Reo Cragun Releases Debut EP, 'Craig'

Artist, producer, and songwriter Reo Cragun releases his debut EP, Craig, today via Virgin Records and available at all digital partners. The 24-year-old Vancouver, Washington, native, who now lives in Los Angeles, wrote and co-produced all three tracks himself, including new single “In Too Deep.”

“To start things off, I feel the need to make it clear that ‘Craig’ is not my alter ego but an extension of who I am — a passionate and expressive person who believes it’s unhealthy to deny your emotions,” Cragun says. “I’m not afraid to feel, but I’ve learned to respect the balance and understand that light cannot exist without darkness. Therefore, Reo Cragun cannot be whole without Craig. This is me. Always has been, always will be. There’s a little Craig in everyone…”

Craig follows on the heels of Cragun’s previously released mixtape Growing Pains, which XXL called “a pivotal moment” that “established him as a rapper and set him on the path for success.” The mixtape featured the critically well-received alt-hip-hop/R&B tracks “Night Crawler,” “Inconsiderate,” and “On My Way,” whose accompanying video Pigeons & Planes called “truly epic” and noted that Cragun is “having a moment … the combination of song and video exudes determination and confidence that only comes with knowing what it’s like to struggle.” The three tracks have racked up a collective nine million Spotify streams. “Inconsiderate” led to Cragun’s collaboration with Nipsey Hussle on “Lost” — a slow-burning early-2017 single that’s now amassed more than 454K streams to date. With the follow-up release of “Peso,” Cragun scored over 1.2 million streams and earned praise from the likes of Earmilk, who noted his “captivating production” and a lyrical candor that “dives deep into a discussion about his personal drive and journey with music.”

Cragun’s music displays a raw vulnerability that he traces back to his upbringing. Raised by his mother and his aunt (both single moms), Cragun, who grew up Vancouver, Washington, faced various adversities growing up, including a father in prison. But he excelled in academics and earned a full scholarship to pursue a degree in biology. Cragun hoped to become a doctor before his grandmother’s unexpected death led to a change of heart. He dropped out of school, gave up his scholarship, and dedicated himself to making music — the one thing that has always remained constant in his life. After playing music for most of his childhood — including taking up trumpet in sixth grade — Cragun honed his musicianship from an early age and now plays piano, violin, guitar and more.

Cragun is on tour with Billie Eilish through April 7th. Please see below for remaining dates.

The track-listing for Craig is as follows:

“In Too Deep”

“Not Looking For Love”

“Ten Below”

TOUR DATES WITH BILLIE EILISH:

03/30 Detroit, MI El Club

03/31 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall

04/02 Iowa City IA The University of Iowa

04/03 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry

04/04 Kansas City, MO The Record Bar

04/06 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater

04/07 Salt Lake City, UT Grand at The Complex