ArtistCaribbeanConcertEntrepreneursEventsIndie ArtistMaleArtistMusicPhotoshootUncategorizedNew Indie Artist- VAL

“You know in your heart who you are and what you want to do. Stay on the path you have chosen for the path you have chosen will lead you to much success”

Val Johnson is an R&B/ Hip-Hop artist from Brooklyn, New York. Growing up, Val listened to a wide range of old-school artist including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Teddy Pendergrass, Barry White, Tina Turner and Sade. As he grew older, new artists like Usher, Chris Brown, Mario, Ne-Yo, and Drake inspired him. Even more, Val was inspired by R&B/ Hip-Hop Moguls like Berry Gordy (Motown Records), Sean “Diddy” Combs (Bad Boy Records), Dame Dash & Jay- Z (Rocafella Records/Roc Nation) and Rick Rubin/Russell Simmons (Def Jam Records.) Val began singing and rapping at the age of 12. “I started writing lyrics in my notebook, recording songs off the radio; one day my Godfather brought me a karaoke machine and the rest was history.” Although Val knew he was talented he had to get over a tough hurdle.

Freshman year in high school, at age 14, Val got into a fight with his twin brother and a security guard where he needed to get stitches on the right side of his lip. Up until that point, Val always thought he was handsome but after this incident, he had grown insecure of himself. ” Girls would talk to me and I would give them one-word answers because I was insecure about myself.” That was until he had a talk with his late mother, who told him that being handsome isn’t just about how good you look, but how you feel on the inside.

Since then Val started a record label called Handsome Boy Records inspired by his late mother and moguls that came before him. The label’s goal is to provide entertainment through music, videos and entertain the masses. He also has released an EP called Already Mainstream Vol.1 and dropped a music video to his long-awaited single called “I’m Handsome.” The single has been featured on Chris Brown’s Mechanical Dummy Website and YouHeardThatNew.com. The music video also has reached over 10,000 views on YouTube. Labruja the host, poet and actress from the Nuyorican Poets Cafe said that “I’m Handsome is a hit!” And an A&R at Sony Records named Anthony Jones (Ant Jones) said that “The song Be My Girl is a hit!” Val has been performing at open mics all over the city. “I love music because it gives me a way to express myself, allowed me to share my personal experiences with everyone and be creative. His EP Already Mainstream Vol.1 is on iTunes, Tidal, and Spotify now. Make sure you give it a listen!