A quirky lyricist who wears his heart on his sleeve, Sacramento artist Hobo Johnson has found both viral fame and chart success with his unique brand of emo-rap.
∙ He began performing as a teenager, but he didn’t adopt the name Hobo Johnson until he was 19 years old and living out of his car after being kicked out of his parents’ house.
∙ In 2018, Johnson and his backing band, The Lovemakers, uploaded a video of the song “Peach Scone” for NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest, and the clip quickly exploded online.
∙ Fueled by the viral success of “Peach Scone,” his 2017 sophomore LP, The Rise of Hobo Johnson, reached No. 11 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.
∙ The Fall of Hobo Johnson, featuring a guest turn from pop singer-songwriter Elohim, broke into the Billboard 200 in 2019.