Lawrence High School student Jordan “JSwizzy Wilson” wins PDFNJ’s annual contest, which is in its 19th year
Lawrence High School student, Jordan “JSwizzy” Wilson, took the top spot in the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey’s “Your Song! Your Voice!” music competition with his original song, “Intervention Intentions.”
Wilson provided a music video of his song he filmed at his high school. His smooth rap and R&B sound plus important message won over the judges.
“You got so more to see and it’s important to believe, because you got so much more, so much more to see … .,” Wilson sang.
“You got it, you got it, you got it, ya… .”
“My favorite moment of the competition was seeing the reaction on people’s faces after I performed,” Wilson said. “When I was making this song in the studio at home, I didn’t get the opportunity to see people’s faces when playing it. I had a massive adrenaline rush when I saw the audience and when I heard my name get called as the winner.”
The annual competition, supported by 95.9 FM WRAT, is in its 19th year and challenges students to create original music and lyrics that promote substance use prevention. With 27 finalists, the competition aired on ShoutDownDrugs.com, and the winners were announced live on 95.9 FM WRAT by Jimmy Steal, the station’s creative director.
“These talented New Jersey high school students are true leaders – creatively sharing important substance use prevention messages with their peers,” said Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey’s (PDFNJ) Director of Opioid Response Angela Conover. “Each of the participants should be commended for their creativity, musical talent, and resolve to use their talent to spread important prevention messages.”
The fusion of music and drug prevention messages has been a central component of the competition since its inception. Angelo Valente, PDFNJ’s executive director, explained the rationale behind this approach: “Nobody knows what a teenager is going through better than another teenager. At that age group, music has a tremendous amount of influence…it’s a universal language that these kids are using to deliver a positive message.”
The winners were determined through a combination of online voting and evaluation by a panel of independent judges. In recognition of their achievements, the first-place winner, Wilson, was awarded a music contract worth $5,000, while second-place winner Tina LaRosa and third-place winner Matthew DiTizio secured contracts worth $3,000 and $2,000, respectively. Additionally, the winners will have the opportunity to perform their original songs at various statewide events throughout the upcoming year.
A lifelong musician, Wilson played the trumpet as a child and ventured into music production and rap during the quarantine period. He released his first single, Longevity, on Apple Music in 2021, and has since released many more under the name “JSwizzy.”
Beyond his musical pursuits, Wilson is a dedicated two-sport athlete, serving as captain for both the varsity football and soccer teams at his high school. He looks forward to attending Rowan University in the fall. When asked about his plans for the future, Wilson promised more heartfelt songs that would uplift listeners and assist them during challenging times.
To listen to the Prevention Concert Audio Show, please visit ShoutDownDrugs.com, and be sure to catch Wilson and the other winning musical acts on WRAT’s Jersey Rock show.
