John River (rapper)

Matthew John Derrick-Huie (born September 29, 1994), better known by his stage name John River, is a Canadian rapper, songwriter, and activist.[1] Since 2012, River has released several music videos and two mixtapes—The Calm and The Storm.[2] The music video for his song "Hope City II" went viral online,[3] and was subsequently nominated for a Much Music Video Award for Best Hip Hop Music Video at the 2015 Much Music Video Awards.[4] His music has been featured in the web series Teenagers.[5]

John River
Born
Matthew John Derrick-Hule

(1994-09-29) September 29, 1994
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Occupation(s)Rapper, songwriter, activist
Years active2012–present

Early life

River was born and raised in Mississauga, a city within the Greater Toronto Area. He attended Clarkson Secondary School,[6] where he began writing songs and participating in rap battles that took place in the school's stairwells.[7] River did not graduate from high school, instead opting to drop out and focus on pursuing a career in the music industry.[8] River also spent some time in France and Italy, where he trained to become a professional soccer player before concentrating on music.[9]

Career

2012–2014: First mixtape

River released his first mixtape, The Calm, in 2012, at the age of 18; it received positive reviews from music critics. HipHopCanada wrote that the track "Every Evening", "nicely showcased [River's] ability to tell a story, deliver a message and be mindful of keeping the music catchy."[10] Chris Dart of the Torontoist called The Calm a "big, ambitious, high-concept project," concluding that "in an era where rappers are afraid to tackle issues, River doesn’t shy away from talking about things like gun violence, the justice system, and teenage pregnancy."[11]

2015–2016: Second mixtape

In January 2015, River released a music video for his song "Hope City II", which has, as of 2017, amassed over 982,000 hits on YouTube.[3] The music video for "Hope City II" was nominated for a Much Music Video Award for Best Hip Hop Music Video, ultimately losing out to Drake's viral video for "Hotline Bling".[4][12] That summer, River's song "BLVD", dedicated to fellow rapper Redway, who was killed in a shooting, was chosen by NOW Magazine as one of Toronto's "songs of the summer."[13] Both "Hope City II" and "BLVD" were featured on River's second mixtape, The Storm, which was released in 2015.[14]

Upon release, The Storm received positive reviews; Erin Lowers from Exclaim! wrote that River is "secure enough with himself to be vulnerable, to make mistakes and express emotions," further noting that "The Storm demonstrates the growing pains of modern day rap — balancing the ability to be lyrically aggressive without being heartless..."[15] The mixtape featured production from Wondagurl.[14] In support of the mixtape, River embarked on a college and university tour in late 2015.[9]

In June 2015, River sampled the James Arthur song "Get Down", with altered rap lyrics and verses. A music video for River's version was shot in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and was directed by Abstrakte and produced by MadRuk Ent.[16] River's version of the track was featured prominently in the second season of the web series Teenagers,[5][17] which was written and directed by M. H. Murray, who attended Clarkson Secondary School with River.[18]

In June 2016, River's music video concept for his song "Pray For Me" was selected by Bell Media's MuchFACT for funding.[19] In February 2016, XXL named him as one of top ten artists to watch from Canada.[20]

2017–present: Musical hiatus and subsequent return

Throughout most of 2017, River struggled with a series of medical issues, and as a result, he did not release any music.[21] On September 14, 2018, River ended his musical hiatus with the surprise release of a song titled "Burn the Boats".[22] Lyrically, the song focuses on River's journey "back from the dead" after undergoing surgeries due to intracranial hypotension and other medical complications.[21]

Artistry

River has been called a "conscious rapper" on several occasions.[11][23][24] In 2016, XXL praised him for being "fearlessly earnest," and described his music as "a touch of J. Cole for his introspective lyrics and flow delivered over solid, stadium-ready beats".[25]

Personal life

Health issues

Since late 2017, River has suffered from serious health issues.[26] In a series of tweets, in January 2018, River explained that he was struggling with "mysterious chest pains, breathing problems, temporary blindness, depressive episodes and an unending stream of diagnostic dead ends". Medical staff at the hospital reportedly failed to diagnose him with any illnesses related to these symptoms.[27] In February 2018, a neurologist diagnosed River with intracranial hypotension as well as paraspinal pain, severe anemia, and a dislocated jaw joint. His intracranial hypotension had caused his brain to "sag for many weeks".[28] In April 2018, River's family revealed that he had undergone a pair of surgeries to fix a brain fluid leak.[21] River announced his recovery and return to music in an Instagram post on August 7, 2018.[29]

Activism

River often speaks out regarding various social justice issues, most notably voicing support for Black Lives Matter and taking part in various protests in support of the movement.[30] At the 2015 Much Music Video Awards, River walked the red carpet wearing a shirt that said "Black Lives Matter" in large, block letters across the front.[6] The Huffington Post called River's shirt "a bold statement."[31] The following year, at the 2016 ceremony, River attracted media attention when he wore a shirt that said "Stop Blaming Muslims" on it.[32]

River is also a supporter of gender equality and the LGBT community.[9]

Accolades
Year Association Category Nominated work Result Refs
2015 Much Music Video Awards Best Hip Hop Music Video "Hope City II" Nominated [4]

Discography

Mixtapes
  • 2012: The Calm
  • 2015: The Storm
  • 2019: The Academy

Music videos
  • 2015: "Hope City II"
  • 2015: "Get Down"
  • 2015: "The Storm"
  • 2016: "Pray for Me"
  • 2019: "Before I Go"

References
  1. "'I'm very, very proud of this place,' Mississauga rapper John River on the place that shaped him". CBC News. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  2. "John River Brings The Storm From Mississauga". Exclaim!. November 2, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  3. John River (January 27, 2015), John River - Hope City II, retrieved November 4, 2017
  4. "John River Nominated for MMVA Video Award | WhatTheHYPE". WhatTheHYPE. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  5. "New webseries shines spotlight on real-life teen experience - Urbanology Magazine". January 15, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  6. "The Next Big Name Out of Mississauga John River Set to Hit the Road". InSauga. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  7. ""You've got to work your miracles"". The Varsity Magazine. November 14, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  8. "Rapper John River on dropping out, repping Mississauga". CBC News. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  9. "A rapper with heart | The Journal". www.queensjournal.ca. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  10. "John River – The Calm [Mixtape]". HipHopCanada.com. November 20, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  11. Torontoist (December 12, 2012). "Sound Advice: The Calm by John River". Torontoist. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  12. Gasparek, Brian. "And the 2015 MMVA nominees are…". www.theloop.ca. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  13. "Toronto's songs of summer". NOW Magazine. August 26, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  14. "John River - The Storm". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  15. "John River The Storm". Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  16. HipHopCanada: John River – Get Down [Video]
  17. teenagers web series (September 27, 2015), teenagers web series - S2.E9 - "A Cinderella Ending" (Season Finale), retrieved June 26, 2016
  18. Clay, Chris (April 29, 2016). "Mississauga director's web series a raw take on teenage life | Mississauga.com". Mississauga.com. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  19. BellMedia: Bell Media’s MuchFACT Announces Fund Recipients for June Music Committee
  20. Preezy (February 23, 2016). "The New New: 10 Canadian Artists You Should Know". XXL. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  21. "John River Returns with New Single "Burn the Boats"". exclaim.ca. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  22. "John River Returns With Reflective Single "Burn The Boats"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  23. "Sarah Jay's Picks: Top 40 Up-And-Coming Canadian Rappers & Rap Crews Of 2015". HipHopCanada.com. January 2, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  24. "The First Ever Toronto Edition Of The TeamBackPack Cipher Just Dropped". HipHopCanada.com. January 20, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  25. "The New New: 10 Canadian Artists You Should Know - XXL". XXL Mag. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  26. "'I need immediate help': Canadian rapper John River shares intense medical battle on Twitter". CBC Music. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  27. Peter A. Berry (January 19, 2018). "John River Shares Harrowing Battle with Undiagnosed Illness, Asks Public for Help to Find Doctor". XXL. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  28. Lindsay India (February 5, 2018). "John River Has Finally Found the Cause of his Illness Thanks to Neurologist's Help". XXL. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  29. "John River on Instagram: "I want to thank God for bringing me back to life & everyone who didn't abandon my mother & my family. As for the rest, fuck you, I hope you…"". Instagram. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  30. "MTV Best Red Carpet Looks".
  31. "John River's 2015 MMVA Red Carpet Ensemble Makes A Bold Statement". HuffPost Canada. June 22, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  32. "MMVAs 2016: John River Makes A Statement With 'Stop Blaming Muslims' Shirt On Red Carpet". HuffPost Canada. June 20, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
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