If you haven’t heard of WBF Jtism yet, you’re probably not paying attention. James Bagan, better known by his handle (@wbf_jtism on Instagram, WBF Jtism Topic on YouTube), is one of Jacksonville, Florida’s most unique voices in the world of emo rap—and he’s just getting started.
James isn’t just making music. He’s pouring his entire soul into every track, crafting the kind of raw, emotional rap that manages to hit somewhere between sadness and a late-night meme binge. “I make the most emo rap music possible,” he says, and he means it.
But there’s more to WBF Jtism than heartbreak and 808s. Behind the music is a guy with a killer sense of humor, a love of memes, and a crush that sneaks into his lyrics more often than he’d probably admit. “There’s this girl I like,” he says, grinning, “but I’ll leave her name out of this for now.” (Smart move, honestly.)
James’ ambitions stretch far beyond Jacksonville. His dream? To go on a world tour with Bring Me The Horizon and then Sleeping With Sirens—two bands that helped shape his sound and his outlook. “Those guys are legends. Sharing a stage with them would be the ultimate,” he says.
Right now, he’s deep into a new project. “Not sure how many songs it’s gonna be,” he admits. “But I’m done making albums. I want every project to feel different, you know? Not just a collection of songs—something more.”
If you want to follow along as WBF Jtism’s journey unfolds (or just send him some memes), you can find him on pretty much every platform:
Instagram: @wbf_jtism
Facebook: wbf jtism
TikTok: @wbfjtism
YouTube: WBF Jtism Topic
Emo rap isn’t dead. It’s just getting weirder—and a lot more fun.