| Shawn Chrystopher | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Shawn Christopher Garrett, II |
| Born | July 22, 1986 |
| Origin | Inglewood, California, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop, alternative hip hop, neo-psychedelia, synthpop, |
| Occupations | Rapper, singer, producer, songwriter, music video director |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Associated acts | MANN, XV, Mike Posner, Big Sean, N.O.R.E., Owl City |
| Website | HonourRoleStudent.com |
Shawn Chrystopher Garrett, II (born July 22, 1986) better known by his stage name Shawn Chrystopher, is an American rapper and music producer. He first gained major attention with the release of his debut mixtape "I.W.G.: I Wear Glasses" in 2008, which was sponsored by urban-clothing powerhouse LRG.[1] Chrystopher also worked with artist MANN, XV, Mike Posner, Big Sean, N.O.R.E., Owl City, and many other artists spanning a handful of different genres.[2]
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Shawn Chrystopher was born and raised in Inglewood, California. His mother, a hospital secretary, raised Shawn as a single mother while his father, a barber, worked odd jobs to try to provide for his only son. In 2009, Shawn's father, Shawn Garrett Sr., passed away, leaving Shawn Chrystopher to be the only bearer of his family surname.
In grade school, Chrystopher skipped from Kindergarten to 2nd grade, resulting in him graduating high school at the age of 16. Upon graduation, Shawn was awarded a 4 1/2 year scholarship to the University of Southern California where he would major in Political Science.
Whilst in grade school, Shawn perfected his ability to play over 5 different instruments, resulting in him learning how to produce his own music. In the fall of 2009, Shawn released his debut LP "A City With No Seasons" via his website, Honourrolestudent.com. With the majority of the production done by Chrystopher, Okayplayer.com and HipHopOfficial.com both co-signed the project, calling it one of the "most artistic projects of the year".[3]
In March 2010, Shawn released his follow-up project "The Audition EP", hosted by world-renowned DJs Mick Boogie and Terry Urban. Continuing where his previous project left off, "The Audition" garnered over 35,000 downloads within its first week of release.
After two nationwide tours, in December 2010 Shawn released his third full length album, "You, And Only You" to critical acclaim. Lead by his hit single "Catch Me If You Can", which premiered on BET's 106 and Park as the New Joint of the Day on Jan 5th 2011,[4] it received features in all of the music industry's top magazines and television networks (including VIBE Magazine who covered Shawn's album release event in Times Square New York.[5] In the months following, viral interest grew world-wide, garnering over 4.5 million viral internet views/plays of his music videos, songs, and interviews.[6]
Interest in Shawn continued to grow with several top selling artists expressing interest in collaborating with him on various projects, most recently the artist Owl City who tapped him to record two verses on their lead off (and number one charting) single Alligator Sky on its latest album All Things Bright and Beautiful which was released on June 14, 2011.
On October 3, 2011, Shawn Chrystopher released his 4th free album [Silent Films For The Blind]. This 15 track project was sponsored by Xbox.com and has features from Ashly, El Prez, Mann, and more.
In 2009 Shawn Chrystopher inked an endorsement deal with clothing company LRG. After sponsoring and showcasing Chrystopher's first two mixtapes, LRG featured Shawn Chrystopher in a full page ad in July 2009 during their 10th Anniversary campaign. The ad not only promoted LRG's Fall 2009 line, but Shawn's debut digital album "A City With No Seasons." The ad was printed in August issue of XXL magazine and used online advertisting on many well known music and fashion blogs throughout the internet.[7]
On May 12, 2011, Xbox introduced Shawn Chrystopher to the gaming world by letting Chrystopher 'takeover' their social networking accounts.[8] Shawn answered questions from fans spanning from games, upcoming music releases, touring, etc. Both sides hinted at a much deeper relationship in the following months including more cross-promotion and Shawn Chrystopher personalized Xbox items.
"Catch Me If You Can"[12]
"Alligator Sky" (Owl City featuring Shawn Chrystopher)
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