Solo Career
Style
Javier Piñón brings to the table a new style of rap, blending the smooth, cruisin’, G-Funk style of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg with the psychedelic, driving power of classic Black Sabbath. His recent freshman release, Masquerade, highlights his unique creativity in production and lyricism. Each track pulls from a wide array of influences ranging from Black Sabbath to Black Eyed Peas to Bach. His bars blend the flows of MF DOOM, Kanye West, The Notorious B.I.G. and Lin-Manuel Miranda. It’s this eclectic collection of influences that sets him apart from other rappers in the scene. Javier’s lyrics seek to bring to light new perspectives about immigration and race relations in America, uplift the Latino community, and ignite the desire for progressive change in others.
Narcissus? (2021)
"Narcissus?" is Javier's first standalone single. Pulling from the sounds of the iconic Fight Club soundtrack to mix with his psychedelic rock/hip hop roots, "Narcissus?" depicts the convoluted thoughts and feelings that can plague someone's mind after a messy breakup, even months after the relationship ended. The lyrics reveal a dialogue between two opposing sides of a relationship, while the music mirrors the clash of ideas between the two; neither side willing to admit to weakness in front of the other. It begs the question: is it selfish to put your interests above others' when deciding whether to stay in a relationship?
Featuring Marissa Isabella on the chorus, Narcissus was released on all streaming services on Valentine's Day 2021.
Calibrated Records x Fulfilling Destiny (2020)
Javier participated in a virtual concert held by Calibrated Records on November 22, 2020. The concert was held to promote local artists and raise money for a local nonprofit, Fulfilling Destiny.
Calibrated Records has since rebranded as Calibrated Productions.
Masquerade (2020)
Masquerade was written as a response to the political turmoil that ignited during the summer of 2020. Covering topics from immigration to protests to corruption in politics, Masquerade follows true to its name and seeks to pull back the facades of American exceptionalism to show the true nature of the American political scene.
Javier pulls inspiration from several genres and artists for Masquerade, most notably the psychedelic guitar and bass riffs of Black Sabbath, the layered production of Kanye West and Dr. Dre's The Chronic, and the complex lyricisms of Kendrick Lamar and Biggie Smalls. His fusion of rock and rap is unlike any other, and Masquerade is only the first step in his career.
Masquerade features a slew of guest artists, with almost every track having one or two features during its runtime. This was possible thanks to the Summer Undergraduate Research Program grant of San Diego State University, which accepted Javier's proposal to use the creation of the album to learn the best ways to collaborate virtually with musicians during the COVID-19 lockdown.