John Reuben Zappin, was born in Columbus, Ohio. He is of Jewish heritage and according to his MySpace, his mother is the owner of a Christian Death Metal record label. Raised in Pataskala, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, Reuben got his start in rapping in 1994 by taking the bus into the city to rap on open mic nights and participate in rap battles at the age of fifteen. Reuben later released Monuments, an independent EP, which caught the attention of Gotee Records. They took a chance, signing him to the label and releasing his first project, Are We There Yet?, in 2000. TobyMac, the founder of Gotee Records, provided vocals for the album's final track, "God is Love". Reuben's next release, Hindsight (2002), continues his use of a wide variety of musical genres and thoughtful, often funny lyrics. The album was praised as a "truly eclectic and creative hip-hop album that blends old-school sounds with progressive production." Once thought to be a Christian version of Eminem. Reuben's first two releases established him as an original, witty, sarcastic musician, as well as Gotee's top-selling solo rap artist.
Professional Rapper (2003) marked Reuben's debut as a self-producing artist. The album is noticeably different from his previous efforts, using more instruments and less DJ sampling for the tracks. Along with these differences, the album is noticeably darker in both lyrics and feel. It includes several somber tracks which allow a glimpse into Reuben's struggles and self-doubt. Adrienne Camp of The Benjamin Gate contributes vocals to two tracks on the album.
The following year Reuben released So In Hindsight the Professional Rapper Isn't There Yet (2004), an album of remixed versions of songs from his first three albums.
The Boy vs. The Cynic (2005) continued Reuben's trek from the non-serious songs which characterized his earlier work to music that's far more somber and meditative. Reportedly, when the time came for him to submit his work for the album, Reuben turned in enough tracks for two albums, one light hearted, the other more serious. Rather than releasing a two disc release, the label decided to splice them together into The Boy vs. The Cynic. Relient K's Matt Thiessen contributes to the album's second track, "Nuisance". Tim Skipper of the band House of Heroes appears on the track "So Glad". Most of Reuben's songs use "traditional" musical instruments, typically the guitar, though he experiments with many different instruments and musical styles.
Reuben is currently working on a reality show detailing his "rise" to stardom while poking fun at many of the conventions of reality television. The pilot of the show can be viewed on YouTube.
John released his fifth album, Word of Mouth, on February 6, 2007. Allmusic.com called Word of Mouth an "unqualified triumph" and said that "You won't find a truer, more honest, or more celebratory album this year."
Gotee Records released John Reuben's sixth studio album, "Sex, Drugs and Self-Control" on December 22nd, 2009. The first single, "Town Folk" was released on July 14th, 2009. The next Single, "Jamboree," was released August 18th, 2009. Followed by "Confident," which was released September 15th, 2009, "No be nah" was released October 14th, 2009.
According to an interview with TVU in January, John Reuben said that there are definitely more music videos planned to release in the coming months from his most recent CD.
(Via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Reuben)
Focus
John Reuben Lyrics
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Anything could happen
Ideas as big as your fantasies could imagine
Children practicing that's part of getting older
Impatiently waiting for time to move forward
Optimistic youngins running on adrenaline
At the center of the universe begging for your attention
No heroes were made that day
How unfortunate
Came and went like adolescence
Took our wind and left us restless
Now we want the wind that kept us alive and feeling refreshed
They said it was of the essence
To us time wasn't precious
There it goes now try and catch it
Watch it go
Focus
Focus
Don't miss a thing
Wide-eyed open
Don't miss a thing
Can you afford your ambitions
When we arrive we'll start living
Wow, how awful the first time it felt impossible
And the world around me was no longer wonderful
I can't give back your influence
Perspective is hard to undo
Thank you for the experience...
Here's some anxiety to keep you company
As you waste your energy trying to build your legacy
Tell me what more can a man do than eat, drink, and enjoy his toil
I want to be casual but taking it easy is too stressful
Anticipation now a days looks a lot more like anxious
Time killed away our imaginations
We used to escape into fantasies and fairytales
Now we medicate
How do you feel?
John Reuben's song "Focus" is a reflection on the loss of innocence that comes with growing up. In the beginning, the lyrics describe a time where everything seemed possible and there was a childlike hopefulness. However, as time went on, the world became darker and the future seemed more uncertain. The song touches on the idea that the pursuit of success can bring anxiety and stress, and that sometimes we lose sight of what is truly important.
The chorus, "Focus, focus, don't miss a thing, wide-eyed open, don't miss a thing," can be interpreted as a call to be present in the moment and to stay focused on what is important. The second verse, in particular, highlights the struggles of adulthood, with lines like "Here's some anxiety to keep you company, as you waste your energy trying to build your legacy" and "Anticipation nowadays looks a lot more like anxious." The song ultimately expresses appreciation for the experiences that have shaped us, even if they have been difficult.
Overall, "Focus" is a poignant and relatable song about the challenges of growing up and finding our way in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
It was different back then
The past is different from the present.
Anything could happen
Back then, there were endless possibilities.
Ideas as big as your fantasies could imagine
People had wild and ambitious ideas in the past.
Children practicing that's part of getting older
As children, people learn through practice and experience.
Impatiently waiting for time to move forward
People in the past were eager for time to move forward.
Optimistic youngins running on adrenaline
Young people in the past were optimistic and full of energy.
At the center of the universe begging for your attention
People wanted to be at the forefront of attention in the past.
Making a difference meant looking important
In the past, people thought that looking important was necessary for making a difference.
No heroes were made that day
Despite their efforts, no one became heroes that day.
How unfortunate
It's a pity that they failed to become heroes.
Came and went like adolescence
Just as adolescence is fleeting, so was their time in the past.
Took our wind and left us restless
Time took away their energy and left them feeling restless.
Now we want the wind that kept us alive and feeling refreshed
Now they miss the energy that they had in the past.
They said it was of the essence
Back then, people said that time was very important.
To us time wasn't precious
However, they didn't think that time was important.
There it goes now try and catch it
Now that time has passed, they wish they could relive it.
Watch it go
But unfortunately, time never stops.
Focus
The artist encourages listeners to focus on the present moment.
Focus
Again, the artist urges listeners to focus.
Don't miss a thing
He tells listeners not to miss any opportunities for growth.
Wide-eyed open
Keep an open mind to all possibilities.
Don't miss a thing
Again, he urges listeners not to miss any opportunities.
Can you afford your ambitions
Are your ambitions realistic and attainable?
When we arrive we'll start living
The artist encourages listeners to stop waiting and start living their lives.
Wow, how awful the first time it felt impossible
The artist reflects on how difficult things felt at the beginning of his journey.
And the world around me was no longer wonderful
He also reflects on how his perspective changed over time, making the world seem less wonderful.
I can't give back your influence
The artist can't give back the positive influence that he had on his listeners.
Perspective is hard to undo
Changing one's perspective is difficult.
Thank you for the experience...
The artist thanks his listeners for the experiences they shared.
Here's some anxiety to keep you company
The artist acknowledges the prevalence of anxiety in the present day.
As you waste your energy trying to build your legacy
People nowadays are more focused on creating a legacy rather than living in the present.
Tell me what more can a man do than eat, drink, and enjoy his toil
The artist questions the value of working hard if it doesn't lead to happiness.
I want to be casual but taking it easy is too stressful
Even attempting to relax can be stressful nowadays.
Anticipation now a days looks a lot more like anxious
Nowadays, anticipation seems to create more anxiety in people.
Time killed away our imaginations
Over time, people have lost their ability to imagine and dream.
We used to escape into fantasies and fairytales
In the past, people used to use their imaginations to escape reality through fantasies and fairytales.
Now we medicate
Nowadays, people rely on medication to deal with their problems instead of using their imagination.
How do you feel?
The artist ends the song by asking listeners to reflect on their own thoughts and feelings.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: JOHN REUBEN ZAPPIN, SOLOMON OLDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind