Smart Bets: Dhat Boy Val

Posted on by Edwin Arnaudin

Ever since he was a 6-year-old known as Lil JJ, Asheville native Jamal Valentine has been writing rhymes and deepening his passion for hip-hop. Building from those early scribblings in his school notebook, he’s stuck with his craft and released a series of singles, mixtapes and EPs under the name Dhat Boy Val. The rapper’s most recent project, the RIP My Pops EP, reflected on the loss of his father and paved the way for a busy 2018. To celebrate the release of his new single “Sex on a Pedestal,” set to be on a mixtape due out April 30, Dhat Boy Val performs Saturday, March 3, at 10 p.m., at Timo’s House. Backing him on the turntables will be DJ Twan. Free. timos-house.com. Photo courtesy of the artist

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Edwin Arnaudin
Edwin Arnaudin is a staff writer for Mountain Xpress. He also reviews films for ashevillemovies.com and is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) and North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA). Follow me @EdwinArnaudin
View all posts by Edwin Arnaudin →

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.