If you’ve seen the ‘Free JT’ jackets from Drake’s In My Feelings video and wondered who JT is, let us explain. Drake’s video for his new track is set to drop today, which we know because he teased it on his Instagram Stories. On Wednesday, he posted a picture showing a screenshot of two photos of Clair Huxtable from the Cosby’s, along with the words ‘In my feelings video tmrw.’ But he also gave a snapshot of what fans can expect from the video – which is where JT comes in.
Drake shared another image, this time of a jacket, a top and denim shorts that had all been emblazoned with the words ‘Free JT’ and images of JT. But who is JT? JT is the short name for Jatavia Johnson, who is a member of Miami rap duo City Girls. City Girls are new to the music scene, having launched in January, and have already won support from fellow artists.
Jatavia is currently in prison for charges relating to felony identity theft and fraud changes and Drake is showing her his support by getting a number of the dancers in his video to wear the jackets and T-shirts.
Drake also sings the lyrics: ‘J.T., do you love me? Are you riding? / Say you’ll never ever leave from beside me’, in the song, again showing he is backing the 25-year-old artist. JT is accused of using three different people’s credit cards between September 2016 and April 2017, racking up more than $1,000 (£765) in charges. She was out on bail and due to surrender herself for a 24 month prison sentence on 25 June. However, she managed to delay this by five days – and it’s all thanks to Drake in a roundabout way.
The City Girls were due to perform at the BET Awards in Los Angeles on 24 June so they asked the judge to consider ‘the once in a lifetime opportunity that the Defendant had in front of her’. They also revealed that they wanted to make the most of Drake’s cosign – his shout out to her in his track – as it would likely help raise their profile considerably. Asking for a 30 day delay, her defence added: ‘This is due to a recent cosign from Drake (other noticeable cosigns include Migos, DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Rick Ross and Trina). ‘It will take three weeks to do the work that needs to be done and then the Defendant can surrender as her first album and its promotion will be done. She can do her time knowing that upon her release her group will be ready to start their second album and tour.’
She wasn’t granted the 30 day extension but she was given until 30 June, allowing City Girls to perform at the BET Awards. Johnson’s lawyer declared: ‘Since the sentencing, the Defendant and her two-girl music group has experienced a meteoric rise in stardom … The Defendant now has over 3 million views on YouTube and they have over one million streams across various platforms. The Defendant is a star.’ On 30 June JT handed herself in to serve her sentence at the Federal Detention Center in Miami. She wrote on Instagram at the time: ‘Did more than I thought I could imagine in this short period of time out on bond. Now it’s time for me to knock this down & come back strong forever. Hold my baby down y’all.’
She also shared a video of her mouthing along to her lyrics, captioning it: ‘Not worried about y’all hoes!!!! My criminal past turn yo baby daddy on?.’
JT isn’t set to be released until 21 March 2020. It’s not just Drake who has shown JT support as other rappers have been showing her support by sporting ‘Free JT’ clothing. Despite JT going to prison, the City Girls still released the video for their debut track Sweet Tooth on 29 June, the day JT took herself to prison.