Philadelphia native Gran Centennial’s start in music can be called anything, but easy. Before finding his stride in HipHop, Gran Centennial struggled to survive by the code of the streets. At times, the aspiring emcee felt the icey grip of death was near, as it is often said that death is the wages of sin. Thankfully for Gran Centennial, salvation actually arrived in the form of a stint in prison. Having no other recourse but to focus on himself, Gran Centennial realized the only force holding him back from a better life, was himself. Listening to Gran Centennial’s lyrics, at first, may cause the listener to think that he is simply stating that, when it comes to street-hustling and doing dirt, sure, he’s been there and done that. However, there is power in simply sharing experiences without sounding “preachy” or “lecturing”. Gran Centennial’s hope is that by simply sharing his past with his fans and listeners, that they will also see that, by him standing in front of a mic as opposed to judge’s bench, there is life after the hustle of the streets!

Gran Centennial utilizes his gift of rhyme to paint vivid imagery in the mind’s eye of what it is like to survive, by hook or by crook. His lyrics are delivered with booming certainty over solid production, and with great cadence and tone. Gran Centennial follows the way of some of HipHop’s greatest storytellers who brought street life and survival in the urban jungles of the world into laser-sharp focus. The list of those who have inspired him includes Jay Z, Nas, Jadakiss, Notorious B.I.G., Rakim, Run DMC, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap and many others. Having lost years of his life to the confines of the system, Gran Centennial did not take the lessons and jewels of wisdom from the “Old Heads” he was around lightly. He realized that, in order to achieve any amount of success as a HipHop artist, on the hunt for stardom, things had to drastically change. Although his successes in HipHop have not come without challenges, they have only served to further shape his behavior, character, morals, and values.