​​

JW2 Entertainment

SONGWRITER  - RECORDING ARTIST -  SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVIST

2024 All Rights Reserved

Jay Williams is currently the Executive Director of Artist Development & Branding at JW2 Entertainment.  In addition, Jay is an alumni of New York's Baruch College. He is a legal analyst, and Board Member of the Williams-Robinson Music Academy whose mission is to provide equitable access to music education and artistic literacy for all students in underserved communities regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, identity, or economic status.

​​​"Look in any House-Music DJ's crate of classics and there you will find the name Jay Williams" — Billboard

Queens New York native Jay Williams is a social justice activist, international recording artist and award winning songwriter recognized by Spin, MTV, Rolling Stone and Billboard for his contributions in elevating the genre of House Music to pop radio rotation, mainstream notoriety and global sales.  From a young background vocalist and dancer, Jay catapulted from New York’s underground club culture and the post Paradise Garage era, then inevitably exploded to the top of the Billboard charts in 1990 with his signature anti-apartheid anthem and social-conscious smash “SWEAT” (until I’m soaking wet) on Big Beat/Atlantic Records. 13 Weeks at the top of the charts, Jay’s song and self-penned call to action "Take my hand and understand, we've got to Sweat to free this land," became a worldwide cry divinely heard and echoed during the historic February 1990 Nelson Mandela's freedom walk and celebration ceremonies broadcasted on CNN and world news coverage. With international followup singles and tours throughout the US, Canada, Europe, Asia and South Africa, Jay's fiery stage performances and colorfully inclusive brand of underground artistry to the masses activated a new generation of diverse Club Heads to unite, love, party, and dance with a purpose.  Fans gave birth to the stage-name Jay “Sweat” Williams and together the community lifted Jay as a voice to raise awareness of institutional racial segregation, discrimination, and cultural disenfranchisement.  House Music DJs and music journalists have honored Jay Williams with the category of "House Music Legend" and a prophetic entertainer who used the religion of House Music, it's parishioners, and steam-filled dance floors as his pulpit to bring about social change. 


​Collectively over a million records worldwide sold, Jay Williams discography and catalogue includes a sporadic handful of #1 chart-topping dance floor hits over the years that include the gospel-house classic “TESTIFY”, “Get On Up”, “It’s Over”, the soaring 4-octave vocal range rendition of Blue Magic’s “Look Me Up”, the self-written and produced smash “Could This Be Love” and more.  Jay was once the youngest member of a short term vocal group trio named The Brotherhood of Soul with artists Colonel Abrams and Michael Watford. He can also be heard on numerous featured projects and collaborations with notable dance producers/remixers including Nelson Paradise Roman (Sweat producer), C&C Music Factory, DJ Roger Sanchez, Hex Hector, The Boiler House Boys, Urban Blues Project, Mousse T, E-Smoove, DJ Gomi, Junior Vasquez and many others covering a wide array of music genres.  Jay Williams is also a session singer whose voice can be heard in national tv commercial jingles.  Jay has arranged and performed background vocals with in-studio credits that read alongside Paul Simon, Patti Labelle, Luther Vandross, Joss Stone, Steve Cropper (Guitarist legend/Booker T. & the M.G.'s), Roberta Flack, Mary J. Blige, Ashford & Simpson, Kathy Sledge, the Baha-Men, Barbara Tucker, Ultra Nate’ and a long who’s who list of Major Pop and R&B heavies.