For much of 2007 it was next to impossible to visit a hip-hop blog or message board and not see the name Jay Electronica mentioned at least once during your visit. No joke. Hell, it’s still that way even now. Electronica, a New Orleans native, and the first act signed to Erykah Badu’s Control Freaq recording label, has been hailed as the future of hip-hop within most music circles, and continues to create a buzz for himself online as his tracks flood the ears and inboxes of hungry hip-hop heads. Despite all of this, Jay still remains relatively unknown to a lot of folks on the outside—outside of this internet hype bubble that we all live in, that is. So for all of them, as well as those few on the inside still working with limited knowledge of Jay’s work, here’s an in-depth interview/listening session conducted by Gilles Peterson that should help bring folks up to speed:

Gilles Peterson Worldwide - Vol.01, No.16 - Gilles Peterson speaks to Erykah Badu’s first signing Jay Electronica

Shouts to A. Cole for the linkage!

[originally heard @ Rappers I Know / photo via CDR]