03 Apr A Little Bit of Logic

On Thursday, May 4, SunFest will welcome Grammy-nominated Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, better known as Logic, to the Ford Stage.

At just 28-years-young, Maryland-born Logic has been building a passionate fan base since 2010, when he dropped his mixtape Young, Broke & Infamous. He is consistently recognized for his deeply personal lyrics, creativity, and stance on social issues.

Like many newer fans, my introduction to Logic was through his mesmerizing single, “1-800-273-8255.” The single’s title leads to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number. Logic recently left music lovers teary and speechless after performing the single at the 2017 MTV VMAs. According to Buzzfeed, when the single first dropped, on April 28, 2017, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline received the second highest call volume in its history. (The first, sadly, was the day Robin Williams died.) When Logic performed at the VMAs, the organization saw a 50 percent increase in callers.

In a Newsweek interview, shortly after his gorgeous VMA performance, Logic said, “It really makes me feel so happy to know that I’m using my platform to make an impact. … [I] get excited to know that there are people out there who are being helped or at least being given the opportunity to be helped and to help themselves because of a song that I made that was initially inspired by those people to begin with.”

“1-800-273-8255” is Logic’s highest charting single to date, reaching #3 on Billboard Hot 100, Top 10 at Pop Radio, #1 on Spotify, and #5 on Spotify Global. It has gone double platinum by the RIAA.

While “1-800-273-8255” might be your first brush with Logic, it is important that you explore the depths of his discography. He has multiple mixtapes (Young Sinatra; Young Sinatra: Undeniable; Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever, Bobby Tarantino and Bobby II), and three studio albums. His most recent studio album, Everybody, debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, and also contains hits “Everybody” and “Black Spiderman.” His track “AfricAryaN” features astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, which delights me.

Put succinctly, I am wildly intrigued by the youthful depth possessed by Logic. While some mixtapes and songs are great to ramp up your Saturday night, he is far more likely to leave fans thinking about the daily challenges we may face. I have lost myself in a YouTube wormhole, watching his powerful stage performances and candid, heartfelt interviews.

I am excited and honored to cover this handsome artist this May. He has already made such a colossal impact on fans and listeners, and likely will continue to find new ways to comfort our anxious minds in the future.