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 An
extraordinarily gifted performer, Ashkon is without question Grad School
Music’s most well-rounded talent. In addition to an impressive hip-hop
resume, Ash has also played front-man to several bands whose genres have
run the gamut from pop-punk to neo-soul. This is to say nothing of an
accomplished acting career which has landed him onstage in roles ranging
from musical theatre to challenging character driven drama.
In
spite of these varied talents and interests, Ashkon remains a Bay Area born
and bred hip-hopper at heart. Therefore, it should be no surprise that his
first real shot at stardom comes in the form of The Final Breakthrough.
Like eclectic artists Andre 3000 and Kanye West, Ashkon demonstrates an
ability to master a certain style and then surprise fans with something
utterly new. In The Final Breakthrough, he has created an
album which respects the tenets of the contemporary hip-hop landscape
without being trapped by it clichés and fleeting trends.
While influences like Tupac and Eminem are apparent
throughout the album, so are those of legendary bands like
Tower of Power and even
bluesmen like Bobby Bland. This is all fearlessly blended through
progressive, musically ambitious arrangements to create the album’s unique
sound.
The
album’s lyrical content is just as broad. Whether spouting an unabashed
party anthem or a sweeping indictment of the American political status-quo,
Ashkon comes across as doggedly honest and entirely at home in his subject
matter. It is with great pride and faith in this project that we here at
Grad School Music cordially invite you to listen.
DISCOGRAPHY
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