| The Life and Times of Jonny Valiant | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 30, 2013 | |||
| Recorded | 2012-2013 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 59:38 | |||
| Label | Strange Music | |||
| Producer |
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| Rittz chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Life and Times of Jonny Valiant | ||||
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The Life and Times of Jonny Valiant is the first studio album by the American rapper Rittz. The album was released on April 30, 2013, by Strange Music. [1] The album has guest appearances by Big K.R.I.T., Mike Posner, Suga Free, Tech N9ne, Krizz Kaliko and Yelawolf.
In August 2012, Rittz signed to Tech N9ne's Strange Music record label. [2] In November 2012, in an interview with HipHopDX , Rittz explained that he was 11 songs into his first album, saying, "With the 11 songs that I got already, the way I work is that I get the base set. If I can get the base set of the overall sound I’m looking for - the vibe of the album - then I can sprinkle in the other types of records. Story song, insert here. Girl song, insert here. But the music; the production; the beats actually set the tone. I think I’ve gotten that. So, as long as I’ve gotten that - I was a little worried at first because I wasn’t set on the beats. But now I got it. Now it’s just time to put in the spices and make it a complete thing." [3] [4]
The first video for the album was released on March 28, 2013, for the song "For Real". [5] The first single, "Switch Lanes" featuring Mike Posner, was released on April 12, 2013. [6] On April 10, 2013, the music video was released for "Like I Am". [7] On May 13, 2013, the music video was released for "Switch Lanes" featuring Mike Posner. [8]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| DJBooth |   [9] |
| Exclaim! | 5/10 [10] |
| HipHopDX | [11] |
| XXL | (XL) [12] |
The Life and Times of Jonny Valiant was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Edwin Ortiz of HipHopDX gave the album four out of five stars, saying, "While Rittz hasn’t yet reached his recording pinnacle, The Life And Times Of Jonny Valiant provides a thorough impression of his abilities as well as what he can strive for in the coming years. Going on nearly two decades since he first grasped the notion of becoming an emcee, it may have taken longer than expected, but Rittz is finally seeing the fruits of his labor flourish." [11] David Jeffries of AllMusic gave the album a positive review, saying, "This debut effort should still satisfy those who follow Tech N9ne and the Strange Music roster, as stoner anthems, swaggering club music, and punch line-filled putdowns are the man's bread and butter." [13] Dave William of XXL gave the album an XL, saying, "While these struggles might seem like a bit of a downer on paper, Rittz should win over listeners with the unmistakable honesty he raps with. He’s a highly affable “underdog,” one who can rap about his misfortunes with confidence, hope and determination." [12]
Nathan S. of DJBooth gave the album four out of five stars, saying, "Hip-hop needs someone every outsider can relate to, someone who remains dedicated to being himself (and sounds damn good in the process). If Rittz can continue to do that, and Jonny Valiant suggests he can, he’ll attract more fans than any poser possibly could." [9] Peter Marrack of Exclaim! gave the album five out of ten, saying, "One of the few uplifting moments on Rittz's new album occurs when he's shouting out his homies in Toronto — Droppin' Knowledge booked Rittz for a spot date in late 2011, which contributed to the Atlanta, GA rapper's early buzz. The rest of the album is morose, a diatribe against commercial rap bloated with personal confessions." [10]
In its first week of release the album entered the Billboard 200 at number 25 and sold 14,000 copies in the United States. [14] In its second week the album sold 3,200 copies. [15] In its third week, the album sold 2,300 copies bringing its total sales to 19,000. [16]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) [17] | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" |
| Track Bangas | 2:07 |
| 2. | "My Interview" |
| Five Points Music Group | 4:17 |
| 3. | "Like I Am" |
| M. Stacks | 3:51 |
| 4. | "Fuck Swag" |
| Lifted | 2:54 |
| 5. | "Wastin Time" (featuring Big K.R.I.T.) |
| Kasper Brightside | 4:51 |
| 6. | "Goin In" |
| Five Points Music Group | 4:25 |
| 7. | "Always Gon Be" (featuring Mike Posner) |
| Coop Take Off on Em | 2:59 |
| 8. | "My Clothes (Interlude)" | McCollum | Snake and Bat Music | 1:40 |
| 9. | "Amen" |
| Five Points Music Group | 3:49 |
| 10. | "For Real" |
| Lifted | 3:31 |
| 11. | "Sober" (featuring Suga Free) |
| Five Points Music Group | 3:27 |
| 12. | "Say No More" (featuring Tech N9ne & Krizz Kaliko) |
| Matic Lee | 5:00 |
| 13. | "Switch Lanes" (featuring Mike Posner) |
|
| 3:24 |
| 14. | "Misery Loves Company" |
| Matic Lee | 4:18 |
| 15. | "Heaven" (featuring Yelawolf) |
| Five Points Music Group | 4:10 |
| 16. | "All Around the World" | McCollum |
| 4:55 |
| Total length: | 59:38 | |||
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17. | "Gravy" | 3:55 | |
| 18. | "Never Lettin' Go" | 3:46 | |
| 19. | "Drift Away" | Bunson & Beaker Beats | 3:35 |
| Total length: | 1:10:54 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 20. | "Same Shit, Different Day" | 3:15 |
| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 [18] | 25 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [19] | 8 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard) [20] | 6 |
Strange Music is an American independent record label specializing in hip hop music and founded by Tech N9ne and Travis O'Guin in 1999.
The discography of Tech N9ne spans over 21 years, with the earliest official release being the single release "Cloudy-Eyed Stroll/Mitch Bade" in 1996. Tech N9ne has SoundScanned over two million albums independently. He has also had his music featured in many movies, television shows, and video games.
Samuel William Christopher Watson IV, better known by his stage name Krizz Kaliko, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and voice actor. He is a longtime collaborator with fellow hometown native Tech N9ne and was signed to Strange Music from its inception in 1999 up to forming his own label Ear House Inc. in 2021.
Melvin Lewis Calhoun Jr., better known by his stage name Kutt Calhoun, is an American rapper and business executive from Kansas City, Missouri. After getting his start in the late 1990s underground rap scene of Kansas City, he subsequently signed to Strange Music when the label was founded in 1999. Calhoun released his debut album B.L.E.V.E. in 2004, and his 2007 sophomore album Feature Presentation debuted at number 60 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Calhoun's third album, Raw and Un-Kutt, made its debut at number 162 on the Billboard 200 chart in its first week of release, as well as charting at No. 19 on the Top Heatseekers chart.
Johnny Reed McKinzie Jr., better known by his stage name Jay Rock, is an American rapper and songwriter. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, he signed to indie label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), in 2005. Under TDE, Rock secured a record deal in 2007 with Warner Bros. Records and later Asylum Records, but mergers fell through and Rock departed from the label shortly after. He then signed with fellow American rapper Tech N9ne's Strange Music, in a joint-venture deal with TDE.
All 6's and 7's is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Tech N9ne. It was released on June 7, 2011, through Strange Music. The album was released to universal acclaim by music critics, and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.
Strange Music is an American independent record label founded by Tech N9ne and Travis O'Guin in 1999, specializing in hip hop music. It is currently distributed through Fontana Distribution.
This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2012.
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Jonathan Matthew McCollum, better known by his stage name Rittz, is an American rapper. His debut album The Life and Times of Jonny Valiant was released on April 30, 2013, rising to number 8 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. His next two albums, Next to Nothing (2014) and Top of the Line (2016) peaked at number 3 on the same chart. His fourth album, Last Call (2017), hit number 43 on the Billboard 200. All of these were released under Tech N9ne's Strange Music label.
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