Grieves

Benjamin Laub (born February 23, 1984), better known by his stage name Grieves is an American rap recording artist. Benjamin was born in Chicago, Illinois, moved to Colorado at a young age with his family and relocated to Seattle, Washington to pursue his music career. Laub currently resides in Seattle.

On February 1, 2010 Rhymesayers Entertainment announced that they had signed Laub to their roster and that Laub would be re-releasing his self-titled album 88 Keys & Counting in conjunction with a new EP called The Confessions of Mr. Modest. Both albums were released by Rhymesayers Entertainment on March 2, 2010.

Career

Laub released his first album, Irreversible, independently in 2007.^[1] In 2008, Laub teamed up with multi-instrumentalist and producer Budo, with whom he would release his next two albums: 88 Keys & Counting in 2008,^[2] and Together/Apart in 2011.^[3] Together/Apart debuted at #112 in the Top 200 Album Sales, marking his first appearance in the Top 200.^[4] Laub, along with Budo, performed at South by Southwest 2011^[5] and also at Warped Tour 2011.^[6] His music has also been featured in Seattle Weekly^[7] and The Washington Post.^[8] Having spent nearly two years on the road touring in support of 88 Keys and Counting, Grieves found himself returning home to a fractured reality. Reeling from turbulence in his career and heartbreak in his personal life mixed with coming down from the high of the support he received on the road Grieves conceptualized Together/Apart, an album that would address the bond music creates between each of us as individuals and as a whole despite the many distances we experience be they geographical or emotional.

The end of 2008 saw Grieves enlisting the help of friend and collaborator Budo to co-produce Together/Apart bringing his signature Swiss-army knife, multi-instrumental backdrop to Grieves' hauntingly poignant narrative. The album began taking shape in New York as the two built off the success 88 Keys and Counting had generated and paired it with the intensity they developed from their live performances. The recording process began to shadow the theme of the album as it saw tracks recorded in Colorado and Washington in addition to New York, infusing it with a mixture of regional influences while still maintaining a cohesive sound. As the album neared completion the title took on a double meaning for Grieves as he explored new subject matter in the absence of trust, refuge in addiction, acceptance and honesty in self-reflection, and trying to find his place in the world without forgetting his roots.

Together/Apart concludes three years of self-discovery that has ultimately lead to Grieves' most emotionally charged and daring album to date.

Discography

References

1. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/irreversible-r1293282
2. ↑ http://www.fifthelementonline.com/grieves-88-keys-and-counting-cd.html
3. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/togetherapart-r2194258
4. ↑ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.15764/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-6-26-2011
5. ↑ http://www.altpress.com/aptv/video/exclusive_grieves_budo_light_speed/
6. ↑ http://vanswarpedtour.com/band/grieves-with-budo
7. ↑ http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/2011/02/malice_mario_sweet_grieves_bud.php
8. ↑ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/click-track/post/singles-file-calvin-harris-f-kelis-eminem-and-royce-da-59/2011/05/03/AFyh7RgF_blog.html
9. ↑ http://ughh.com/grieves-winters-the-wolves/RYMS70177CD/