Reo Cragun

Hip-hop artist <a class="primary text-dec-underline" href="/browse/artist/7198705">Reo Cragun</a> made an immediate impression with his early works, which established him as a performer unafraid to make a personal statement with his music. Born and raised in Vancouver, Washington, <a class="primary text-dec-underline" href="/browse/artist/7198705">Cragun</a> was no stranger to hardship as a child. His father was behind bars through most of his youth and adolescence, and he was raised by his mother and an aunt. A dedicated student, <a class="primary text-dec-underline" href="/browse/artist/7198705">Cragun</a> hoped to become a doctor, and his dream seemed to have become a possibility when he won a college scholarship to study biology. However, circumstances beyond his control forced <a class="primary text-dec-underline" href="/browse/artist/7198705">Cragun</a> to drop out of school, leaving him with an uncertain future. Yet he was also a talented musician and vocalist who in his childhood learned a new instrument every year, and was proficient on piano, guitar, violin, and trumpet. <a class="primary text-dec-underline" href="/browse/artist/7198705">Cragun</a> was working at a Costco store when a co-worker introduced him to a friend with aspirations in the music business. <a class="primary text-dec-underline" href="/browse/artist/7198705">Cragun</a>'s new friend assured him that he could find success if he relocated to California, and he was right. <a class="primary text-dec-underline" href="/browse/artist/7198705">Cragun</a> moved south to Los Angeles, and in December 2016 he released his first single, "Inconsiderate." Partly sung and partly rapped, "Inconsiderate" was a musically cool but emotionally raw tale of romantic and personal disappointment, and it became a hit. In 2017, <a class="primary text-dec-underline" href="/browse/artist/7198705">Cragun</a> continued to impress critics and fans with more singles, including "It's Over," "Pesos," "Falling," and "Lost," all leading up to the release of his debut album, <a class="primary text-dec-underline" href="/browse/album/76827375">Growing Pains</a>. A follow-up EP, Craig, dropped in early 2018. ~ Mark Deming