John W. Armour (born May 15, 1984), better known by his stage name Johnny Polygon, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and music producer. Raised in
Tulsa
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma and List of United States cities by population, 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...
,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, Polygon would meet American producer
DJ Green Lantern
James Christopher D'Agostino (born July 7, 1975), professionally known as DJ Green Lantern, is an American hip hop DJ and producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by American rapper Eminem, to become the official DJ for S ...
in 2008, who offered him a record deal with his label imprint, Invasion Music Group. In 2009, Polygon released his first project under the label, an
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. (EP) titled ''Group Hug'', which ''
URB Magazine'' called "risky yet authentic." In 2010, Polygon followed his EP with ''Rebel Without Applause'', his first official
mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
, which included the
promotional single
A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...
, "The Riot Song". The single went on to be featured on
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
,
VH1 and
Centric, as well as the
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
television series, ''
How to Make it in America
''How to Make It in America'' is an American comedy-drama television series that ran on HBO from February 14, 2010, to November 20, 2011. The series follows the lives of Ben Epstein (Bryan Greenberg) and his friend Cam Calderon (Victor Rasuk) as t ...
''.
Johnny Polygon has worked with high-profile musicians such as
Nas
Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones.
Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to:
Aviation
* Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea
* National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia
** Nas Air ( ...
and
Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cudi would move to New Yo ...
. He frequently collaborates with his longtime friend and fellow Oklahoman Gabriel Royal, and has also worked with
Amanda Diva,
Dead Prez
Dead Prez, often stylized as dead prez, is an American hip hop duo composed of stic.man and M-1, formed in 1996 in New York City. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with lyrics focused on both militant social justice, sel ...
and
Yelawolf
Michael Wayne Atha (born December 30, 1979), better known by his stage name Yelawolf, is an American rapper. Born in Alabama and raised in Tennessee, he embarked on his career independently in 2005, releasing one extended play (EP) and four mixta ...
. In 2012,
MSN.com
MSN (meaning Microsoft Network) is a web portal and related collection of Internet services and apps for Windows and mobile devices, provided by Microsoft and launched on August 24, 1995, alongside the release of Windows 95.
The Microsoft Net ...
named Polygon one of their "Top 5 Up-And-Comers You Should Know." Since 2001, Polygon has released ten studio albums, with his latest being ''Teddy Bear Massacre 2'' (2022). Polygon is also looking to new opportunities with Armatura Production Haus, a new endeavor that will umbrella various multimedia projects: music video production, television, film, and a new children’s books he's working on. “It’s just a fan-funded production company,” he said. “My label is my fans.”
Biography
1984–2008: Early life and career beginnings
Johnny Polygon was born John Armour on May 15, 1984, in
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, Ohio. His family soon relocated to
Tulsa
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma and List of United States cities by population, 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...
,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, where Polygon was raised and proudly claims as his
hometown
Hometown, HomeTown, or Home Town may refer to:
*A hometown, the town where someone lives or the town that they come from, typically their place of birth.
*In developing nations particularly: native place, village of origin in newly urbanized soci ...
.
As an adolescent, Johnny Polygon first encountered
hip hop through
breakdancing
Breakdancing, also called breaking or b-boying/b-girling, is an athletic style of street dance originating from the African American and Puerto Rican communities in the United States. While diverse in the amount of variation available in ...
.
He later began
rapping
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
at the age of 14.
He would sneak into Retro Night at Cain's Ballroom with some of his underage friends. One night they snuck in and witnessed a
rap battle
Battle rap (also known as rap battling)Edwards, Paul, 2009, p. 25. is a type of rapping performed between two or more performers that incorporates boasts, insults and wordplay. Battle rap is often performed or freestyled spontaneously in live ...
; Polygon then swore the next time Cain's hosted one he'd enter. Polygon did, and won.
One of the disc jockeys there, DJ Shabazz, invited him to record an album. Word spread among his friends and the small but dedicated hip hop crowd in Tulsa.
Polygon continued participating in local theater groups and rap battles, helping him develop a sense of stage presence and projection.
As a teenager, Polygon attended
Booker T. Washington High School,
Central High School and Project 12 High School, all of which he was kicked out of. Later, with much determination, he
dropped out
Dropping out refers to leaving high school, college, university or another group for practical reasons, necessities, inability, apathy, or disillusionment with the system from which the individual in question leaves.
Canada
In Canada, most ind ...
of high school and told his parents he wanted to be a
rapper
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
.
"I told my parents I want to do music, and they were like you can’t really do that here. So my dad was like ‘I’ll give you a ride—where you want to go, L.A. or New York City?’ And the weather was nicer in L.A., so I was like ‘let’s go there.’"
Ultimately surviving on the
underground
Underground most commonly refers to:
* Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth
Underground may also refer to:
Places
* The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston
* The Underground ...
Midwest scene for several years, amassing several self-released albums, Polygon headed out to Hollywood, to further his
music career
A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wr ...
.
He went to Los Angeles with only $297 and a thousand copies of his fourth CD, ''Leggo My Ego'' (2004), which he sold to strangers on
Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...
, chatting up a couple hundred people a day.
It was in Los Angeles, where Polygon met Nathan Morse, who approached him on making a music video for a song of his titled "Bag". The video was eventually entered into an online contest, which caught the attention of one of the judges,
DJ Green Lantern
James Christopher D'Agostino (born July 7, 1975), professionally known as DJ Green Lantern, is an American hip hop DJ and producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by American rapper Eminem, to become the official DJ for S ...
.
Liking what he saw and heard, DJ Green Lantern then offered Polygon a chance to record music together in his New York City studio. Polygon, who was homeless at the time, jumped at the opportunity and went to NYC with DJ Green Lantern.
In 2008, Polygon signed a recording contract with DJ Green Lantern's record label imprint, Invasion Music Group.
Once Polygon signed with DJ Green Lantern, he moved to
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, where they then recorded several songs, including "Price on Your Head", an original song written for 2008's ''
Grand Theft Auto IV
''Grand Theft Auto IV'' is a 2008 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the sixth main entry in the ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, following 2004's '' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', and the ...
'' video game.
Polygon was also featured on fellow American rapper
Nas
Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones.
Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to:
Aviation
* Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea
* National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia
** Nas Air ( ...
' 2008
untitled album, singing the
chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
for the song "
Black President".
2009–2010: ''Group Hug'' and ''Wolf in Cheap Clothing''
In 2009, Polygon made his national television debut on
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
’s Inaugural Address, performing "Black President" with Nas.
On May 12, 2009, Polygon released his first project under Invasion Music Group, his debut
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. (EP), titled ''Group Hug''. ''
URB Magazine'' called ''Group Hug'' "risky yet authentic" and gave it four out of five stars.
On July 17, 2009, Polygon was featured in ''Vapor Magazine''.
In an August 2009 interview, Polygon revealed plans of forming a group with frequent collaborator
Amanda Diva, called The Okay Maybes.
On September 14, 2009, he was again featured in ''
YRB Magazine
Yellow Rat Bastard is the flagship establishment in a chain of New York City retail clothing stores and print magazine owned by Henry Ishay. It specializes in hip hop and alternative-style clothing and shoes.
History
Yellow Rat Bastard (YRB), th ...
''.
Polygon also made an appearance on the
Dead Prez
Dead Prez, often stylized as dead prez, is an American hip hop duo composed of stic.man and M-1, formed in 1996 in New York City. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with lyrics focused on both militant social justice, sel ...
mixtape, ''Pulse of the People: Turn Off the Radio Vol. 3'' (2009). He was featured on the song "NYDP", which was also included in the 2010 film ''
Brooklyn’s Finest
''Brooklyn's Finest'' is a 2009 American crime film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Michael C. Martin. The film stars Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, and Wesley Snipes. ''Brooklyn's Finest'' had its world premiere at the 2009 S ...
''. In late 2009, Polygon made a
cameo appearance
A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly eit ...
in
Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cudi would move to New Yo ...
’s "
Pursuit of Happiness" music video, alongside fellow rappers
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
and
Consequence
Consequence may refer to:
* Logical consequence, also known as a ''consequence relation'', or ''entailment''
* In operant conditioning, a result of some behavior
* Consequentialism, a theory in philosophy in which the morality of an act is determi ...
.
On February 14, 2010, Polygon released ''Rebel Without Applause,'' a
mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
presented by
DJ Green Lantern
James Christopher D'Agostino (born July 7, 1975), professionally known as DJ Green Lantern, is an American hip hop DJ and producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by American rapper Eminem, to become the official DJ for S ...
and Karmaloop.com.
The mixtape features
guest appearance
In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other p ...
s from
Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cudi would move to New Yo ...
and Amanda Diva, as well as longtime friend and collaborator, Gabe Royal.
Following the release of the mixtape was a music video for "The Riot Song", which premiered on February 23.
The video is a
Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner inspired live action cartoon, using over 3,000 real paper cut outs to tell the story, with no repeating images. "The Riot Song" was featured on an episode of
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
’s 2010 series, ''
How to Make it in America
''How to Make It in America'' is an American comedy-drama television series that ran on HBO from February 14, 2010, to November 20, 2011. The series follows the lives of Ben Epstein (Bryan Greenberg) and his friend Cam Calderon (Victor Rasuk) as t ...
''. "The Riot Song" was also included on the soundtrack to ''How to Make it in America'', which was curated by Kid Cudi and Scott Vener, as well as presented by Kid Cudi,
DJ Green Lantern
James Christopher D'Agostino (born July 7, 1975), professionally known as DJ Green Lantern, is an American hip hop DJ and producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by American rapper Eminem, to become the official DJ for S ...
and Broke Mogul.
During the intro of the track Cudi states that Johnny is "…the illest up-and-coming artist".
On March 31, 2010, Polygon visited Los Angeles’
KPWR
KPWR (105.9 FM) – branded as ''Power 106'' – is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area. KPWR is owned and operated by Meruelo Group and airs a Rhythmic Hot AC format. KPWR's studio ...
's POWER 106 FM THE TAKEOVER with the LA Leakers and DJ Reflex. During the show he performed a
freestyle over
The Black Eyed Peas
Black Eyed Peas (also known as The Black Eyed Peas) is an American musical group consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo. The group's line-up during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie, who replaced Kim Hil ...
'
hit single
A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single or simply a hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record' ...
, "
Imma Be
"Imma Be" is a song recorded by the American group the Black Eyed Peas for their fifth studio album ''The E.N.D.'' (2009). The song's title is a slang expression, meaning "I am going to be" or "I will be". Initially released as a promotional sing ...
". In the July 2010 issue of Oklahoma Magazine, Johnny Polygon had a featured spread.
Polygon also had his own online show on karmaloop.tv. The premise of the show revolved around Polygon and his life as a recording artist. On its second season, the show had featured stories about him, Nas, and Kid Cudi, as well as what its like to be in the shoes of Johnny Polygon. In 2010, Polygon's song "Ebonics", was included on the soundtrack to the film, ''
The Rock 'n' Roll Dreams of Duncan Christopher
''The Rock 'n' Roll Dreams of Duncan Christopher'' is an American independent comedy film written by Jack Roberts and directed by Justin Monroe. It stars Jack Roberts as the titular character, Duncan Christopher.
''The Rock 'n' Roll Dreams of ...
''. On April 1, 2010, during a show in Los Angeles, Polygon announced he was no longer signed to DJ Green Lantern's label imprint and that he would be moving forward as an
independent artist
Independent music (also commonly known as indie music or simply indie) is music that is produced independently from commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, a process that may include an autonomous, do-it-yourself approach to recording a ...
. Polygon's video for "The Riot Song" premiered on
MTV2
MTV2 (formerly M2) is an American pay television Cable television, channel owned by the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global.
The channel launched initially as an all-music video service, once the original MTV had started to sh ...
’s show subterranean on July 28, 2010.
Also in late July, "The Riot Song" music video was added to
VH1 Soul
BET Soul is an American pay television network that is controlled by the BET Networks division of Paramount Global, which owns the network. The channel showcases R&B, funk, soul, neo soul, hip hop, jazz and Motown music from various decades. T ...
and
mtvU
MTVU (formerly stylized as MtvU and mtvU) is an American digital cable TV channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group, a unit of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. The channel was first known as VH1 Uno from 2000 to ...
. Additionally, "The Riot Song" appeared on BET's
Centric and saw heavy radio spins on
Radio Nova (France)
Radio Nova (or simply ''Nova'') is a radio station broadcast from Paris, created in 1981 by Jean-François Bizot. Its playlist is characterized by non-mainstream or underground artists of various music genres, such as electro, new wave, regg ...
. "The Riot Song" video, eventually broke
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's Top 100, peaking at number eight.
On November 16, 2010, Johnny Polygon released an official 30-track mixtape presented by Orisue, titled ''Catch-Up''. The project is essentially a
compilation album
A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...
composed of tracks from Polygon's career up to 2010, as well as
remix
A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...
es, unreleased tracks and collaborations with other artists.
The tape was released in
promotion
Promotion may refer to:
Marketing
* Promotion (marketing), one of the four marketing mix elements, comprising any type of marketing communication used to inform or persuade target audiences of the relative merits of a product, service, brand or i ...
for his second EP, ''Wolf in Cheap Clothing'' (2010). ''Wolf in Cheap Clothing'' was released for
free download
Digital distribution, also referred to as content delivery, online distribution, or electronic software distribution, among others, is the delivery or distribution of digital media content such as audio, video, e-books, video games, and other so ...
on December 15, 2010, to critical acclaim.
2011–2013: ''The Nothing''
In 2011, Polygon returned to his Oklahoma roots where he was featured on the back of ''
This Land Press January print issue, as part of the paper's "True Tulsa" portrait series. In April 2011, Johnny Polygon starred as the titular character in a short film titled ''Where is Victor Black?'', which was directed by ''
Italian Vogue
''Vogue Italia'' is the Italian edition of ''Vogue'' magazine. Owned by Condé Nast International, it has been called the top fashion magazine in the world. It's been in publication since 1964.
Name
''Vogue Italia'' was first published as ''No ...
'' director Tommaso Cardile. The film, which co-stars
Jennifer Missoni
Jennifer Missoni (born April 3, 1985) is an Italian actress known for such films and television shows as '' Playback'', ''Gossip Girl'', ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' and '' Inferno: A Linda Lovelace Story''.
Missoni attended Idyllwild Arts A ...
, was entered in the
48 Hour Film Project
The 48 Hour Film Project is an annual film competition in which teams of filmmakers are assigned a genre, a character, a prop, and a line of dialogue, and have 48 hours to create a short film containing those elements. The competition has been ac ...
contest. In an interview published in April 2011, he revealed earlier in his career a label based out of San Francisco offered him a
record deal, on the condition that he transplant himself to the
Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Gov ...
and represent it as his hometown, Johnny Polygon declined out of loyalty to his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
In August 2011, Polygon stopped by Los Angeles’ Knocksteady Live and performed "Limosexsuperstar", a new song from his upcoming project, ''Pussy Gun'', for their
podcast
A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosing ...
. Polygon's album ''Pussy Gun'', had been announced for a 2012 release under Bananabeat Records.
On March 7, 2012, Polygon released a
trailer for a song titled "My Shit >" and released the song for free download, via his Facebook page. Almost eight months after performing the song for Knocksteady TV, Polygon released the un-mastered audio for ''Pussy Guns
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
, "Limosexsuperstar". In May 2012, Polygon's song “Ebonics” was included in the original motion picture soundtrack to the film ''The Rock 'n' Roll Dreams of Duncan Christopher.''
On September 7, 2012, via his Twitter feed, Polygon announced that he is no longer signed or affiliated with Bananabeat Records and would release ''Pussy Gun'' independently. The music video for his song "My Shit", was also released on September 7.
Polygon made his directorial debut in November 2012, directing the music video for
THURZ's "Are You Not", which also features vocals from Polygon himself.
In December 2012,
MSN.com
MSN (meaning Microsoft Network) is a web portal and related collection of Internet services and apps for Windows and mobile devices, provided by Microsoft and launched on August 24, 1995, alongside the release of Windows 95.
The Microsoft Net ...
named Polygon one of the "Top 5 Artists Up-And-Comers You Should Know." On December 12, 2012 Polygon revealed he would be releasing a project preceding the release of ''Pussy Gun''. He stated the project would feature 7–12 brand new songs and would be released in early 2013, while announcing ''Pussy Gun'' for late 2013.
On February 27, 2013, Polygon released ''The Nothing''. The 12-track album was the product of collaborations with record producers Picnic Tyme, Daygee Kwia, ACDMY and Mateo. The album was co-produced, mixed and mastered by Manhattan-based record producer Alex Gruenberg.''The Nothing'' was available for free download and later on March 4, 2013, for digital purchase.
Melissa Pandika of
OZY Media wrote ''The Nothing'' is "a kaleidoscope of psychedelic soundscapes laden with darkly personal rhymes, a laid-back flow — and an unexpectedly soulful, haunting falsetto."
In March 2013, Polygon embarked on a U.S. national tour entitled Light Up The Night, which began in Tulsa at The Vanguard on March 20, with American hip hop group
Pac Div
Pacific Division, better known as Pac Div is an American rap quartet from Southern California. Formed by brothers Like and Mibbs, Pac Div started rapping together in high school. Originally an eleven-member crew, they shrank to three in 2005 ...
.
Polygon later announced he would be releasing an EP next. In January 2014, Polygon tweeted: "The new EP is shaping up beastly" and revealed he would premiere some new songs at his then-upcoming show in New York. A few days later he tweeted: "My next ep will be my last". On February 1, 2014, Polygon released a remix to the viral song "
Versace
Gianni Versace S.r.l. (), usually referred to as Versace ( ), is an Italian luxury fashion company founded by Gianni Versace in 1978 known for flashy prints and bright colors. The company produces Italian-made ready-to-wear and accessories, as w ...
", which he re-titled "Old Navy".
2014–2016: ''Water Damage'' and ''I Love You, Goodnight.''
On March 23, 2014, Polygon unveiled a tentative track list for the new EP, when he posted a screenshot of it on
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
, with the caption: "It's happening again. 5 more and it's all yours.". Throughout May 2014, Polygon performed in New York City, to promote his upcoming project. On June 19, 2014, Polygon tweeted: "Droppin a new project next month. Touring it in august". On June 20, 2014, Polygon released a song titled "Never Too Old to Die Young", via independent online music store
Bandcamp
Bandcamp is an American online audio distribution platform founded in 2007 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with headquarters in Oakland, California, US. On March 2, 2022, Bandcamp ...
. On July 25, 2014 Polygon released "The Weather Report", another single via Bandcamp. On August 30, 2014, after releasing a single titled "The Fall", Polygon revealed his next project would be titled ''King of Ashes''. On October 1, 2014, Polygon performed and premiered his song "Dead Meat", live in Cosmic Zoo studio, after a long conversation with Intuition, on the Kinda Neat podcast. On November 8, 2014, Polygon revealed he changed the title of his upcoming project and that it would no longer be an EP, but instead a full-length album. On December 21, 2014, Polygon announced he would release the album, now titled ''I Love You, Goodnight.'', after his website reaches 200 members.
On February 25, 2015, Polygon unexpectedly released an album titled ''Water Damage'', selling only a limited 200 copies, via his website. On his website Polygon wrote: "This collection of songs is entitled ''Water Damage''. Don’t worry guys, ''i love you, goodnight'' is still on its way. It’s being mastered, mixed and then off to the vinyl manufacturer for duplication so an update on the release date is just weeks away. To tide your appetite, I’ve got a collection of leaks from over the years as well as unreleased material you guys have been asking for, for years upon years. I’m finally letting those tracks go." After ''Water Damage'' was released, it was revealed that the project was actually the long-awaited and unreleased album, ''Pussy Gun''. Polygon later revealed ''I Love You, Goodnight.'', would be released May 15, 2015. The album will be supported by North American and European tour dates and four music video releases. In 2015, Polygon lent his voice as the starring and supporting characters in 50 episodes of a
National Geographic
''National Geographic'' (formerly the ''National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as NAT GEO) is a popular American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. Known for its photojournalism, it is one of the most widely ...
sponsored children's show entitled, ''50 Birds, 50 States''.
In support of the ''Water Damage'' album, Polygon organised the "Hole in the Wall"
concert tour
A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
. In March 2015, Polygon made his debut appearance at the
Norman Music Festival. On May 15, 2015, Polygon announced that he had pushed back ''I Love You, Goodnight.'', because his frequent collaborator Picnic Tyme, the producer behind "The Riot Song" and "Kids Broken Hearted", had given him new material to work with for the album. He also revealed the new release date to be June 4, 2015. In May 2015, Polygon was featured in an article on ''
The Oklahoman
''The Oklahoman'' is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, United States, and is the only regional daily that covers the Greater Oklahoma City area. The Alliance for Audited Media (formerly Audit Bureau Circulation) lists it as the 59th larges ...
'' and
NewsOK.com
''The Oklahoman'' is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, United States, and is the only regional daily that covers the Greater Oklahoma City area. The Alliance for Audited Media (formerly Audit Bureau Circulation) lists it as the 59th larges ...
.
On February 10, 2016, Polygon revealed he had a few hard copies of a secret album that he would only be releasing to people in Los Angeles hand-to-hand. On August 30, 2016, Polygon announced he would be recording his first live album. In September, Polygon revealed he would be recording the album on the twenty-second of that month at live music venue The Yeti, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
2017–present: ''Teddy Bear Massacre'' series
On April 20, 2017, in celebration of
cannabis culture
Cannabis culture describes a social atmosphere or series of associated social behaviors that depends heavily upon cannabis consumption, particularly as an entheogen, recreational drug and medicine.
Historically cannabis has been used an entheo ...
, Polygon released a new single titled "Sex and Drugs".
On April 14, Polygon announced a new project, tentatively titled ''Nimrod Cupid''. Polygon released the album ''Teddy Bear Massacre, Vol. 1'' on May 15, 2019.
Artistry
Influences
Growing up, Johnny Polygon listened to
Nirvana
( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
,
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
,
Tupac
Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...
and
Norah Jones
Norah Jones (born Geethali Norah Jones Shankar; March 30, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. She has won several awards for her music and as of 2012, has sold more than 50 million records worldwide. ''Billboard'' named her the ...
.
Musical style
Johnny Polygon has been described as "a musical artist who combines classic melodies with unconventional song structure for an alternative blend of hip hop,
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
and
R&B. His lyrical content skews dark and cynical with love stories laced with wit." In 2010, a writer from ''Planet Ill'' wrote "Johnny Polygon’s music has a pretty solid mix of pretty spaced out hip hop,
electro and rock music production values paired with a nicely adaptable flow as an
MC. As far as his singing goes, he does a pretty straight job sans
autotune
Auto-Tune (or autotune) is an audio processor introduced in 1996 by American company Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a proprietary device to measure and alter pitch in vocal and instrumental music recording and performances.
Auto-Tu ...
…kinda
Pharrell
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom he ...
-ish but lower on the
octave scale
In music theory, a scale is any set of musical notes ordered by fundamental frequency or pitch. A scale ordered by increasing pitch is an ascending scale, and a scale ordered by decreasing pitch is a descending scale.
Often, especially in the ...
."
Last.fm
Last.fm is a music website founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. Using a music recommender system called "Audioscrobbler", Last.fm builds a detailed profile of each user's musical taste by recording details of the tracks the user listens to, e ...
describes Polygon as "an
eclectic
Eclectic may refer to:
Music
* ''Eclectic'' (Eric Johnson and Mike Stern album), 2014
* ''Eclectic'' (Big Country album), 1996
* Eclectic Method, name of an audio-visual remix act
* Eclecticism in music, the conscious use of styles alien to th ...
mix of
indie skewed hip hop and
world music. He walks to his own beat and stays left of what most perceive from the genre naturally."
In March 2014, Melissa Pandika of
OZY Media wrote Polygon is "Not quite R&B, not quite hip-hop, his style is hard to categorize, often labeled 'quirky' and 'out there' by critics."
Pandika continued to write Polygon's album, ''The Nothing'', is "a kaleidoscope of psychedelic soundscapes laden with darkly personal rhymes, a laid-back flow – and an unexpectedly soulful, haunting falsetto."
Discography
The discography of Johnny Polygon consists of nine studio albums, one live album, two
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. s (EPs), two
mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
s and 14
singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
(including two as a featured artist).
Studio albums
Live albums
EPs
Mixtapes
Singles
As lead artist
As featured artist
Guest appearances
Videography
As lead artist
As featured artist
Filmography
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Polygon, Johnny
Living people
1984 births
Midwest hip hop musicians
Musicians from Tulsa, Oklahoma
African-American male singer-songwriters
American hip hop singers
African-American male rappers
Underground rappers
American hip hop record producers
African-American record producers
American music video directors
Alternative hip hop musicians
21st-century American rappers
Indie rappers
21st-century African-American male singers
Alternative R&B musicians
Singer-songwriters from Oklahoma