Even if you’re not where you want to be, you’ve always got to take pride in where you’ve come from. As a creative, I’d love to have tens of thousands of followers and listeners. That is, at least for the financial aspect; I don’t like people that much to be that approachable to that many people. Hell, I sometimes dislike being where I’m at just because I’ve got a few thousand people who follow/listen to/read reviews written by me. However, I’m also not where I was when I first restarted the whole “Speed as a Rapper/Producer/Writer” train in early 2012. I’m mentally sound, financially stronger and I’ve been able to impact more lives than I did prior to accepting my fate as the “No-Fi King.” Though I don’t like people that much, I am still thankful to God for allowing me to reach some semblance of my potential.

Londoner Christopha has long been on my radar. While he’s not an artist who I’ll post every single time he drops, I do listen to everything he puts out. His December track “Back of the Bus” finds him reflecting on his journey in a way that made me reflect on mine as seen above. Over a smoother instrumental and heartfelt lyrics, Christopha makes it known that he’s deserving of the praise and admiration he’s received so far–especially because of where he came from. Like others in the game, Christopha started out with humble enough music beginnings. He started his path with zero monthly listeners on Spotify and has since amassed a solid following. I first came in contact with him a year or so ago. He’s a great talent, even though some of his songs come off a bit too short. On “Bus,” we see the things Christopha’s gone through (positively and negatively) to make the mark he’s made so far. We also get great lyricism and that feeling that he’s not falling back or falling off anytime soon. That, my friends, is the sign of a true artist: they take lickings, keep on ticking and keep on reaching for the top.

I’m excited to see where Christopha goes in 2024. If his biweekly songs of 2023 are any indicator, the brother’s still got a lot more to say. Check out “Back of the Bus” below and support dope music in all its forms.