ALLUNSIGNED® Magazine April 2016 Vol. 4.16 | Page 16

Christian Ja Vaughn Graves, better known by his rap moniker, Von Graves, was born October 15, 1990 in Mansfield, Ohio. With his father away in the military and his mother going into her freshmen year of college, Graves became familiar with instability at an early age. Living with different relatives, he eventually moved back with his mother in Columbus, Ohio while she finished school at The Ohio State University. While staying with his grandmother in the summers, who was a minister and devout Believer, Graves was influenced by the spiritual nature of God and fascinated by its power.

I’m going to revolutionize the music & entertainment world through a heightened sense of social and spiritual consciousness.”

Growing up, Von excelled in his Language Arts and History classes which helped develop his passion for words and storytelling. When he was 10 years old he was chosen for a play, in which he acted in and helped choreograph, that premiered at a local movie theatre in his hometown. Flirting with the idea of being a rapper throughout high school, he began taking his career seriously the summer before attending college at Ohio University.

There he balanced his undergraduate courses in English, African American Studies, and Communications with his musical career and ambitions.

Von Graves

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