Rapper Young A.J. is featured act at 'crunk' teen party, with limits

Young A.J.

Seventeen-year old Raheym Jones, a junior at Central High School, will spend the majority of this weekend transforming his mother's Whitehaven banquet facility, Top of the Line Banquet and Reception Hall, into his dream nightspot, Club Dejavu.

"It's not going to be a real, real crunk party. I know my limits. I just want folks to have a good time in a safe environment. We'll have six stacks of speakers, full stage lighting, couches and draped fabric, a VIP area, and bar tables and stools," says Jones.

Young A.J.

As DJ Yung Rich, Jones will host the "Who On Deck/Rep Yo Hood" party, featuring performers such as Young A.J., Fetti Mob, Young Star, and Ace Boogie, at Club Dejavu on Sunday night.

"Raheym and I are on the same level," says Young A.J., a freshman at Central whose real name is Alphonso Bailey, Jr.

Both want to make it big in the music biz. And both have plenty of familial support, as well as bona fide legacies to uphold.

"My mama went to Central, my daddy went to Central, and my sister goes to Central," says Bailey.

His father is rapper Al Kapone, a pioneer on the local hip-hop scene who leapt to national prominence via underground hits like "Lyrical Drive-By" and his work in the feature film "Hustle & Flow".

"Back in kindergarten, I got a lot of, 'Aren't you Al Kapone's son?' Now, I get, 'Ain't you Young A.J.?' " says the 14-year old M.C., who has gained name recognition in the last year for his work on tracks like "Buckin and Jookin" and "Who On Deck".

Bailey is currently putting the finishing touches on an upcoming mix tape, and awaiting his television debut in the upcoming MTV reality series, "$5 Cover," which is slated to air this spring.

"I've got a whole new sound I've developed," Bailey says. "It's not the old school buck or the new school crunk -- it's more futuristic."

"When I perform with my pops, people look at me like, 'Aww, cute, he's onstage with his daddy.' I like being in front of my own crowd, because they expect me to raise my game up to a certain level. Plus, all the attention is on me."

Jones's inspiration comes from his uncles, saxophonist Jackie McCraven and concert promoter Andrew McCraven, who has worked with artists including Snoop Dogg and Three 6 Mafia and provided stage management for festivals like Africa in April.

"I can remember being 9 or 10 and going to concerts with my uncles, being backstage and seeing DJs in the limelight," says Jones. "Seeing the perks made me want to join in."

McCraven hopes to teach his nephew about more than just guest lists and stage plots.

"Raheym has a hunger to be successful. He pays attention to people, and he studies the environment around him. I want him to find a trade that he can use to build a positive image. Then the money comes," says the promoter, a former manager of Fire & Ice night club who founded his own company, Millennial Entertainment, in the early 1990s.

Jones' mother, Sharon Kirksey, expects up to 300 local youth to attend Club Dejavu Sunday night.

"Raheym has been DJ-ing for about a year," she says. "He knows what I expect, and what I'm going to put up with. I keep him in church and let him know who all his money is coming through. I also teach him that fast money goes just as fast as it comes."

Kapone also strives to keep his son grounded while simultaneously encouraging his musical career.

"I think this is pretty cool," he says, "because A.J.'s getting to retread the ground that I walked on."

"Who On Deck/Rep Yo Hood" Party

Performance by Young A.J. on Sunday (Jan. 18th), 8 p.m. to midnight at Club Dejavu (Top of the Line Banquet and Reception Hall), 1245 Southbrook Mall. For ages 13-18. Admission: Boys, $10 all night; girls get in free until 9 p.m.; $5 cover afterwards. For more information, call 314-1467, or go to www.MySpace.com/DJYungRich.

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