Born on October 27, 1999, Rakim Jones was raised in the perpetual hum of New York’s music scene. His father, Malcolm Jones, was a revered jazz vocalist and frontman of Midnight Standard. Though never quite a household name, Malcolm was a formidable presence within the industry, respected by musicians, producers, and the people who kept New York’s nightlife breathing.When Malcolm eventually stepped away from the stage, he turned his attention to the other side of the business, founding Highline Records and carving out a second career as a producer and executive. He made a conscious effort to keep Rakim at arm’s length from the industry, hoping his son might have the ordinary childhood he never had. It hardly mattered. Music was already woven too tightly into Rakim’s upbringing to ever become something he could simply outgrow.
His education in the craft began informally, lingering around recording sessions, sitting in on rehearsals, watching engineers dismantle and rebuild songs layer by layer. He learned to recognize the difference between a good performance and a great one, to understand what could be salvaged in the booth and what needed to be abandoned entirely.Rakim gravitated naturally toward R&B and rap, developing a sound shaped as much by his father’s jazz background as by the contemporary artists he grew up listening to. By his mid-twenties, he had established himself as Highline Records' most sought-after producer and one of its youngest executives, with a hand in everything from artist development and creative direction to the records themselves.
Music Producer • Songwriter • Executive Producer • A&R
2018–2020: BEGINNINGS & BREAKTHROUGH Rakim began building his professional catalogue with 6LACK’s East Atlanta Love Letter, contributing to Pretty Little Fears, Nonchalant, and Seasons, followed by additional production on Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD through ASTROTHUNDER. His work on Ari Lennox’s Shea Butter Baby (BMO, Speak to Me) and Summer Walker’s Over It (Playing Games, Come Thru) established his signature within R&B. He continued with Jhené Aiko’s Chilombo, contributing to B.S., Morning Doves, and One Way St., gradually becoming recognized for warm textures, layered vocals, and understated production.
2021–2023: RECOGNITION & EXPANSION He went further into hip-hop with Baby Keem’s The Melodic Blue (Lost Souls, Vent) and Isaiah Rashad’s The House Is Burning (Headshots (4r Da Locals), Score), while strengthening his R&B catalogue through Jazmine Sullivan’s Heaux Tales (Put It Down, Lost One). His credits on SZA’s SOS (Shirt, Seek & Destroy, Smoking on My Ex Pack) and Brent Faiyaz’s Wasteland (Jackie Brown, Rolling Stone, Role Model) brought him wider industry recognition. In 2023, he continued working across R&B and soul with Victoria Monét’s JAGUAR II (How Does It Make You Feel, Good Bye), Kali Uchis’ Red Moon in Venus (Moral Conscience, I Wish You Roses), and Janelle Monáe’s The Age of Pleasure (Water Slide, Champagne Shit).
2024–2026: LIFE LATELY With an established reputation as one of Highline Records’ most valuable producers, Rakim gradually expanded into A&R, artist development, and executive production while remaining active in the studio. His more recent catalogue includes Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal (Denial Is a River, Slide), Ravyn Lenae’s Bird’s Eye (Love Me Not, From Scratch), and Leon Thomas’ MUTT (Safe Place, Mutt). He also began collaborating with newer names such as EsDeeKid and Don Toliver, broadening his catalogue beyond traditional R&B into more contemporary and experimental hip-hop. By twenty-six, Rakim’s role at Highline extends well beyond producing records: he helps develop artists, shape projects, and curate the sound of the label itself.