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)
In the Air
John Reuben Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
made yourself depressed practicing perfect
stood stagnant as time was passing
the sun shining in the medicine cabinet
detached from my body trying to reengage
with a sharpened mind and a childlike faith
get out of your head and find some interaction
hello, how you doing, thanks for asking.
(chorus)
something’s in the air tonight,
I was on the phone.
Making plans, calling friends, are you all alone?
When the world catches up, it'll be too late.
Hey now, look out, hey now, look out.
set in your ways it’s hard to see how things can change
repeat these steps until it’s a habit
watching from a distance losing interest
see the world different anything can happen
like little children feeling brilliant
watch the evening sky split into a million
conversation pieces? your imagination's speaking.
(chorus)
something’s in the air tonight,
I was on the phone.
Making plans, calling friends, are you all alone?
When the world catches up, it'll be too late.
Hey now, look out, hey now, look out.
putting possibilities into categories
swore to live life with no regrets
we expected and planned for the best
learned how to take it as it comes instead
thrill to thrill joy kill go numb
doesn’t matter now whether we weep or laugh
I’ve been a lot of different people
meet me in the middle we’ll dance until the feeling’s back.
Something's in the air tonight
I feel like participatin',
Something's in the air tonight
Get dressed up for the occasion.
When the world catches up, it'll be too late.
Hey now, look out, hey now, look out.
(chorus 2x)
The lyrics to John Reuben's "In The Air" are a commentary on how overthinking and self-doubt can lead to isolation and detachment from reality, indicating that it's important to have childlike faith and interaction with others. The first verse describes someone who has been overthinking and has become depressed as a result. They have stood still as time goes by and feel detached from their body, but are looking to reengage with the world with a combination of a sharpened mind and a belief in the unexpected.
The chorus is all about something being in the air that is changing things, encouraging people to make plans, call their friends, and participate in life. It warns that they must do this before it's too late and the world has caught up to them. The second verse explores the idea that it can be hard to change one's ways, but that anything is possible, and looking at the world like a child can often produce brilliant results.
Ultimately, the song encourages people to take risks, not get stuck in their ways, and enjoy the thrills of life. The idea that something's in the air tonight gives a sense of urgency, indicating that people must act now before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
Overthinking overthinking too much time idle mind
Spending too much time overthinking and not occupying the mind has led to depression
made yourself depressed practicing perfect
Striving for perfection has caused self-induced depression
stood stagnant as time was passing
Lacked progress as time continued to pass
the sun shining in the medicine cabinet
Feeling disconnected and lost
detached from my body trying to reengage
Trying to realign the mind and body to be present and connected to surroundings
with a sharpened mind and a childlike faith
Seeking a balanced mindset with a positive outlook
get out of your head and find some interaction
Stop overthinking and engage in social interaction
hello, how you doing, thanks for asking.
Appreciating simple interactions with others
something's in the air tonight,
Feeling a sense of change in the atmosphere
I was on the phone.
Engaging with others and reaching out for support
Making plans, calling friends, are you all alone?
Planning potentially transformative experiences with friends
When the world catches up, it'll be too late.
Take advantage of the opportunity for change before it's too late
Hey now, look out, hey now, look out.
Seize the opportunity to change and succeed
set in your ways it's hard to see how things can change
Being stuck in a routine makes it difficult to identify opportunities for growth
repeat these steps until it's a habit
Persist to form new habits to enable change
watching from a distance losing interest
Lacking motivation while observing from afar
see the world different anything can happen
Changing perspective and recognizing new possibilities for growth and transformation
like little children feeling brilliant
Embracing childlike curiosity and wonder leads to brilliant discoveries
watch the evening sky split into a million conversation pieces? your imagination's speaking.
Recognizing the beauty of the universe and opening oneself up to creativity and imagination
putting possibilities into categories
Organizing and prioritizing possibilities to enable positive change
swore to live life with no regrets
Determined to live without hesitation or regret
we expected and planned for the best
Prepared for success and growth
learned how to take it as it comes instead
Adopting a more flexible and adaptable mindset
thrill to thrill joy kill go numb
Experiencing emotions ranging from excitement to apathy
doesn't matter now whether we weep or laugh
Not discouraged in the face of adversity
I've been a lot of different people
Embracing personal growth and transformation
meet me in the middle we'll dance until the feeling's back.
Working collaboratively to find motivation and spark a positive change
something's in the air tonight
Feeling a sense of transformation and change
I feel like participatin',
Enthusiastic and motivated to engage in positive change
Get dressed up for the occasion.
Prepared and determined to embrace the opportunity for change
Hey now, look out, hey now, look out.
Remain vigilant and prepared to seize opportunities for growth and success
Contributed by Leah P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.