Bryce Vine Is the Ringmaster of His Own 'Carnival' of Melodic Hip Hop Bangers

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Whether you're a fan of infectious pop or hip hop, Bryce Vine treats you to the best of both worlds. Growing up between New York and Los Angeles, Vine (born Bryce Ross-Johnson) adopted his admiration of rap from his father while his mother introduced him to the 90s pop that continues to shape his bubbly soundscape today.

As a young child, Vine was diagnosed with ADD and depression, and he struggled with other kids in school. In an interview with us in 2018, Vine explained, "[Music] was a way to deal with things without needing anybody's help. So when I realized I could make my own songs I was like, 'Deal.' It's self-therapy." He eventually began performing under the stage name Bryce Vine, which is inspired by his fascination with vinyl records.

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Once Vine accepted his promising future as a musician, he worked endlessly to fund his creative projects. Not only did he work as a barback at some of Los Angeles' beloved late night spots, but Vine was also a Lyft driver, which gave him the opportunity to incorporate strangers' stories into his lyricism. Although Lazy Fair (EP 2014) had already checked every box for us, it's quite clear that Vine has taken it upon himself to keep honing his musical craft with his new debut full-length record, the dreamy greatness that is Carnival.

Paying homage to Tupac and Outkast, Vine makes countless references to pop culture in his clever lyricism. With just "La La Land" alone, serious punches are thrown at Coachella and the 1OAK nightclub on Sunset Boulevard as Vine ridicules the pretentious Hollywood lifestyle. Since Vine is a devoted television fanatic, it only makes sense that "San Junipero" was inspired by an episode of Black Mirror.

While "Classic and Perfect" praises Vine's ideal love interest, the relaxed "Love is a Blessing" sees Vine appreciating genuine human connections. Drenched with edgy electronics, "Deep in Shallow Water" shows a darker side to Vine's brilliant mind as he is conflicted with inescapable thoughts. His breakout single, "Drew Barrymore" is a stand out track that focuses on someone's lovable personality instead of their physical attractiveness.

On Carnival, Bryce Vine shared with LA Weekly,

"It's a lot of songs with different moods. It's life songs. Things I think a lot of people go or have been through. It's supposed to make people accentuate the good feelings and decrease the bad ones."

Join Bryce Vine's Carnival of melodic hip hop bangers by streaming his debut album below:

Catch Bryce Vine at his 'Carnival Release Shows' now!

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