Jonathan Emile

Jonathan Whyte Potter-Mäl (born February 19, 1986), known by his stage name Jonathan Emile (or Jon E), is a Jamaican Canadian singer, rapper, record producer and cancer survivor. In October 2015, he released his debut studio album, The Lover/Fighter Document LP, which incorporates elements of hip hop, reggae, jazz, R&B and electro-pop. The independent album features collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Murs, Buckshot and others. His debut reggae album, Spaces-in-Between, was released in January 2020 through his label MindPeaceLove and Tuff Gong.

Jonathan Emile
Emile during a recording session in 2019
Background information
Birth nameJonathan Whyte Potter-Mäl
Also known asJon E
Born (1986-02-19) February 19, 1986
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
OriginSavanna-la-Mar, Jamaica
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • poet
  • singer-songwriter
  • record producer
Years active2009–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitehttp://www.mindpeacelove.com http://www.jonathanemile.com

Life and career

Early life and cancer years

Jonathan Whyte Potter-Mäl[1] was born on February 19, 1986 in the LaSalle borough of Montreal, Quebec to a Canadian and half-American father and a Jamaican mother.[2][3][4] He graduated from Selwyn House School in 2003.[5][6]

Emile was trained at The Black Theatre Workshop youth initiative in Montreal. During and after his cancer treatment, he independently developed his knowledge on studio production and musical composition, taking on vocal training and learning to play the guitar and keyboard.[7]

At the age of 18, Emile was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive and highly malignant form of cancer.[3] For the next two years, during which he underwent one year of chemotherapy treatments, followed by radiation, he employed his philosophy of "Mindpeacelove", creating music in the hospital and between his treatments. He finished treatment in December 2005 and completed his remission in December 2010.[8]

2009–2018: The Lover/Fighter Document EP, LP and Phantom Pain

Emile founded his own record label MindPeaceLove Ent., cooperating with a number of artists including singers, songwriters, producers and sound engineers. He declared that he would continue to use his label "as a platform to support new artists and to keep his musical creations flowing".[9]

In 2009, Emile released The Lover/Fighter Document EP through his label.[10] In 2013, he made his theatrical debut in the Montreal production of the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin'.[11] His performance achieved broad critical acclaim from both English and French media for his performance of André De Shields' original role and his notable interpretation of "The Viper's Drag".[12][13]

On October 9, 2015, Emile released The Lover/Fighter Document LP, which incorporates elements of reggae, jazz, R&B and electro-pop. The album features collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Murs and Buckshot.[14] Emile worked and toured with material from the album while attending McGill University as a philosophy and political science major.[15] He released "Heaven Help Dem", featuring vocals by Kendrick Lamar, as the album's first single.[16][17][18]

On December 29, 2016, Emile released his second studio album Phantom Pain.[19]

2019–present: Spaces-in-Between
Emile performing in Smiths Falls, Ontario in 2019

In October 2019, Emile signed a distribution deal with Jamaican record label Tuff Gong, becoming the first artist from Quebec to do so.[20][2] He released "Savanna", the first single from his upcoming third studio album Spaces-in-Between, shortly after.[21][22] The song is named after his family's home town of Savanna-la-Mar, Jamaica, where Emile spent a part of his childhood.[23] In December 2019, Emile released the album's second single "Moses",[24] with its third single "Try a Likkle More" released the following month.[25]

Spaces-in-Between was released on January 24, 2020.[26] The 10-track album produced and co-composed by Paul Cargnello contains all original compositions and collaborations with Ezra Lewis and Chanda T. Holmes. Emile also announced that another hip hop album with some reggae influences and a live reggae album had been recorded in 2019.[2]

In February 2020, Emile collaborated with Jamaican singer Etana on the remix of "Canopy", the third song from Spaces-in-Between.[27] In April 2020, he released a music video for the album's first song "Keep on Fighting", which was also released as a single in French with the title "Solidarité".[28]

In June 2020, Emile released "Babylon Is Falling" with singer Maxi Priest. The collaboration is a remix of a song originally featured on the album Spaces-in-Between.[29]

Artistry

Emile composes and performs in the genres of hip hop, reggae, R&B and electro-pop. His vocal performance and recording style includes singing, rapping, freestyling and scatting in English, French and Jamaican Patois.[30] Emile is concerned largely with creating contemporary popular hip hop and reggae fused with soul music that addresses social, spiritual and moral issues.[4]

Controversy with Top Dawg Entertainment

In the aftermath of the death of 18-year-old Fredy Villanueva, who was shot and killed by Montreal Police in 2008, Emile recorded "Heaven Help Dem", which was featured on The Lover/Fighter Document EP and addressed urban violence and police brutality against visible minorities. A second version of the song featuring American rapper Kendrick Lamar was later included on Emile's debut studio album The Lover/Fighter Document LP and directly addressed Villanueva and other victims of police brutality in North America, including Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo and Sean Bell.[31] Lamar recorded his verse for the song in 2011 prior to signing a deal with Interscope Records.[32]

Just eight days after the song's release online in 2015, Lamar's record label Top Dawg Entertainment demanded the track be taken down on grounds of copyright infringement.[32] Emile disputed this with YouTube and SoundCloud who had both withdrawn the song, clarifying to Billboard that his camp "paid Kendrick Lamar for a feature, and once we paid them, they basically stopped communicating with us altogether."[33] The song was restored on the two platforms two months after its removal.[34]

As a result of the song's removal, Emile sued Top Dawg Entertainment, Interscope and Universal Music Group. In November 2016, he was awarded CA$8,600 plus five percent yearly interest after a Quebec court ruled that Top Dawg Entertainment had wrongfully pulled "Heaven Help Dem" off the internet.[35] The court determined that Emile had suffered financially, while his reputation also suffered due to the insinuation that his use of Lamar's verse was a copyright violation.[36] Emile declared that the verdict was a matter of vindication of what is right and not a monetary issue.[37] Following further legal threats by Lamar's management, Emile penned an open letter to Lamar on the matter in March 2017.[38]

Activism and philanthropy

Emile has shared his experiences, ambition and music offering mentoring and giving workshops to urban youth on various occasions.[39]

As a Jamaican Canadian and a member of the black community, Emile participates in Black History Month and other community events.[40][41][42] In 2013, he engaged in a "Songs of Freedom" tour of Montreal-area schools with the motto "Music as a tool for communication and social change". The tour included 15 different venues.[43]

Discography
Emile performing live at Montreal's McGill University in 2011

Studio albums
List of mixtapes, with selected details
Title Details
The Lover/Fighter Document LP
Phantom Pain
  • Released: December 27, 2016[45]
  • Label: Mindpeacelove
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
Spaces-in-Between
  • Released: January 24, 2020[46]
  • Label: Mindpeacelove, Tuff Gong
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming

Extended plays
List of mixtapes, with selected details
Title Details
The Lover/Fighter Document EP
  • Released: March 17, 2009[47]
  • Label: Mindpeacelove
  • Formats: CD, digital download

Singles

As lead artist
Title Year Album
"Heaven Help Dem"[48]
(featuring Kendrick Lamar)		 2015 The Lover/Fighter Document LP
"Viva Fidel!"[49] 2016 Phantom Pain
"Where We Go from Here"[50]
"Searching"[51] Non-album singles
"Limit"[52]
(featuring Ezra Lewis)
"Do You Feel Me?"[53]
(featuring Tristan D. Lalla and Tek Luciano)		 2017
"Wilderness"[54] 2018
"Savanna"[55] 2019 Spaces-in-Between
"Moses"[56]
"Canopy (Remix)"[upper-alpha 1][57]
(featuring Etana)		 2020
"Solidarité"[upper-alpha 2][58]
"Babylon Is Falling (Remix)"[upper-alpha 3][59]
(featuring Maxi Priest)
Title Year Album
"Ramadan (Appropriated Remix)"[60]
(Cee featuring Jonathan Emile, Notion and Natasha Marie)		 2017 Non-album singles
"Bold & Bright"[61]
(Kellyssa featuring Ezra Lewis and Jonathan Emile)		 2018

Guest appearances
List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"Never Looking Back"[62] 2013 joBlow, Shae Nicole Poor People Music
"This Is All I Know"[63] 2014 Cee This Is All I Know
"After Dark"[64] Gabriel Teodros, SoulChef Evidence of Things Not Seen
"What It Is"[65] 2016 Skinny Bros, KRS-One, James Di Salvio Party Gras
"Real Talk"[66] 2017 Notion, I L Lvibe Heart on My Sleeve

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
Film
2011 Look Again Prospective buyer Television film
2013 The Horse Latitudes Male nurse Short film
2016 Serialized Officer Bradford Television film
2018 On the Basis of Sex Courier Feature film
Television
2012 Being Human Tall Orderly Episode: "When I Think About You I Shred Myself"
2016 Fatal Vows Detective Kip Young Episode: "The Clark Case"
2017 Lost Generation Van Episode: "Good Learner"
2018 Jack Ryan Members Only Episode: "The Boy"
2019 Deadly Secrets Lonnie Episode: "A Killer Hand"
gollark: U+262D HAMMER AND SICKLE EMOJI ☭ because of course this exists.
gollark: Like I said, in informational videos and stuff, usually the moving pictures would be better off as static infographics.
gollark: Informational texts are kind of less so.
gollark: That's a story. Those are in order.
gollark: Yes, that. I alt-tab lots.

References
Notes
  1. Only the original (solo) version appears on Spaces-in-Between.
  2. Appears on Spaces-in-Between in English as "Keep on Fighting".
  3. Only the original (solo) version appears on Spaces-in-Between.
Citations
  1. "Quebec Court Awards Damages to Canadian Artist for Wrongful Copyright Takedown Notice by Record Companies". Fasken. November 29, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  2. "Reggae Singer Jonathan Emile Releases New Album "Spaces-In-Between" | WATCH VIDEO for Single "Try A Likkle More"!". TheUrbanMusicScene.com. January 27, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  3. Sincennes, Carl (February 10, 2020). "Un LaSallois sous l'étiquette de Bob Marley". Métro (in French). Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  4. Grant, Andre (October 19, 2015). "Jonathan Emile Survived Cancer & Kendrick Lamar, But Can He Get Us To Listen To "The Lover/Fighter Document?"". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  5. "Jon Whyte Potter-Mal 2003 and the message of MPL". Selwyn House School. April 11, 2008. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  6. "Jonathan Emile 2003 brings message of hope and justice to Selwyn House". Selwyn House School. February 26, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  7. "2019 IBSC Annual Conference – Jonathan Emile: His Story. His Voice". International Boys' Schools Coalition. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  8. Weng, Lucy (January 18, 2015). "MindPeaceLove With Jonathan Emile". DTK Men. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  9. "Jonathan Emile launches full length reggae album". Montreal Community Contact. February 25, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  10. Earshot: National Campus and Community Radio Report Chart Appearances (Canada), June 30, 2009
  11. Donnelly, Pat (October 3, 2013). "Review: Ain't Misbehavin': From music to dance moves, this one's a winner". The Gazette.
  12. LeMay, Daniel (October 4, 2013). "Ain't Misbehavin' : pas de révolution, que du plaisir!: From music to dance moves, this one's a winner". The Presse.
  13. Pearson, Meghan (October 17, 2013). "Ain't Misbehavin' Brings Down the House at the Segal Centre". BroadwayWorld.com.
  14. Emile, Jonathan (October 9, 2015). "Jonathan Emile – Music". iTunes Store.
  15. Macdonald, Darcy (October 9, 2015). "Jonathan Emile drops a record today". CULT MTL. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
  16. Erik Leijon (February 6, 2015). "Jonathan Emile's bittersweet song of peace". The Gazette.
  17. Slava Pastuk. "Why Can't You Listen to That New Kendrick Lamar Verse on Jonathan Emile's "Heaven Help Dem"? (interview)". Vice.
  18. Emmanuel C.M. (January 13, 2015). "Kendrick Lamar And Jonathan Emile 'Heaven Help Dem'". XXL.
  19. Thiessen, Brock (December 21, 2016). "Jonathan Emile Details His 'Phantom Pain'". Exclaim!. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  20. "Jonathan Emile Signs To Tuff Gong International". Jonathan Emile / Facebook. October 26, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  21. Morrison, Devin (October 24, 2019). "First Listen: Jonathan Emile – "Savanna"". Rootfire. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  22. "Jonathan Emile takes aim". Jamaica Observer. October 28, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  23. "Jonathan Emile Releases 'Savanna' Video". The Urban Influencer. November 11, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  24. Serwer, Jesse (December 6, 2019). "LargeUp Premiere: Watch Jonathan Emile's Moving, Poignant "Moses" Video". LargeUp. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  25. "Jonathan Emile - Try a Likkle More [1/23/2020]". Reggaeville. January 23, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  26. "LargeUp Premiere: Stream Jonathan Emile's 'Spaces-in-Between' LP". LargeUp. January 23, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  27. "Jonathan Emile Delivers Love-Soaked "Canopy (Remix)" feat. Etana". The Urban Influencer. February 25, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  28. Lynne, Jenni (April 24, 2020). "WORLD VIDEO PREMIERE: Jonathan Emile "Keep On Fighting"". Top Shelf Music. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  29. "'Fire a go burn pon your idiot plan' - Maxi Priest, Canadian activist decry injustice in remixed song". jamaica-gleaner.com. June 27, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  30. Labri-Aissa, Sonia (September 1, 2015). "Lover, fighter, and artist on the rise". McGill Daily.
  31. Fleischer, Adam (January 14, 2015). "Kendrick Lamar addresses the murders of black youths on "Heaven Help Dem"". MTV. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  32. Pastuk, Slava (January 23, 2015). "Why Can't You Listen to that New Kendrick Lamar Verse on Jonathan Emile's "Heaven Help Dem"?". Vice. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  33. Coleman II, Vernon (November 24, 2016). "Top Dawg Entertainment Loses Lawsuit to Canadian Rapper". XXL. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  34. "Jonathan Emile vs. record label". CTV News. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  35. Baron, Séverine (November 24, 2016). "Jonathan Emile Wins Court Case Against Kendrick Lamar". iHeartRadio Canada. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  36. Culture; Music (November 24, 2016). "Montreal rapper wins fight against major label over collaboration with Kendrick Lamar | National Post". Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  37. Bliss, Karen (November 22, 2016). "Canadian Rapper Wins Suit Against Kendrick Lamar's Label Top Dawg Entertainment, Just to Prove a Point". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  38. Slingerland, Calum (March 14, 2017). "Jonathan Emile Pens Open Letter to Kendrick Lamar Following Further Legal Threats over TDE Lawsuit". Exclaim!. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  39. Kersey, Molly. "Bexley School Celebrates Black History Month". Bexley Times. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  40. Okeke, Shari (December 17, 2014). "Union United Church Seeks $600K in Funding for Urgent Repairs". CBC News.
  41. Ambroziak, Alycia (February 17, 2015). "Black History Month in Full Gear in The West Island". Montreal West Island Chronicle.
  42. CTV Global News: Jonathan Emile on Black History Month (25 February 2015)
  43. Kathryn Greenaway (January 29, 2013). "Jonathan Emile brings soul to school". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  44. "The Lover / Fighter Document LP by Jonathan Emile". October 9, 2015. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  45. Thiessen, Brock (December 27, 2016). "Jonathan Emile 'Phantom Pain' (album stream)". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on April 24, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  46. "Spaces-in-Between by Jonathan Emile". January 24, 2020. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  47. "The Lover/Fighter Document by Jonathan Emile". March 17, 2009. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  48. "Heaven Help Dem (feat. Kendrick Lamar) - Single by Jonathan Emile". January 19, 2015. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  49. "Viva Fidel - Single by Jonathan Emile". March 21, 2016. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  50. "Where We Go From Here by Jonathan Emile". May 9, 2016. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Spotify.
  51. "Searching - Single by Jonathan Emile". June 22, 2016. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  52. "Limit (feat. Ezra Lewis) - Single by Jonathan Emile". November 25, 2016. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  53. "Do You Feel Me? (feat. Tristan D. Lalla & Tek Luciano) - Single by Jonathan Emile". July 10, 2017. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  54. "Wilderness - Single by Jonathan Emile". September 14, 2018. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  55. "Savanna - Single by Jonathan Emile". October 25, 2019. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  56. "Moses - Single by Jonathan Emile". December 5, 2019. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  57. "Canopy (Remix) [feat. Etana] - Single by Jonathan Emile". February 14, 2020. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  58. "Solidarité - Single by Jonathan Emile". March 20, 2020. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  59. "Babylon Is Falling (Remix) [feat. Maxi Priest] - Single by Jonathan Emile". July 1, 2020. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  60. "Ramadan (Appropriated Remix) [feat. Jonathan Emile, Notion & Natasha Marie] - Single by Cee". March 24, 2017. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  61. "Bold & Bright (feat. Ezra Lewis & Jonathan Emile) - Single by Kellyssa". October 4, 2018. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  62. "Poor People Music | joBlow". August 18, 2013. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Bandcamp.
  63. "This Is All I Know by Cee". April 10, 2014. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  64. "Evidence of Things Not Seen by SoulChef & Gabriel Teodros". October 28, 2014. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  65. "Party Gras by Skinny Bros". February 16, 2016. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  66. "Heart On My Sleeve by Notion". April 28, 2017. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020 – via Apple Music.
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