We had the good fortune of connecting with John Anthony and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was raised in a small area of Dallas, Pennsylvania. My background wasn’t all that flashy or rough. I didn’t struggle nor did I have anything handed to me. A lot of my early life was generally basic/simple. Of course, I’ve had a lot of challenges, issues and complications throughout that helped shape who I am today. Ever since I fell in love with the art of hip-hop, I realized that I couldn’t just have a passion for the culture. I needed to build a story of who I am to generate with my audience. So for years, I would puzzle any challenging or dark pieces of my life and stretch them out to create a story-telling song. This would help the way I write and indulge at my creation process. So a lot of my early, yet simplistic upbringings helped impact who I am.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
For the last decade, I’ve been fixated around a career in hip-hop. For the longest times, my music was just something I’d make to satisfy myself because I didn’t have any confidence in releasing my music publicly for an audience to hear. Somewhere down the line, confidence grew and I started taking my craft more seriously. It wasn’t an easy road to get where I am today. There has been tons of doubt, criticism and comparisons that have anchored my career. I just learned to overcome those obstacles that were in my way by continuing to be myself and create what I believed what unique and captivating for my audience.

There’s a lot to be proud of so far in my career, however, there is always room for improvement and that is what excites me the most. I don’t ask for favoritism, admiration or attention. Accolades and accomplishments are great, but they don’t define what I strive for in my career. Respect would probably be the one thing I try to earn whether it’s from the fans or my piers.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Not to sound narrow-minded but I owe myself a shoutout. I wouldn’t be here right now if I never kept pushing to get my music heard. It took seven years before my music gained any sort of recognition. I may have doubted a lot and possibly quit of myself a few times, but in the end, this is what I wanted the most in life and I wasn’t going to let that go. Also, I’d feel remorse if I didn’t shoutout the pioneers and legends who came before me and helped built this art. I learned so much from these artists. Lastly, there is one person who I should mention. This person is kind of the main reason I sit here today and do what I love doing. She gave me the confidence to release my music publicly years ago when I was hanging on my last breath in the game, so for that, I shoutout you. You know who you are.

Website: https://johnanthonyofficial.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/johnanthony.music

Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnanthonyreal

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnAnthonyRapper

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/johnanthonyrapper

Image Credits
All images curtesy of Villainous Records.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.