Pigeon John

Pigeon John is one interesting bird. Born into a bi-racial household, the future underground rapper (born John Kenneth Duncan) spent parts of his childhood in both the whitest (Omaha, Nebraska) and blackest (Inglewood, California) cities in America. As a Southern California teen skate-rat, he teethed musically on a balanced diet of De La Soul, Beastie Boys, Phil Collins, and Madonna, ultimately partnering with childhood friend B-Twice to form the seminal Christian hip-hop duo Brainwash Projects. Later, National Public Radio did a profile on him. (When the Diane Rehms and Robert Siegels of the world come calling, you know you’ve stumbled on some serious hip-hop crossover appeal.) Now, after a series of side projects and partnerships (Rootbeer, L.A. Symphony), the eclectic rapper is back in a solo way, kicking off a month-long tour of the Western United States with a show in Tempe alongside protégé B Foundation. If the urge strikes you, ask him how he came up with the name Pigeon John. He gives a different answer every time.