More Info on John ReubenSimilar Undetermined MusicSearch Artistopia
Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = John Reuben| image = John Reuben at a LifeLight Concert April 2009.JPG| caption = John Reuben on LifeLight tours in Huron, South Dakota , in April 2009| image_size = | background = solo_singer| birth_name = John Reuben Zappin| alias =| birth_date = birth date and age|1979|01|14|birth_place = Columbus, Ohio , United States | death_date =| origin = Pataskala, Ohio , United States|U.S. | instrument =| genre = Hip hop music|Hip hop Alternative hip hop Christian hip hop | occupation = Recording artist | years_active = 1994–present| label = Gotee Records (2000-2010) Independent (2010-present)| associated_acts =| website = http://www.johnreuben.com www.johnreuben.com| current_members =| past_members =| notable_instruments = John Reuben (born John Reuben Zappin January 14, 1979, Columbus, Ohio|Columbus , Ohio ) is an American hip hop artist signed to Gotee Records until late 2010. Reuben has sold over 200,000 copies of his first four albums.Breimeier, Russ (2002, May). http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2002/hindsight.html "John Reuben - Hindsight ." Christianity Today . Retrieved 2007-02-06.Farias, Andree (2005). http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2005/theboyvsthecynic.html "John Reuben - The Boy vs. The Cynic." Christianity Today . Retrieved 2007-02-07. http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/artists/johnreuben.html "Biography of John Reuben." Christianity Today . Retrieved 2007-02-06. He released his sixth album, Sex, Drugs and Self-Control on December 22, 2009. The album was nominated for a Dove Award for Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year at the 42nd GMA Dove Awards, while the song "No Be Nah" was nominated for Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded Song of the Year. http://www.doveawards.com/nominees.phpReuben continues to tour extensively, and has played with many popular Christian music artists such Relient K , The O.C. Supertones , and TobyMac .
Background
Reuben is of Jewish heritage http://www.cmusicweb.com/features/purpledoor02/johnreuben.shtml Cmusicweb.com http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/John_Reuben_The_rapper_who_wants_to_be_his_age_but_still_be_relevant/33977/p1/ Crossrhythms.co.uk and according to his MySpace, his mother is the owner of a Christian Death Metal record label. http://www.lifelight.org/tours/upcoming-tours/spring09 Lifelight.org http://www.myspace.com/johnreuben MySpace.com Raised in Pataskala, Ohio|Pataskala , Ohio , a suburb of Columbus, Ohio|Columbus , Reuben got his start in rapping by taking the bus into the city to rap on open mic nights and participate in rap battles at the age of fifteen.Reuben later released Monuments , an independent Extended play|EP , which caught the attention of Gotee Records . They took a chance, signing him to the label and releasing his first project, Are We There Yet? (John Reuben Album)|Are We There Yet? , in 2000. TobyMac , the founder of Gotee Records, provided vocals for the album's final track, "God is Love." The album was nominated for a Dove Awards|Dove award in 2002.
Reuben's next release, Hindsight (John Reuben album)|Hindsight (2002), continues his use of a wide variety of musical genres and thoughtful, often funny lyrics. The album was praised as a "truly eclectic and creative hip-hop album that blends old-school sounds with progressive production." Once thought to be a Christian version of Eminem ,cite book |last=Powell |first=Mark Allan |title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music |year=2002 |publisher=Hendrickson Publishers |location= Peabody, Massachusetts |isbn=1-56563-679-1 |edition=First printing |chapter= |page=757 Reuben's first two releases established him as an original, witty, sarcastic musician, as well as Gotee's top-selling solo rap artist.Farias, Andree (2003, December). http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2003/professionalrapper.html " John Reuben - Professional Rapper ." Christianity Today . Retrieved 2007-02-06.
Professional Rapper (2003) marked Reuben's debut as a self-producing artist. The album is noticeably different from his previous efforts, using more instruments and less disc jockey|DJ sampling (music)|sampling for the Song|tracks . Along with these differences, the album is noticeably darker in both lyrics and feel. It includes several somber tracks which allow a glimpse into Reuben's struggles and self-doubt. Adrienne Camp of The Benjamin Gate (band)|The Benjamin Gate contributes vocals to two tracks on the album.
The following year Reuben released '' So In Hindsight the Professional Rapper Isn't There Yet (Remix)|So In Hindsight the Professional Rapper Isn't There Yet (2004), an album of remixed versions of songs from his first three albums.Farias, Andree (2004, December). http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2005/soinhindsight.html "John Reuben - So in Hindsight the Professional Rapper Isn't There Yet ." Christianity Today Retrieved 2006-02-07.
The Boy vs. The Cynic (2005) continued Reuben's trek from the non-serious songs which characterized his earlier work to music that's far more somber and meditative. Reportedly, when the time came for him to submit his work for the album, Reuben turned in enough tracks for two albums, one light hearted, the other more serious. Rather than releasing a two disc release, the label decided to splice them together into The Boy vs. The Cynic . Relient K 's Matt Thiessen contributes to the album's second track, "Nuisance". Tim Skipper of the band House of Heroes appears on the track "So Glad". Most of Reuben's songs use "traditional" musical instruments , typically the guitar, though he experiments with many different instruments and musical styles.
Reuben is currently working on a reality show detailing his "rise" to stardom while poking fun at many of the conventions of reality television. The pilot of the show can be viewed on YouTube .
Reuben released his fifth album, Word of Mouth (John Reuben album)|Word of Mouth , on February 6, 2007. Allmusic.com called Word of Mouth an "unqualified triumph" and said that "You won't find a truer, more honest, or more celebratory album this year."cite web |last=Whitman |first=Andy |url= http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll? p=amg& sql=10:tyanqjo5oj6a0 |title=Word of Mouth |publisher= Allmusic Dead link|date=January 2011|bot=CactusBot
Gotee Records released Reuben's sixth studio album, "Sex, Drugs and Self-Control" on December 22, 2009. The first single, "Town Folk" was released on July 14, 2009. The next Single, "Jamboree," was released August 18, 2009. Followed by "Confident," which was released September 15, 2009, "No be nah" was released October 14, 2009.
According to an interview with TVU Music channel|TVU in January, Reuben said that there are definitely more music videos planned to release in the coming months from his most recent CD.
Personal life
BLP unsourced section|date=December 2011Reuben is married to Erin Zappin and they have a daughter named Lily Parker Zappin. He has one brother, Dan Zappin, who is in a relationship with the popular YouTube star, Lisa Nova . John's home church is rumoredby whom|date=December 2011 to be Vineyard Columbus, which is the largest church in the Vineyard Movement .
Discography
Albums
1997: Monuments EP
2000: Are We There Yet? (John Reuben Album)|Are We There Yet?
The Ringleader: Mixtape Volume III ( DJ Maj , 2003)
Roots ( The Katinas , 2003)
Just Ragga (Compilation, 2003)
X 2004: 17 Christian Rock Hits (Compilation, 2004)
X 2005: 17 Christian Rock Hits (Compilation, 2005)
Sens (The Evan Anthem, 2005)
Hip Hope Hits 2006 (Compilation, 2005)
'' Freaked!|Freaked& #33; A Gotee Tribute to dc Talk's "Jesus Freak ." (Cover Compilation, 2006)
References
reflist
External links
Commons category
http://www.johnreuben.com Official John Reuben Website
http://www.purevolume.com/johnreuben John Reuben at Purevolume
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2007/johnreuben-0307.html Interview at Christianity Today (March 2007)
http://www.rapzilla.com/rz/content/blogcategory/16/97/18/36/ John Reuben Music Videos at Rapzilla.com
Persondata|NAME=Zappin, John Reuben |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= |SHORT DESCRIPTION= rapper |DATE OF BIRTH=January 14, 1979 |PLACE OF BIRTH= Pataskala, Ohio|Pataskala , Ohio |DATE OF DEATH= |PLACE OF DEATH= DEFAULTSORT:Reuben, John Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:Gotee Records Category:American Christians Category:American Jews Category:People from Columbus, Ohio Category:Performers of Christian hip hop music
