Braille Brizzy, a Christian rapper based in Portland, OR, drew inspiration from the uplifting approach of A Tribe Called Quest during the peak of gangsta rap. He began creating tracks while still a teenager and completed Lifefirst: Half the Battle before turning 17. Limited interest in that project brought setbacks, and after finding little fulfillment in work cleaning out repossessed homes, he opted to pursue music full-time by traveling across the country in a van with his wife and relying on merchandise sales from live shows. Sufficient earnings accumulated by 2004 allowed him to record a follow-up album, Shades of Grey, which featured production input from 9th Wonder and Rob Swift. URB Magazine spotlighted him as an emerging artist to watch, while James Brown offered him opening slots on the Godfather of Soul’s 2005 and 2006 tours. Box of Rhymes, with its spiritual focus, came next and paired with shows alongside his longtime influences De La Soul. In 2008 he issued his fourth album, The IV Edition, which included appearances by members of Lifesavas and Cunninlynguists.
