You may not have heard of Hobo Johnson, but the Sacramento, California-based poet/rapper has such a unique style and such a grassroots fanbase, you need to get to know him, stat.
His song Peach Scone went crazy levels of viral earlier this year when he and his bandmates in The Lovemakers took to a backyard for an NPR Tiny Desk Concert to perform the show-stopping song. More slam poem than a big hip hop track, with a screamed hook that reminds us of early 2000s emo music, Hobo has gathered over 9 million YouTube views from fans who found his earnest delivery, off-kilter lyrics and cheeky half-smile totally endearing.
The shaggy-haired 23-year-old rapper actually has a super interesting backstory, so here are just a few reasons you should make Hobo your next big obsession.
He used to be homeless
Yes, his name's not really Hobo. Born Frank Lopes, Hobo was kicked out of the house by his dad and step-mother at only 19, after which he turned his Toyota Corolla into his home. He would find himself sleeping on the backseat, using a local gym to shower and working at a local pizza joint to earn some money.
His Corolla meant so much to him he wrote an album called 1994 Toyota Corolla
For a while, his car was his bedroom, living room, studio and even a notebook - Hobo had even carved poems into its hood. When he finally blew the Corolla's head gasket, he sold it for parts and finally said goodbye to his old friend.
“The car meant so much to me, it was all I had and they crushed it with a big ol’ crusher," Hobo said.
"When I was in the Corolla, it made me feel that music was all I had. I finally got over the fear of people thinking I’m weird. I was listening to my songs and it wasn’t good because I wasn’t being honest. I’m weird. That’s what I do.”
He's released two full-length albums
In 2015, Hobo released 1994 Toyota Corolla, then in 2017 we also got The Rise Of Hobo Johnson. What really got him noticed though was a series of music videos shot in his guitarist's backyard in his new neighbourhood of Oak Park - the series was called Live From Oak Park and the super low-key setting, almost reminiscent of how a backyard looks post-house party, accompanied by Hobo's candid rhymes went viral.
He plays guitar and piano too
When he's not on the microphone, Hobo's tinkering on the keys and also plays a little guitar. It's no surprise, given the emo and folk punk influences like The Front Bottoms you can hear throughout he and the band's music.
Check out Hobo Johnson's music here.
