Bay Area musician unleashes the ‘Sauce’ with new EP
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – At only age 23, Bay Area hip-hop artist Chris O’Bannon is already creating a legacy through his signature sound and style. Fresh off his graduation from San Francisco State University, the music major is ready to show his skills to the world.
In a word, this Compton-born musician has “Sauce.” And that sauce is about to be displayed to the world with his most recent EP, “Sauce Meets World.” It’s a project that envisions a spectrum of emotions – from elation to anguish – that wax and wane through the days of his life. He considers himself an underdog, and has always been a champion of other underdogs. His music is, in fact, an anthem for all the underdogs of the world. And this album is fearless – with wide-stretching vocals and exceptional instrumentation – in ways that reveals Chris’ unique perspective and rare insight from the mind of a genius.
“It’s a play on the show ‘Boy Meets World,’” he said of the EP. “Sauce is me, and I just graduated and this album is supposed to symbolize my graduation into life. It shows different facets of my personality, or what I go through every day or how I feel. A lot of the songs are inspiration for people to see themselves in a higher light. I think it’s important for people to realize their true potential and not let others stifle their talent. People knew I had the sauce, but I tried to hide it from the world. Now it gets to meet the world.”
Chris first got his start in music as a child attending church with his family, all of whom were active in the choir. His uncle was a preacher and his cousins all played music. His father had a Gospel recording label, and at age 15 his dad bought him his first recording equipment. There was no turning back from that moment and in the years since he has perfected the craft of mixing, mastering and producing all of his music. He began to study greats like Prince, John Legend, Frank Ocean and Young Thug – taking from them things such as diversity, unique perspectives, true musicianship and the work ethic it takes to find that signature sound that can truly help him to stand out from the crowd.
“I am a true musician, but I’m also a real producer and engineer,” he said. “Ultimately when my name gets out there I want to be able to bring it back to true musicianship. And I want to be as genuine as possible.”
Already Chris has become influential in the Bay Area hip-hop scene as a producer – working with Nef The Pharoah, SOBXRE and more. Fans will be able to see the full breadth of that influence through the new EP. Two of the singles off the EP are already starting to gain some major traction among listeners on the West Coast. “The Motto” is a song that serves as an anthem for the Bay Area, and Chris said he hopes it becomes the kind of song for San Francisco that Drake’s song of the same name served for his hometown. The other single is “Sauce Cost,” which started off as an experimentation of sound for him but ultimately became one of the most highly regarded songs he’s ever created. It’s a high-energy single that is fun and encourages listeners to get hyped about the things they believe in.
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To listen to Chris O’Bannon’s music, or to follow him on social media, please visit:
https://www.instagram.com/1chrisobannon/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/CNGOBannon
https://twitter.com/1chrisobannon
https://www.youtube.com/user/cngobannon
https://soundcloud.com/CHRISOBANNON
http://slghtwrksounds.com/
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