While his sound owes a lot to golden age hip-hoppers
3rd Bass, when
J.J. Sinatra says he kicks it old school, he's referring to the dressed-up and tough attitude brought by
Frank Sinatra and the rest of
the Rat Pack. The Norristown, PA, native began rapping in 1996, writing rhymes and recording in nearby South Philly. Seeing himself as "a distant Sicilian cousin of
Raekwon,
Nas, or
Jay-Z,"
J.J. adopted a look that recalled
Ol' Blue Eyes in his prime. With silk ties, cuff links, and the finest Italian suits as his gear, he released his debut album, Martini Dreams, on the Jimmy Franks label in 2008. ~ David Jeffries