By CLTure News
December 17, 2020
Belmont, North Carolina’s own Jon Graham aka Matrix P has won a nationwide Swisher Sweets song contest and a $10,000 grant presented by Charlotte’s own DaBaby. The Swisher Sweets Artist Project, an ongoing initiative supporting independent musicians, awarded Graham for his song “Shell” released earlier this year.
Graham, who got his rap career started at Charlotte’s underground hip-hop open-mic event, MFGD, released Southern Fryed in 2018 featuring fellow Carolina hip-hop stalwarts Elevator Jay and Buddy Cuz. His melodic style of gospel-tinged Southern rap-singing is fully showcased in the turn-up track “Shell,” and it was accompanied by a Simpsons-inspired music video shot and edited by Graham.
The day Graham received his grant check from the Charlotte Grammy-nominated rapper was a special day in more ways than one. His wife was also expecting their first child.
“It feels great to finally see the finished product. That day was a long day, the same day my son was born. He was born two hours after I finished the interview,” said Graham.
He finished the interview around 4 p.m. and his son was born at 6:22 p.m., just enough time to get to Gaston Memorial Hospital from Gat3 recording studio in Charlotte where the interview was filmed.
It’s been a year full of blessings for the North Carolina rapper-singer who has been in the lab working on his new project and set to release his next single “Ain’t No Thing” featuring Buddy Cuz and Jordan Harrington on December 21.
Watch the full Swisher Sweets Artist Project interview with Matrix P and the check presentation from DaBaby.
Read next:
