Title: Founder, Artist
Company: Top Of The South Entertainment
Location: Henderson, NC
Education: Bachelor’s Degree Coursework in Theater and Film, St. Augustine’s University
Career History: Founder, Artist, Top Of The South Entertainment
Jarvis J. Taylor, Founder and Artist at Top of the South Entertainment, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of entertainment.
Fueled by a lifelong passion for music and a drive to succeed, Mr. Taylor—also known by his artist name “J Real”—has dedicated his career to creating, producing, and releasing songs and albums that move people. Born and raised in North Carolina, he gravitated toward his profession naturally—from a young age, he was obsessed with the A-track stereo and record player setup that sat in his family living room. So enthralled by it, he wanted to know how to get inside the machines and become the voice that he heard emerging out of them. That’s when, he noted, his music journey began.
Always writing and recording music, Mr. Taylor also flexed his artistic muscles by pursuing coursework in theater and film at St. Augustine’s University; just six credits shy of obtaining a bachelor’s degree in these subjects, he had to leave school due to financial setbacks at the time. However, he has wielded his creativity across all mediums, from cinematography to screenwriting to music, as the founder and an artist at Top of the South Entertainment. Over the course of his career, he has been a featured artist on the 2006 BET HBCU college tour, taken part in major hip-hop freestyle challenges—claiming victory after three rounds—and entered a “Dollar4 Dollar challenge” on TikTok, a platform he has used to post and build his content. The latter challenge proved to be a major highlight of his career as it made him realize who he was as an artist, gave him a whole new layer of confidence, and enhanced his craft immensely. He has found it incredibly rewarding to utilize his talent, express it, and hear from people that his work had an impact on him.
In the midst of further building his music career, Mr. Taylor’s father, James, a Vietnam veteran, passed away in 2021. Married to his mother for 47 years, the passing of his father was a sudden shock to the family, which prompted him to put his creative side on hold. But looking ahead, he strives to establish connections and network with people from within the music and entertainment industry who share his passion and style, and collaborate with them. He also hopes to write R&B music for companies such as Capital Records. Encouraging others to pursue their dreams, Mr. Taylor said, “Time waits for no one. If you think it, feel it, see it, then go for it with everything you got. Regret can [grow] over time. Trust in God, have faith, and go for it.”
When he isn’t making music, Mr. Taylor enjoys cooking—and has even created a signature chicken sandwich called the “Southern Smothered Chicken Sandwich” that’s available in the city of Los Angeles.
