When you listen to Grea8Gawd, it is evident that he’s a natural-born storyteller. His lyrical instincts are both innovative and often surprising. Grea8Gawd is the artist at the forefront of a revolutionary movement of artists from Upstate, NY.
Born in Milwaukee, WI, he was raised in Iowa. He would travel back and forth between the Midwest, with his mother, and Rochester, where his father lived. When asked if he experienced culture shock bouncing between the Midwest and NY, Grea8Gawd answered, “I’m a chameleon. I can adapt to any situation, and I get along with people from all walks of life. I’m a people person, so I’ve always been able to fit in anywhere I go.” When he graduated from High School, he relocated to New York full time. Grea8Gawd’s journey to becoming a rapper stemmed from his passion for poetry. He began writing when he was six or seven years old. “From there, it was just a natural progression into music once I got this love for hip-hop. Around that same time, I had a friend who introduced me to East Coast music because at that time, I was living in the Midwest. My friend listened to Gang Starr, A Tribe Called Quest and Guru.” Then he dug deeper and found the greats who molded his career, Nas, Rakim, Kool G Rap, and artists of that nature. “I took my poetry, wrote my first song, and it was pretty good.”
His name Grea8Gawd stems back to his time with The Five-Percent Nation. He would learn his lessons faster than the rest of the kids. And they would say, “You great God.” because he was always miles ahead of the rest of the pack. Grea8Gawd doesn’t just wear his heart on his sleeve. He rips it out of his chest and presents it to you.
Grea8Gawd’s goal for 2023 is to drop an E.P. every quarter of the year. And he has the catalog and the tracks to do it. He could release a song for every day of the year if he wanted to. Grea8Gawd is featured on Joey Major’s new single “Boss Moves,” which also features Benny The Butcher from Griselda. Also, be on the lookout for other artists from “Gawd Sqwad,” his record label.
His definition of success is to be able to do what you want to do and stay humble at the same time. It’s rare to meet an artist who is an innovator, connector, creator, and cultural zeitgeist. Grea8Gawd is all these things plus so much more.
© 2023, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
