Wordsplayed
Wordsplayed | |
|---|---|
 Wordsplayed performing at Irving Plaza (2017, Friends & Family Tour) | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Itiola |
| Also known as | Wordsplayed |
| Born | 13 June 1979 Nigeria |
| Genres | Gospel, CCM, hip hop, drum and bass |
| Occupation(s) | Christian rapper, songwriter and author |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Website | wordsplayed |
John Itiola, also known as Wordsplayed, is a Christian rapper based in San Diego.[1][2] His style is influenced by trap music. He has made album appearances for artists like Andy Mineo (C-Lite), GAWVI and Social Club Misfits.[3][4][5][6][7]
Biography[edit]
Wordsplayed was born to Nigerian immigrants who moved to the United States in the early 1980s. He grew up in Long Island, New York.
In 2008, he became friends with members of the evangelical hip-hop ministry T.R.U.C.E. (To Reach Urban Communities Everywhere), which included the rapper Andy Mineo, who gave Itiola a guest spot (credited as John "Word Up" Itiola) on his 2009 Sin Is Wack mixtape.[8] He has also previously worked with Beleaf and Ruslan of the Dream Junkies and formerly of theBreax, on the songs “Drag ‘Em” and “That’s Me” respectively.[9]
Itiola also joined Mineo's artist collective Miner League.[10] Itiola released his debut single as Wordsplayed, "Martinelli's (ft. Andy Mineo)," on December 29, 2014[11] and "Sammy Sosa" on April 11, 2015. Itiola collaborated on the Marty's album (Social Club) in the song "The One with my Friends" alongside NF, John Givez, Fern and Kaleb Mitchell.
In 2016, he debuted with the mixtape Clowntown, which was released by Miner League and hit number 35 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums chart.[12][13] Also, he was a special guest with Social Club Misfits in "Friends & Family Tour" of Andy Mineo.[14]
In 2017, Itiola and Mineo teamed up for Andy Mineo & Wordsplayed Present Magic & Bird, on August 4, 2017.[15][16] The full-length collaboration debuted at number 49 on the all-genre Billboard 200.[17] This album had 5 songs on the Billboard's "Hot Christian Songs" chart.[18]
His latest releases, Lo-Fi Love 1 (LFL1) and Lo-Fi Love 2 (LFL2), have been paired with his stellar “Lo-Fidelity Hour” and "Lo-Fidelity Nights Uncut" direct to public access television series', respectively.[19][20]
In 2019, was a guest on NBC’s ‘Off The Dribble’ on ‘NBA Hot Takes’ segment.[21]
In April 2020, he launched a podcast called "Circle of Trust", with the intention of "building a global network of people with positive, successful and like-minded ideas."[22][23]
Discography[edit]
Solo albums[edit]
| Title | Album details | Positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US
Christ |
US
Rap |
US
R&B /HH | ||
| Clowntown |
|
49 | 35 | 23 | 28 |
| Lo-Fi Love 1
(LFL1) |
|
- | 22 | - | - |
| Lo-Fi Love 2
(LFL2) |
|
- | - | - | - |
Collaborative albums[edit]
| Title | Album details | Positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US
Christ |
US
Rap |
US
R&B /HH | ||
| Andy Mineo and Wordsplayed present: Magic & Bird |
|
49 | 1 | 23 | 28 |
References[edit]
- ^ "Wordsplayed | Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "John Itiola". IMDb. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "John Itiola - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 2020-07-04.
- ^ "GAWVI - Climate Change ft. Aklesso & Wordsplayed". Rapzilla. 2020-03-27. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "Gawvi - Look At You Ft. wordsplayed". Jam the Hype. 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "The Misadventures of Fern & Marty by Social Club Misfits | CD Reviews And Information | NewReleaseToday". www.newreleasetoday.com. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "REVIEW :: Marty – Marty For President – Rap Remnant". Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "C-Lite "Jesus Over Hip Hop" ft. John Itiola". Jam the Hype. 2009-12-11. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "Album Review : Beleaf - Red Pills + Black Sugar". Indie Vision Music. 2014-07-07. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "Andy Mineo reveals new Miner League artist on SMCT finale". Rapzilla. 2015-09-19. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "Video: wordsplayed - Martinelli's ft. Andy Mineo". Rapzilla. 2014-12-31. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "wordsplayed Says 'Clowntown' is 'a Beautiful Mess'". Rapzilla. 2016-03-25. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "Music Video: wordsplayed - Clowntown". Rapzilla. 2017-06-20. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "Andy Mineo Announces Friends & Family Tour with Social Club Misfits and Wordsplayed". Rapzilla. 2017-06-19. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ HOOVER, CARL. "Rapper Andy Mineo brings back '90s in new 'Magic and Bird' project". WacoTrib.com. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "'Andy Mineo and Wordsplayed Present Magic & Bird' Mixtape Cover, Tracklist & Release Date Revealed". Rapzilla. 2017-07-03. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "Andy Mineo & Wordsplayed Interview on New Mixtape". Billboard. 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "Wordsplayed". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "wordsplayed to Release New EP LFL1 at Midnight". Rapzilla. 2018-05-31. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "Wordsplayed announces new album with release date". Rapzilla. 2018-10-02. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "NBC's 'Off The Dribble' features Wordsplayed on 'NBA Hot Takes' Segment". Rapzilla. 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "The Circle of Trust Podcast". radiopublic.com. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
- ^ "The Circle of Trust Podcast on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2020-07-02.