While some rappers find success in being boastful, Jordan Foster finds his own claim to fame by going in the opposite direction — wielding a humble attitude, smoothly mixed with confidence.

While other students are worried about memorizing formulas for their next exam, Foster is focused on memorizing lyrics for his next performance.

Meet Jay Foss, the 21-year-old rapper, self-proclaimed “Syracuse Bruce Wayne” and communication and rhetorical studies senior at Syracuse University.

As other Syracuse rappers took on more thuggish, tougher looks, Foss adopted the “Syracuse Bruce Wayne” moniker to describe his own style: a suave and calm sound to his rap music that disguises his “Evil Genius” side — also the name of his 2010 mixtape — a persona with clever punch lines and heavily thought-out content.

Surrounded by a community of rappers in which arrogance is second nature, Jay Foss chooses to stand out from the crowd with a down-to-earth and honest approach to hip-hop, bringing an unprecedented new sound that is magnetic to listeners, both lyrically and melodically.

“I’m not really into the fact that people blow up in the rap game off a ton of lies. I think that’s bullsh*t,” Foss said. “It’s all about being as honest as possible, you know? Make it as cool as possible by being that confident.”

He tries to stay away from the frat rap genre, which many college rap artists have been stereotyped as, despite the content of their lyrics. Made popular by artists like Asher Roth, Hoodie Allen and Mac Miller, the frat rap genre is filled with lyrics that reflect the “Animal House” caricature of college life: wild frat house parties, loose women with looser morals and enough alcohol consumption to run Budweiser dry.

Foss had made a name for himself without this hubristic bravado while still appealing to college students by rapping about relatable woes that students encounter.

He mentioned being complimented for his realistic depiction of college student problems in his song “Higher,” issues such as being broke at the bar and being too drunk to realize your bar tab debt. While it’s not “National Lampoon”-crazy, it’s real and listeners can empathize.

“I think the first reason people like him is because [his music]’s relatable, people go through the stuff that he’s talking about,” said Marcus “Indo” Neal, Foss’ producer and close friend. “The second reason is that he’s mad down-to-earth, and people can see him project that through his music.”

Neal has known Foss since his freshman year at SU. The two had a mutual respect for one another as rappers on campus, and have since decided to collaborate.

Foss tries to emphasize the lyrics in his songs as what separates him from the frat rap pack that has swept the college rap scene.

“I just keep a content-heavy flow with punch lines, the stuff that makes you think. You got a degree for a reason, why not use it while you’re listening to my music?” he said.

Foss started rapping in 2005 at the age of 14 when he entered high school. Influenced by the smooth wit and delivery of André 3000 and the clever lyricism of Eminem, Foss started writing rhymes and hooks, then performing them in his bathroom mirror for himself.

But he quickly evolved after his talent impressed his friends at Fayetteville-Manlius High School during his sophomore year.

“Rap was like an escape for me,” Foss said. “When I started rapping, I went to a big school, I didn’t have a lot of friends. It was like my diary, I got to flesh out thoughts and emotions through my raps.”

After rapping for six years, Foss saw his biggest response after dropping his mixtape, “Planet of the Eighpes,” in 2011, an online success that validated his early ambitions to become a rapper.

The surge of positive responses and increased popularity launched Foss into full-on rapper mode by his junior year, and he pushed his schoolwork aside.

“My junior year, I didn’t do well, I was making a lot of music,” Foss said before explaining why he decided to prioritize school again. “It was just about finally saying to myself, ‘Look you gotta stick to the schoolwork as well as the music because without Syracuse University, you’re not gonna go anywhere.’ It was definitely a struggle for me to stay on top of both.”

While Foss dislikes attending classes and would rather pursue his rap career, he still appreciates the opportunities the university provides. He learned how to use recording equipment from the school, used the university’s top-notch studios to produce his mixtapes and was signed to SU’s record label, Marshall Street Records.

He’s considered dropping out multiple times to pursue a career as a rap artist, but has decided against it every time, he said.

“I’ve seen people who have dropped out of school to do their thing and they end up not going anywhere because they realized that school was their lifeline. Just watching other people makes me realize that these things can happen to me, and re-adjusted my focus,” Foss said.

Now close to finishing his senior year, Foss is uncertain of where rapping will take him post-graduation. Amid all of his moments of doubt, he hopes to continue making music and touring across the country performing.

Said Foss: “It’s the stage presence. The fact that I can have as much fun as I possibly can on stage and see people respond to it and enjoy watching me have fun. That’s what keeps me going.”

Published on April 15, 2013 at 11:56 pm

Contact Alfred: alng@syr.edu

@alfredwkng