Growing up in foster care Jon Hope was exposed to hip-hop and when mixed with his mother’s eclectic taste, Hope was destined to create music with that same range. In an era and time where you’ll hear the narrative that artists need to find a lane and stick to it, Jon Hope is constantly swerving in and out of lanes. “Since I came from the smallest state in the world (Rhode Island) there wasn’t an identity for us to hold on to so I wasn’t regionally influenced or committed like others,” Hope says.

 

Once he began attending school Jon Hope really understood and felt the pressures of the legacy he carries. “Specifically, (as) a 1st Generation African which meant I had to compartmentalize and code switch because my mom was very strict and didn’t want me to subscribe to the lifestyle of Black Americans,” Hope explains, “Then I had to deal with the overt and covert racism at school. Lastly I had to navigate being made fun of from my Black American friends who didn’t understand my African culture and food.” All of this made Jon Hope double down on the person HE was, it helped him have a “cultured, but street perspective” which is a mark of the art he creates. “I got honors but got kicked out of 7th Grade,” Hope says, “I’ve been locked up but have a Master’s degree in Education Leadership, that sums up the type of kid I was.”

 

All this experience has been the catalyst for creating something for everyone, it is impossible to listen to a project from Jon Hope and not find something you enjoy. From trap-infused anthems, to more rough and rugged underground sounding cuts, Jon Hope is versatile and exudes raw talent. 2021 sees Jon Hope expand into various mediums, authorship, a signature collection and of course a brand new project. Now’s the time to tap in.