Music
Jay Scales / Trancendence
Transcendence was an album written in late 2014. After releasing his first official project titled "EXIT STRATEGY" in 2013, Jay Scales decided it was wise to have his next projects prepared. Serving as his third music project, Transcendence was released in 2017, following the release of "Perpetual" in 2015. Transcendence was intended to show Jay Scales' fans that he wouldn't stop creating music. In the album's 10 songs, Jay Scales presents a blend of themes including lost love, adversity, and resilience, with tracks expressing the message "It Won't Stop."
Transcendence was written while Jay Scales was considered "AWOL" from his job as a DC firefighter/EMT in January-February 2014. During this period, Jay Scales wrote over 50 songs and decided to compile them into albums. For 45 days, his routine consisted of taking his daughter to the park, studying the Bible, and writing and recording songs. It became evident to Jay Scales that making music was his intended career path. He later mixed and mastered the music in 2015 in preparation for release.
Following the release of "Transcendence," Jay Scales produced music videos and motion graphics to promote the album. Soon after, he shifted his focus to photography and videography, as these ventures would become his primary source of income. With the release of the documentary "Exit Strategy," Transcendence will be featured in Jay Scales' catalog as foundational music, accompanying him as he enters his "grey hair rapper" phase.
Jay Scales / Exit Strategy
Originally named "Showtime," Exit Strategy was written in 2011/12 while serving 1176 hours for smoking weed. Upon returning to work, Jay Scales had plans to regain good standing with the DC Fire Department, but he ended up creating a toxic work environment. Jay Scales was under scrutiny and the pressure was mounting. Realizing that he couldn't move forward with his "Showtime" campaign due to financial challenges, he rebranded it as "EXIT STRATEGY." Released in 2013, Exit Strategy takes the listener on a journey of a young man breaking into a new world. It's a story of the growth of a young man from East Harlem, New York, transitioning to Washington, DC, and becoming a DC firefighter three years later. From the age of 18 until 30, Jay Scales served as a DC Fire Fighter/EMT until his termination in October 2014.