Wichita native Donavan LaMond Johnson, better known by his artist title, XV, is not your run-of-the mill Hip-Hop performer.
The 37-year-old rapper said was sure by the time he was 15 that music was going to be his life and he chose his artistic name, XV, to be a reminder that he knew at 15 what direction his life was going.
“I thought I’d get a record deal by the time I turned 18,” he said.
Fame did not come quite that fast.
“I did some talent shows and quite a few opening acts for other performers. Then I did a song about the video game ‘Mirror’s Edge’ and my music started catching on.”
XV says he thinks of himself as a colorful artist, but he likes positive, uplifting music.
“I hated that Hip-Hop came to be seen as all about selling drugs and shooting people. I wanted to do something for the Black teens who aren’t tough kids. I wanted to say ‘you don’t have to be street guys.’ I basically represent the squares.”
He said he never considered being “square” to be a negative. “Hey, everybody knows a square deal is a good deal. And you want the foundation of your house to be square.”
His fans became known as Squarians, and his “clean” style of Hip-Hop gained popularity. In 2010, at 23, he finally released “that” mixtape that drew the attention of the labels and he signed a record deal with Warner Brothers. Along the way he collaborated with some of the best MCs including Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Pusha T, and Big Sean,
The record deal only lasted three years. Still, his fans kept pushing for more music and after releasing several singles and mixtapes he finally decided to take a break in 2017. He went Black on all his social media. During this down period, what kept him up, he says, was his fan base.
In a 2018 interview with reporter Yoh Philips published on DJBooth.net, XV said he spent his time away “pursuing growth, bliss, and solitude.” Without industry or self-imposed pressure, he wrote wraps and produced beats.
After “carefully rekindling his passion and confidence,” Vizzy was back with a lyrically strong, well produced and well received album ‘The Dude With the Strapback Dad Hat.’ https://bit.ly/3AFo96T and Every year since he’s gotten stronger.
Late last year he released a new single “For Anybody” https://bit.ly/3AOjqj3 and a new album “”Blog Era” is due out this year.
“I’ve never been on TV, never toured overseas, but I’ve done over 400 shows. I’ve been all over Kansas, Lawrence, Salina, Kansas City and I’ve played in Chicago and Los Angeles.”
XV continues to make and record music from his studio in Wichita and to travel to perform in shows where invited. He has his website, Squarian Entertainment.com. You can check out a mix of his music on his Youtube channel XtotheV. His music can also be found online via Spotify, Pandora and Apple Music.
He and his wife, Kashea, have one son, Khalil, who is 14. She runs her own business making beaded jewelry which she sells on her website, Sultrybeadworks.com.
His mom, Laquita Lugrand Clark, lives in Wichita.
XV fans will be happy to know they can catch a performance during this year’s Wichita River Festival. He will take the stage at Cajun Fest from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on June 8. Admission is free with a Riverfest button.
XV’s Home on the Range
Although XV has had a 20-year musical career, we were introduced – and fell in love – with him this year when we heard his take on the song “Home on the Range.” He was commissioned to produce the song as part of a Kansas Tourism Project in honor of the song’s 150th anniversary.
One of Vizzy’s (a fan name for the rapper) fans Sam Dillen was executive producer of the Kansas Tourism Project for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the song “Home on the Range.”
“He got in touch with me and offered me a commission to do a Hip-Hop version of the Kansas anthem ‘Home on the Range’ as part of the celebration. I love a challenge, so I thought ‘why not?’ At the time, I didn’t know that song was 150 years old and I could use the actual words. So I just changed it to be about the Kansas where I grew up.”
The XV version of Home on the Range talks about growing up at 21st and Grove and going to Southeast HIgh School. Instead of where the deer and the antelope play, he wrote “where the Cats, the Jayhawks and the Shockers all play” and “we learn to reserve discouraging words.”
The song was a hit with Kansas Day celebrants.
Home on the Range
For Anybody
