[6] In 2003 he signed to indie record label Kindred Spirits,[7] and was the sole representative from New York to participate in and perform at Red Bull Music Academy in Cape Town, South Africa.
[8] In 2004 Jneiro moved to Philadelphia and, through his success in the indie music scene, was able to work with some of the city's most influential artists King Britt and Rich Medina.
[15][16][17] 2006 marked the beginning of Jarel's relationship with Lex Records, and saw the release of his critically acclaimed instrumental project, Beat Journey, under his Dr. Who Dat?
[18][19][20] The album cover art was designed by the UK based graphic artists collective, and frequent Lex Records collaborators, Ehquestionmark,[21][22] best known for their previous work on The Mouse and the Mask and Ghetto Pop Life.
[26] In addition to fellow group member and emcee Jawwaad Taylor, the project also included a number of features from MF Doom, Count Bass D, Stacy Epps and John Robinson.
[25] Craft of the Lost Art widely received positive reviews,[27][28] and saw Jneiro teaming with Ehquestionmark once more, for an artwork design that included a limited edition, glow-in-the-dark LP, as well as an EP, single and mixtape download.
[30] Having been fully realized and embraced on this project, it would also help in solidifying his place among a growing musical genre that would later become popular in the Low End Theory and L.A. beat scene.
[32] The album features backing vocals from Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio,[33] and continued the string of positive reception Jarel's work had come to know.
Albarn assembled a team of ten producers, composed of Jarel, Dan the Automator, XL Recordings managers Richard Russell and Rodaidh McDonald, Kwes, Actress, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Marc Antoine, Alwest, and Remi Kabaka Jr. to work alongside local musicians in Kinshasa.
[55][56][57] It had a number of high-profile guest appearances, from previous Jneiro Jarel collaborators Damon Albarn and Khujo Goodie, to Beth Gibbons of Portishead.
[64] The "Butter Edition" also included the Dave Sitek "Rhymin' Slang" remix, as well as the previously released, alternative version of "Retarded Fren" by Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood.