album	Song
2020	Westside Gunn	Pray for Paris	"Versace"
	Boldy James	The Versace Tape	"Maria"
			"Nu Wave"
			"Cartier" (featuring ElCamino)
			"Brick Van Exel"
			"Long Live Julio"
			"Monte Criso"
			"Cardinal Sin"
			"Bentayga"
			"Roxycontin" (featuring Keisha Plum, Tiona Deniece and Westside Gunn)
	Pink Siifu and Fly Anakin	FlySiifu's	"Mind Right"
	Lil Yachty	Lil Boat 3.5	"Lil Diamond Boy" (bonus track)
2021	Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats	Unlocked 1.5	"Lay_Up.m4a (Jay Versace Version)"
	Patrick Paige II	If I Fail Are We Still Cool?	"Who Am I
	Tyler, the Creator	Call Me If You Get Lost	"Safari" (co-produced with Tyler, the Creator)
	Westside Gunn	Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B	"Free Kutter" (featuring Jay Electronica)
2022	Fly Anakin	Frank	"Bag Man"
	Draft Day	Non-album single	"How Far Will I Go" (featuring Lil Yachty)
	Xavier Omär	b l u r r	"A Dream"
	Meechy Darko	Gothic Luxury	"On God" (featuring A-Trak and Freddie Gibbs) (co-produced with Dot Da Genius)
	SZA	SOS	"SOS"
			"Smoking on My Ex Pack"
2023	Summer Walker	Clear 2: Soft Life	"Pull Up"
			"New Type" (featuring Childish Gambino)
	Doja Cat	Scarlet	"97"
			"Often"
			"Love Life"
2024	Vince Staples	Dark Times	"Étouffée"
	FLO	Access All Areas	"Caught Up"

Awards and nominations

Award	Year	Category	Recipient(s) and nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
BET Social Awards	2019	Social Hustle Award	Himself	Nominated	[27][28]
Grammy Awards	2022	Best Rap Album	Call Me If You Get Lost (by Tyler, the Creator)	Won	[10]
Grammy Awards	2024	Best Progressive R&B Album	SOS (by SZA)	Won	[10]
Shorty Awards	2016	Viner of the Year	Himself	Finalist	[15]
	2018	Best Web Series	Jay Versace Is Stuck in the 90s	Nominated	[17]
Soul Train Awards	2016	Internet Soul Sensation Badu Award	Himself	Won	[29]