SAINt JHN

SAINt JHN is a philosopher stuck in a rapper’s body. The Guyanese-American singer born Carlos St. John uses music to pursue a deeper understanding of himself and the world that surrounds him. “I’m always looking past the surface, I’m always looking for a real experience. The only thing I’m looking to do is fall in love,” he explained to Apple Music. As his songs demonstrate, that love can come through food, music, relationships, or some other connection. The search for that fleeting feeling is the guiding philosophy that sparks SAINt JHN’s artistry. Ghetto Lenny’s Love Songs, released in 2019, is playful and mysterious, a post-trap, melody-heavy collection of ideas that finds him experimenting with an array of emotions, styles, and flows. The album reveals just enough about his desires and interests to leave listeners wanting more. His 2016 hit, “Roses,” took on a second life in 2020 after Imanbek gave the downtempo jam a dance-floor-focused remix; the song eventually peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard charts, earning SAINt JHN a gold record. The accolades are nice, but the rapper is looking for something more…and something less. “No matter what you do, if you tell a simple truth,” he said to Apple Music, “it can’t be bad, because it’s true.” Simple or not, SAINt JHN’s truths have become resonant declarations worldwide.