West Dallas is this neighborhood rapper’s muse

West Dallas has always been a source of inspiration for Dallas rapper Jesse James. Also known as ShawBoy4Life, James has been rapping for more than 10 years, using his experiences in West Dallas as fuel for his music.

James began rapping around age 16, freestyling after school with his friends. Writing music and rapping became a steady creative outlet for him.

Over the years James has recorded two albums, collaborated with other local rap artists, and performed numerous live shows across Dallas. His unique beats combined with honest lyrics have earned him a dedicated fanbase, especially among West Dallas residents.

Both sides of James’ family have lived in West Dallas for several generations. His paternal and maternal grandparents lived just a block away from each other in the Los Altos neighborhood. James also has plenty of aunts, uncles and cousins in the neighborhood.

“My roots are really deep in West Dallas,” James says. “My home base has always been West Dallas.”

It was his family and friends’ encouragement that “really kept me going,” James says. One of his early songs was dedicated to his late cousin, and their emotional reaction was a seminal moment.

“We’d always go to the cemetery, his grave, with my family on his birthday or the day he died. This one time I made a song for him and brought it to the cemetery with me,” James says. “Everyone was crying and I was kind of like, dang, I didn’t know I could do that, make people feel like that to my music.”

His rapper name, ShawBoy4Life, comes from West Dallas’ Shaw Street, where his late cousin lived. James filmed his music video for the song “Lil Mexico” around Shaw Street, and it features his West Dallas family and friends.

James’ latest album, “An Honest Living,” has been three years in the making. The album focuses on his desire to live an authentic life and remain present to his family.

“I put a lot of thought in it,” James says. “When someone listens to my music, I want them to feel like, man, I need to go home to my kids. I need to do right.”

Fatherhood, self-discovery, family and honesty all are major themes in James’ music. James says he aspires for his music to be deep and real.

“I try to rap about the things I go through,” James says. “Some people want the gangster stuff, but I can only speak from my perspective.

“The energy I get from home is like no other. I’d rather put that in my music.”

The COVID-19 pandemic put a pause on James’ ability to perform and record new music. In the meantime, he is working to add “An Honest Living” to music streaming platforms and create more social media content to promote his work.

Although he’s working on expanding his music career, James’ main focus is his family.

“Family first,” says James, a motto he lives by.

It’s his family connections and also his music’s West Dallas references that earn him a good deal of recognition on neighborhood streets.

“I can pull up on a couple of blocks and get nothing but love,” says James. “That’s a good feeling.”

James’ favorite parts of West Dallas are the memories he made and the people who live in the neighborhood. He is saddened by the recent gentrification taking place in West Dallas after the construction of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. Completed in 2012, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge brought an onslaught of new businesses and real estate development to West Dallas. 

“It’s wiping away my memories, my childhood, what I had there,” James says.

However, James is hopeful that West Dallas’ sense of community will remain strong.

“A lot has changed,” James says. “But it will always be home to me.”

Social media platforms

James’ music is available on SoundCloud, YouTube, Spotify, and iTunes. James also can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.