If you don’t know who Hobo Johnson is, you’re missing out—Frank Lopes Jr., known for his stage name Hobo Johnson, has a repertoire of wacky, sometimes-political, spoken-word, hip-hop inspired music.
When I first heard Hobo Johnson’s music, it was on Twitter. A clip from his Tiny Desk Concert instantly intrigued me. It was rap, but it wasn’t—it was something that felt so raw, perfectly messy, encapsulating my frustration and amusement with the world and the lingering longing of heartbreak. I remember showing the Tiny Desk Concert to my friends. Some were into it, some didn’t like it at all. Hobo Johnson is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but its unapologetic character is what draws me so much to it.
Frank’s most recent two albums, dropped this year, have signified a change in sound and style for Hobo Johnson, a move away from melodramatic scream-singing towards more goofy punk. After recently starting his own record label, Hobo Johnson seems to be moving into a different stage of his artistic career, one focusing his angst into the politics of the music world as well as his music.
UPDATE: Hobo Johnson & The Lovemakers were scheduled to appear at the Blind Pig on Monday, October 18th, but the show was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns.
