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John
Stephens is a remarkably talented young artist. Reviewers
rave about John, calling him a “musical prodigy”
and “a breath of fresh air” after witnessing
his distinct voice and dynamic blend of soulful melodies
and hip-hop rhythms. It’s no wonder that Roc-a-Fella
rapper and super-producer Kanye West chose John as the first
artist to sign to his new production company, Black Label
Entertainment. West saw in John the embodiment of the musical
sound he has made popular in such classics as Jay-Z’s
The Blueprint and Scarface’s The Fix. John’s
records seamlessly blend old school and new, with a vintage
soul sound driven by cutting edge hip-hop beats.
At
only 23 years old, John is already an experienced performer.
As he croons in the opening verse of “Soul Joint”—“It
all began rockin’ with the church band, back when
I was five years old.” Born and raised in an exceptionally
musical family in Springfield, Ohio, he began playing both
classical and gospel piano at age 4, and was undeniably
destined for musical success. Singing solos in the choir
at 6 and playing the piano regularly in the church by 10,
John continued to write and perform his own material, direct
choirs, and win local talent shows throughout his teenage
years.
Now
his musical journey has brought him to New York City where,
for the last 3 years, he has been giving electrifying performances
with his band up and down the East Coast and selling thousands
of copies of his independently distributed CDs. With his
new alignment with Kanye West and with the regional buzz
reaching a crescendo, there is no question that John is
ready for a global audience.
John’s
credits and accolades include the following:
-
Prominently
featured as a vocalist and pianist on several tracks from
Kanye West’s upcoming Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam release
College Dropout
- BMI’s
sole choice to receive one of the five 2002
Songwriter’s Hall of Fame Scholarships
- John’s
independent releases, John Stephens (2000) and Live at
Jimmy’s Uptown (2001), produced by Dave Tozer of
Philadelphia, have sold several thousand copies at his
shows and on his website
- Headlining
live performer at various venues in the New York area,
including S.O.B.'s, Joe’s Pub, Jimmy’s Uptown,
and Justin’s. He has also played 2K9 and Dream in
Washington, DC, as well as the TLA, the Trocadero and
the Five Spot in Philadelphia. (2000-2002)
- Performed
on the same bill with national acts such as Musiq, Talib
Kweli, the Clipse, Kanye West, Jaheim, Amel Larrieux,
Res, Jaguar Wright and Kindred, and on radio stations
such as Philadelphia’s top urban station Power 99
(2000-2002)
- Pianist
on “Everything is Everything” from Lauryn
Hill’s Grammy award-winning LP, The Miseducation
of Lauryn Hill (1998)
- John’s
track “Alright” is featured on the upcoming
Lady Enyce compilation 21st Century Style
- John’s
track “Used to Love You” will be featured
on Kanye West’s upcoming street mixtape I’m
Good
- Featured
as a lead vocalist on Kanye West’s “Home”
on the successful street mixtape Get Well Soon (2002)
- John’s
track “Stay Home” is featured on the 2002
Ford Soul Expedition compilation
- Featured
in a duet with Jaguar Wright in her remake of “Let’s
Do it Again” (to be released on her forthcoming
LP on MCA Records and on Gerald Veasley’s forthcoming
LP on Heads Up International)
- Choir
director, pianist and head of the music department at
Bethel AME Church in Scranton, PA (1995-2003)
- Former
musical director and award-winning soloist, arranger and
producer for Counterparts, a nationally acclaimed a cappella
group from the University of Pennsylvania (1998-99)
John
is managed by David Sonenberg of DAS Communications (Wyclef
Jean, Joan Osborne, Spin Doctors, Black Eyed Peas and more).
Please contact DAS at 212.877.0400 or DAS@john-stephens.com
for more information.
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