Greydon Square

Greydon Square

Greydon Square at the Great American God-Out in Manhattan, November 15, 2007; copyright Greydon Square
Background information
Birth name Eddie Collins
Also known as Apocalypse
Greydon Cubed
Super Gross
The Black Carl Sagan
Born September 28, 1981 (1981-09-28) (age 30)
Origin Compton, USA
Genres Hip hop / rap
Instruments Rapping, Vocals
Years active 2004 – present
Associated acts Adil Omar, Traumah, Canibus

Greydon Square (born Eddie Collins on September 28, 1981) is an American rapper. He is an Iraq War veteran and an outspoken atheist who promotes discussion on philosophical issues, as well as having studied physics full time before moving on to study computer science.[1]

Contents

Biography

Collins grew up in Compton, California, a historically impoverished suburb of Los Angeles, where he was raised as an orphan and became immersed in gang culture.[1] In May 2001, he enlisted in the United States Army. He went on to serve in the Iraq War in March 2004. After returning from Iraq, Collins began attending college in Phoenix, Arizona as a physics major. It was at this time that he began questioning his prior religious beliefs and became an atheist, posting videos on YouTube. He has appeared in several television documentaries[2][3] and radio shows, and his music has attracted fans such as Penn Jillette and Richard Dawkins.[4] He is also a member of the international secular hip-hop activist movement The Anti-Injustice Movement (aka AIM Clika) and now runs his own organization Grand Unified Theory which uses creativity to educate about science and rational thinking.

Music career

Collins has been expressing himself through rap under his stage name of Greydon Square since 2004. Among his influences are Phil Collins, DJ Quik, Dr Dre, Quincy Jones, Stanley Clarke, Cedric Williams, and The Bee Gees. His first album, Absolute, was released in 2004 and is no longer available. His follow-up album The Compton Effect, was released in 2007 after much delay. After being approached by several independent record labels and one major one, Collins created his own company to distribute the record.[4] In 2008, he released his second album The CPT Theorem. The titles of these two albums are references to the city of Compton (also called CPT) where he grew up, and to the Compton effect and the CPT Theorem from physics, which he studies. His music deals with philosophical issues (particularly with regard to atheism and science), political issues, the war in Iraq and his experiences as a soldier who had to fight in this war, and his childhood which he had to spend in group homes.

In 2010 he announced the release of his third studio album, The Kardashev Scale, along with an EP titled Serpents of Eden in collaboration with Adil Omar. He's also a confirmed guest on Omar's debut solo album The Mushroom Cloud Effect alongside Kool G Rap on a song titled "Summertime".[5]

The song titled "War Porn" from his latest album The Kardashev Scale was performed in collaboration with hip-hop artist Canibus.[6]

Discography

Solo albums

Album information
Absolute
  • Released: 2004
  • Billboard 200 chart position:
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position:
  • Singles:
  • RIAA Certification:
The Compton Effect
  • Released: 2007
  • Billboard 200 chart position: N/A
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: N/A
  • Singles: "Squared", "Molotov", "Say", "Extian"
  • RIAA Certification:
The C.P.T. Theorem
  • Released: 2008
  • Billboard 200 chart position:
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position:
  • Singles: "Cubed", "A Soldier's Poem"
  • RIAA Certification:
The Kardashev Scale
  • Released: August 10, 2010
  • Billboard 200 chart position:
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position:
  • Singles: "Stockholm Syndrome", "Brains", "Myth"
  • RIAA Certification:
The Mandelbrot Set
  • Released: 2012
  • Billboard 200 chart position:
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position:
  • Singles:
  • RIAA Certification:

Collaboration albums

Album information
Serpents of Eden (with Adil Omar)
  • To be released: 2012
  • Billboard 200 chart position:
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position:
  • Singles:
  • RIAA Certification:
Album information
Ryuken's Fury (with C Gats)
  • To be released: 2012
  • Billboard 200 chart position:
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position:
  • Singles:
  • RIAA Certification:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Cizmar, Martin (2009) "Rapper Greydon Square Is an Atheist Icon", Phoenix New Times, April 30, 2009, retrieved 2011-01-25
  2. ^ CBC (October 5, 2007) "Documentary about atheism, aired on CBC's The National", Greydon Square's segment at 4:30 - 6:44
  3. ^ CBC (October 5, 2007) "Documentary about atheism, aired on CBC's The National", Greydon Square's segment at 2:51 - 4:32
  4. ^ a b "Atheist Rapper". ReverbNation.com. http://www.reverbnation.com/greydonsquare#. Retrieved 2008-02-15.  Article on Greydon Square and The Compton Effect.
  5. ^ http://angryatheist.net/2010/01/05/greydon-square-interview/
  6. ^ http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/2011/02/canibus_at_club_red_last_night.php

External links