Nashville, Tennessee Jul 28, 2025 (Issuewire.com) - “First off, I say this with my fingers crossed.
Cross my heart, hope to die, I’ve been a boss.”
That’s how K.O.W. (Knock On Wood) opens, and from the first bar, C.M. James isn’t pulling punches. The line is a masterclass in contradiction and conviction, balancing lyrical wit with raw truth. It's not just rap; it's street-smart reflection. And it only gets sharper.
By the time he spits, “By the hair of my chin the feds didn’t catch me… knock on wood, I never saw the penitentiary,” it’s clear: this isn’t performative street talk. This is lived experience, finally unpacked.
C.M. James, the entrepreneur-turned-author-turned-label-owner-now-artist, doesn’t glamorize his past. He documents it. And K.O.W., his official rap debut, is the moment he stops staying silent.
So why now at your age?
“I wasn’t trying to rap,” James says. “I was doing what rappers were rapping about.”
To him, it would’ve been a conflict of interest. He didn’t chase clout; he stayed under the radar, knowing that visibility was a liability when business was in the streets.
But now? The statute’s up. And he’s got a story to tell.
The hook hits with gritty poetry:
“My Draco’s birchwood supports my back, no IKEA.
Knock on wood… I wish a motherf** would… AHHH!”*
The meaning runs deep. Birchwood stock? A nod to age and back pain. “No IKEA”? A jab at fakes who fold under pressure. It’s grown-man paranoia turned poetic and unapologetically honest.
But behind the label is something deeper than strategy or sound.
C.M. Jaye Music was founded in honor of James’ late sister, Larysa Jaye, a soulful country singer beloved in Nashville who tragically passed away in a car accident in December 2024. Her voice, her dreams, and her grind left a mark...not just on James, but on the entire creative community she touched.
Keeping her name alive, creating space for artists like her, and giving Southern soul a new lane became his mission.
Music wasn’t the goal. Legacy was.
And K.O.W. is just one more layer of that legacy continuing to unfold.
But K.O.W. marks the launch of C.M. Jaye Music’s “Side B”: a lane dedicated to authentic rap, where storytelling trumps streaming formulas. It’s the other side of James—the one that never fit the mold but always understood the game.
Born in Kansas City, raised by the hustle, and now rooted in Nashville, C.M. James has been quietly building an empire. From launching Speak to My Assistant LLC, one of the first Black-owned virtual assistant firms, to publishing over a dozen books, to helping authors keep ownership through C.M. James Writes, his catalog runs deep. Now, the mic is in his hands.
And he’s not here to play.
He’s here to remember. To reflect.
He was asked a question and gave the most truthful response:
“With everything you do, how can we keep up with your work?”
C.M. James just shrugs:
“I mean… Google me.”
He then laughs and adds:
“No seriously. Not like that. I'm just saying, there’s too much. I can’t even give you just one link or site. Just Google me.”
So with that we say, K.O.W. (Knock On Wood) by C.M. James is coming soon to all streaming platforms, joining “3 Shots” on his upcoming genre-blending LP: Don’t Label Me: I Am A Label, So What’s A Genre? And YES, he means that. From gritty country bar anthems to raw, reflective rap… even an unreleased track featuring his late sister, Larysa Jaye, this isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about telling the story fully, wherever the sound leads.
Preview K.O.W now: Facebook Exclusive Snippet
Learn more: C.M. James
Check out the label: C.M. Jaye Music
Follow the movement: @cmjames | @cmjayemusic
Contact C.M. James and C.M. Jaye Music by contacting contact@cmjayemusic.com
Media Contact
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