Van Hunt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Van Hunt
|
|
|---|---|
Van Hunt at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena 2012
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | March 8, 1970 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Genres | Neo soul, funk, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician, producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, saxophone |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Labels | Capitol (2001–2006) Blue Note (2007) Godless Hotspot/Thirty Tigers (2011–present) |
| Associated acts | Curtis Scott Whitehead, Jermaine Rand |
Van Hunt Jr. (born on March 8, 1970) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He also produces music for other artists. Van Hunt released his first album, Van Hunt, in 2004. His second album, On the Jungle Floor, came out in 2006. Both were released by Capitol Records. In 2007, he won a Grammy Award for his part in a tribute song called "Family Affair". He later moved to Blue Note Records. His 2008 album, Popular, was not released until 2017. In 2009, he released a collection of songs called Use in Case of Emergency on his own.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Van Hunt was born in Dayton, Ohio. He grew up with his mother. His father, Van Hunt Sr., was friends with Jimmy "Diamond" Williams, a drummer for the band Ohio Players. Van Hunt started playing drums when he was 7 years old. He learned saxophone at age 8. Later, he also learned to play bass, keyboards, and guitar. He played guitar in a rock band called Royalty.
In 1996, Van Hunt moved to Atlanta, Georgia. He studied English at Morehouse College but soon left to focus on music. In Atlanta, he started making music demos for hip-hop artists to earn money. Through this work, he met rising music producers and artists like Dallas Austin and the group TLC.
Music Career Highlights
Starting Out in Music
Van Hunt wrote and helped produce the song "Hopeless" for singer Dionne Farris. He also joined her band, playing guitar and keyboards. "Hopeless" was featured in the movie Love Jones in 1997. Van Hunt also wrote songs with Rahsaan Patterson for his 1999 album Love in Stereo. He worked with Cree Summer on her album Street Faërie in 1999. He also teamed up with Joi for her song "Missing You" in 2002.
Through Dionne Farris, Van Hunt met Randy Jackson. Randy Jackson later became a famous judge on the TV show American Idol. Jackson became Van Hunt's manager in 2002.
Signing with Capitol Records
Van Hunt recorded many songs for his first album in 2000. Producer Dallas Austin showed Van Hunt's music to Capitol Records. This led Van Hunt to sign with the label in 2001. His first album, Van Hunt, was released in February 2004. This album included songs like "Down Here in Hell (With You)" and "Dust." It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance.
His second album, On the Jungle Floor, came out in 2006. This album featured the song "Character." It also included a new version of "Mean Sleep" as a duet with Nikka Costa. Van Hunt has toured and performed with many famous artists. These include Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, The Roots, and Kanye West.
In 2007, Van Hunt won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. He won it with John Legend and Joss Stone. They won for their cover of the Sly & the Family Stone song "Family Affair." This song was on a tribute album called Different Strokes by Different Folks. Van Hunt said winning the award was "one of the bigger pleasures I've had."
Time with Blue Note Records
Van Hunt released a four-song digital collection called The Popular Machine in August 2007. He announced that his full album, Popular, would be released by Blue Note Records in January 2008. Van Hunt moved from Atlanta to Los Angeles in 2007 as the album was almost finished. Blue Note Records took over his music contract.
However, in December 2007, Blue Note announced they would not release the album. Van Hunt and the label decided to go their separate ways. Van Hunt wrote online that he could not promise Popular would ever be officially released. Blue Note owned the original recordings and did not sell them back to him at a fair price. He felt "devastated" when the label decided not to release it. In August 2017, Popular was finally released online, ten years after it was first made.
Working Independently
By June 2008, Van Hunt was recording a fourth album. He planned to release and promote it himself using the internet. In May 2009, he released Use in Case of Emergency. This was a collection of demo songs and remixes recorded between 1997 and 2005. He sold it through his website. In 2009, Van Hunt also performed on the theme song for the movie Hurricane Season. He has also been working on a book of short stories.
New Music and Albums
On June 14, 2011, Van Hunt announced a new song called "June." It was his first new song in three years. "June" was released on June 15. He also announced his new album title, What Were You Hoping For?, and its release date. This album was a joint project between his own label, Godless Hotspot, and Thirty Tigers. "June" was the first of several free songs released before the album came out.
In March 2015, Van Hunt announced his next album, The Fun Rises, the Fun Sets. It was released on May 5, 2015. He released new songs like "Vega (Stripes On)" and "Old Hat" before the album. Both songs also had official music videos. The album reached number 31 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Musical Influences
Van Hunt has been influenced by many different artists. Some of them include:
- David Bowie
- Serge Gainsbourg
- The Isley Brothers
- Curtis Mayfield
- Thelonious Monk
- The Ohio Players
- Iggy Pop
- Prince
- Richard Pryor
- Sly Stone
- Neil Young
Personal Life
Van Hunt has a son named Drake. Since April 2020, he has been in a relationship with actress Halle Berry.
Discography
Albums
- Van Hunt (2004), Capitol
- On the Jungle Floor (2006), Capitol
- What Were You Hoping For? (2011), Godless Hotspot/Thirty Tigers
- The Fun Rises, the Fun Sets (2015), Godless Hotspot/Thirty Tigers
- Popular (2017), Blue Note
Compilations
- Use in Case of Emergency (2009), self-released – a collection of unreleased songs
EPs
- Acoustic E.P. (2004), Capitol – digital EP
- Napster Sessions (2004), Capitol – digital EP
- Connect Set (2006), Capitol – digital EP
- The Popular Machine (2007), Blue Note – digital EP
- The Lamplighter Series (2009), Blue Note – digital EP
Singles
- "Down Here in Hell (With You)" (2004), Capitol
- "Dust" (2004), Capitol
- "Seconds of Pleasure" (2004), Capitol
- "Character" (2006), Capitol
- "Being A Girl" (2006), Capitol
- "Eyes Like Pearls" (2011), Godless Hotspot/Thirty Tigers
- "Vega (Stripes On)" (2015), Godless Hotspot/Thirty Tigers
- "Old Hat" (2015), Godless Hotspot/Thirty Tigers
- "Headroom" (2015), Godless Hotspot/Thirty Tigers
- "hopeless (penny witta hole in it)" (2020) 1061229 Records DK
- "Set Your Witches on Fire" (2021) 1061229 Records DK
- "Peachfuzz" (2021) Modern Works Music Publishing
- "Our Love Lingers" (2024), OnTheHuntmusicgroup
Awards and Nominations
- 2005 Grammy Award nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for "Dust."
- 2006 Grammy Award win for Best R&B Performance by a Duo Or Group With Vocals for "Family Affair"
