Story
The road to Shonlock’s solo artistry and national debut long player NEVERODDOREVEN (Arrow/Universal) was paved with a wide array of unconventional behind the scenes experiences supplementing the music industry’s heaviest hitters. Plucked out of his Chicagoland high school by R. Kelly’s management team based on his ultra slick dance steps, the eventual MC/singer/songwriter/producer joined R&B powerhouse Aaliyah and hip-hop pioneers Arrested Development on tour as a chorographer and dancer. From there, his name spread throughout the industry like lightening, inspiring a call from fellow Grammy-nominated revolutionaries Grits, which didn’t just open a slew of additional career doors, but also led to an entirely new perspective on life in general.
Alongside that spiritual renewal came a chance to work with like-minded stars such as Nicole C. Mullen and The Katinas, eventually catching the eyes and ears of multi-platinum DC Talk singer turned solo star TobyMac. Besides offering his chorography to Mac’s Diverse City Band, Shonlock also became a guest vocalist/performer who still holds that position through today.
During his time on tour with the aforementioned legend, Shonlock demonstrated those skills on endless occasions, most tangibly, on a self-released CD that moved over 15,000 copies across the country straight out of his suitcase. Add in songwriting credits on multiple Mac projects, plus cuts by Mandisa, Verbs and Kierra “Kiki” Sheard (to name a few) and the foundation was certainly set for this pop/rock/hip-hop hybrid to catch the attention of Arrow/Universal. The resulting partnership first spawned the Where Never Begins EP in late 2010, followed by the full-length NEVERODDOREVEN.
“There’s a play on the title visually where it spells the same phrase forward or backwards,” verifies Shonlock. “The message is all about my relationship with God, and when you’re walking with Him, I never find it odd when amazing things happen. But on the flipside with the ultimate sacrifice of His son, I could never get even, which makes me forever indebted to Him.”
“Cheers” takes an even more personal twist on Shonlock’s rock-infused soul, chronicling an upbringing in the shadow of a parent who struggled with alcohol abuse, followed by his own dabblings that was eventually curbed and resulted in a full household restoration. “Scarred” traces a relationship between a guy and a girl that went south after consequences from poor decisions were exposed, “Hello” is a redemptive call to action to turn a fractured life around, while “Monsta” serves a metaphor for believers to unite and combat worldly pressures.
Clearly, the pursuit of excellence, coupled with a desire to bridge all audiences while breaking down radio formats and spiritual stereotypes, is the fuel behind Shonlock’s trailblazing fire. And with his ambitious amalgamation of genres over street savvy reflections, he’s sure to captivate current fans while commanding the attention of newcomers.