The Grand Rapids hip-hop, soul and funk artist is poised to rev up The Stray tonight with his band, The Great Let Gos. The Local Spins Artist Spotlight feature on this emerging star.
Rapping Since Middle School: Adrian Wright with The Great Let Gos at February’s Jammie Awards. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
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In middle school, Adrian Wright would often skip sixth-hour class with his friends so they could go back to his house and record raps over beats downloaded from Limewire.
In those early days, with instrumental tracks blasting out of stock desktop speakers, Wright began his journey into hip hop by making spoofs of his favorite songs.
One of the first was a spinoff of DMX’s 1998 song, “Ruff Ryder’s Anthem.” Wright and his friends continued making comedic raps, which he describes as “wreckless” and “horrible.” Growing up in Flint, Wright was drawn to the escape and release that writing rhymes provided.
‘Like a Dream Come True’: Wright on stage. (Courtesy Photo)
“It was a unique brotherhood, especially for the space we grew up in. I’m from Flint. It’s a pretty poor city and people get caught up in a lot of things. Growing up, there was a lot going on around us. You just really didn’t know what to expect,” Wright says about his formative years.
“Sometimes you might not have as many welcome spaces where you’re comfortable just expressing yourself and different emotions. But we started doing this rapping thing all the time and we ended up finding people who just accepted us for who we were. We were able to be vulnerable and create a safe haven for each other.”
Wright attended Ferris State University and between studies further honed his voice and performance chops at local karaoke nights. In 2017, he moved to Grand Rapids and began performing and collaborating with other artists in the area.
He’s a member of the band Avocadsquad and a Rage Against the Machine tribute band, The United Everywhere. In 2022, Wright released the solo album, “Future Love,” which was self-produced, followed by the album, “The Great Let Go,” in 2024.
LISTEN: Adrian Wright, “Reluctant Messiah” (from ‘The Great Let Go’)
PERFORMING WITH THE GREAT LET GOS ON SATURDAY NIGHT
Adrian Wright & The Great Let Gos perform at The Stray in Grand Rapids tonight (Saturday, Oct. 11) along with Chris Bota. The show begins at 7 p.m. and tickets are $13, available online here, along with details about the show.
Rapping has evolved for Wright, from comedic spin-offs to fully original work that explores his upbringing and observations on the world around him.
A couple days before the show at The Stray, Wright is rehearsing at his home with his band. A groove can be heard when approaching the house, bleeding through the walls and into the neighborhood.
Connecting With Fans ‘In a Real Way’: Wright (Courtesy Photo)
On the inside, the band is seated in a circle, printed set lists scattered along the floor. Wright is on the edge of his chair as he raps, microphone in one hand while the other cuts through the air in unison with the flow of his words.
Drummer Zach Dubay holds down complex beats on a simple kit while bassist Devin Anderson is an anchor of low end frequency that growls. Kurt Johnson II’s guitar parts are smooth and expressive. Abigail Bruins and Tessa Patton lace each song with their ethereal voices. Saturday’s show will also include Olivia Vargas on backing vocals and Elijah Russ on keyboards.
“I love playing with the band. I think I like the ability to just be really in the moment with performing and being able to extend songs or sit in a moment for a little bit longer. I love the collaborative aspect of it and getting people’s ideas and input and just transforming the songs into something else,” Wright says.
“It’s like a dream come true. Performing at this capacity is like me kind of living out like a childhood dream. I think I just want people to feel something. I listen to music because it helps me get through a lot of stuff. So I’m hoping it connects with someone in a real way that kind of helps them navigate through life. That’s what’s most important for me.”
VIDEO: Adrian Wright & The Great Let Gos at the WYCE Jammie Awards
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