Ian Johnson (11) recently signed a contract with Force One Seven studios in Chicago, Illinois. Having performed his first show as the opening act for Timeflies at Miami University on April 27, Johnson continued his unofficial tour as the main event on May 5 at the Geisha House, a large club in Los Angeles, California.

Johnson, known in the music world as “IanJ,” gained popularity through music sharing websites such as Good Music All Day and Fresh2Death Daily. In the style of “hip-pop”, or electronic hip-hop, Johnson’s first mixtape, “Lettermans & Wayfarers,” sampled popular songs as well as original rap lyrics.

Although Johnson’s music spread rapidly, he attributed his success to his managers, Matthew Walters and Kristopher Linney.

“[Performing] has been really cool,” said Johnson, “my managers are awesome, and I’m gaining a fan base all around the nation and out of the country— it’s so crazy to see that happening.”

Information on Johnson, including downloadable music links, can be found on his Facebook page.

By: Christa Iwu, Reporter