View source for Afroman

{{Short description|American rapper}}
{{for|the Canadian Olympic sprinter|Joe Foreman}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Afroman
| image             = Afroman @ Gainesville 2011 (3) (cropped).jpg
| caption           = Afroman performing in 2011
| birth_name        = Joseph Edgar Foreman
| alias             =
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|1974|7|28|mf=y}}
| birth_place       = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.
| origin            = [[Jackson, Mississippi]], U.S.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://news.yahoo.com/mississippi-rapper-afroman-running-president-170939266.html | title=Mississippi rapper Afroman is running for president and wants to decriminalize marijuana | date=April 22, 2023 }}</ref>
| instrument        = {{flatlist|
* Vocals
* guitar
* drums
* synthesizer
}}
| genre             = {{flatlist|
* [[Hip hop music|Hip hop]]
* [[comedy hip hop]]
}}
| occupation        = {{flatlist|
* Rapper
* musician
}}
| years_active      = 1997–present
| label             = {{flatlist|
* Cosmic Wire
* Hungry Hustler
* [[Federal Records|Federal]]
* [[Fontana North]]
* [[Universal Records (1995)|Universal]]
* [[Uptown Records|Uptown]]
* [[T-Bones Records|T-Bones]]
}}
| website     = {{URL|ogafroman.com}}
}}
'''Joseph Edgar Foreman''' (born July 28, 1974), better known by his [[stage name]] '''Afroman''', is an American rapper. His debut studio album, ''[[The Good Times]]'' (2001), featured the singles "[[Because I Got High]]" and "[[Crazy Rap]]". He was nominated for a [[Grammy Award]] the following year.
==Early life==
Joseph Edgar Foreman was born on July 28, 1974, in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Otis |date=December 17, 2021 |title=Afroman/ Joseph Edgar Foreman (1974- ) • |url=https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/people-african-american-history/afroman-joseph-edgar-foreman-1974/ |access-date=July 22, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref> He initially grew up in the state of Mississippi before moving back to [[South Los Angeles|South Central Los Angeles]] at an early age. He later lived in the [[High Desert (California)|High Desert]] [[Southern California]] city of [[Palmdale, California|Palmdale]], briefly in [[Las Vegas|Las Vegas, Nevada]], and then [[Hattiesburg, Mississippi]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://journalstar.com/entertainment/music/afroman-makes-music-from-what-he-knows/article_57dcfb87-f37e-5004-86ee-94d1fc7c8948.html|title=Afroman makes music from what he knows|last1=Stinson|first1=Liz|publisher=[[Lincoln Journal Star]]|date=November 7, 2008|accessdate=April 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501014307/https://journalstar.com/entertainment/music/afroman-makes-music-from-what-he-knows/article_57dcfb87-f37e-5004-86ee-94d1fc7c8948.html |archive-date=May 1, 2021}}</ref>
==Career==
The first song Afroman wrote was entitled "Hairy Carrie". He stated it was written during his time in middle school and was a "[[Diss (music)|diss song]]" about a student known for her cruel harassment of fellow students concerning their appearances.<ref name="allmusic" />
His musical career began in the eighth grade when he began recording homemade songs and selling them to his classmates.<ref name="allmusic" /> He later recalled: "The first tape I made was about my eighth-grade teacher. She got me kicked out of school for [[sagging (fashion)|sagging my pants]], which was a big deal back then. So I wrote this song about her and it sold about 400 copies: it was selling to teachers, students, just about everybody. And I realized that, even though I wasn't at school, my song was at school, so in a way I was still there. All these people would come by my house just to give me comments about how cool they thought the song was."<ref>[https://www.myspace.com/afromanmusic Afroman | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's]. Myspace.com. Retrieved on October 30, 2011.</ref> Foreman also performed in his church at a young age, playing both the drums and guitar.<ref name="allmusic" />
In 1998, Afroman released his first album, ''My Fro-losophy'', which was described as a "flop". The following year, he released ''Sell Your Dope'' and relocated to [[Hattiesburg, Mississippi]],<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p435536|pure_url=yes}}|title=Afroman Biography|last=Nimmervoll|first=Ed|year=2008|publisher=allmusic|access-date=March 27, 2009}}</ref> where he met drummer Jody Stallone, keyboardist/bassist Darrell Havard, and producer Tim Ramenofsky (a.k.a. Headfridge). Afroman attributes his musical success in part to his relocation. In a 2023 interview with DJ Vlad, he stated Midwesterners and Southerners were more willing than people in LA to experiment with their taste in music.
Ramenofsky produced and released Afroman's album ''[[Because I Got High (album)|Because I Got High]]'' in 2000 on [[T-Bones Records]]; it was distributed primarily through local concerts and the file-sharing service [[Napster]] before [[Because I Got High|its title track]] was played on ''[[The Howard Stern Show]]''. The song humorously describes how [[Cannabis (drug)|cannabis]] use is degrading the narrator's quality of life.<ref name="allmusic" /> In late 2001, the song became a hit and was featured in the 2000s films ''[[Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]'', ''[[The Perfect Score]]'', and ''[[Disturbia (film)|Disturbia]]''. "Because I Got High" was nominated for the [[Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance]] in 2002.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.livedaily.com/news/4169.html |title=Grammy nominees led by U2, India.Arie, Alicia Keys |last=Evans |first=Rob |date=January 4, 2002 |work=LiveDaily |access-date=March 27, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015215711/http://www.livedaily.com/news/4169.html |archive-date=October 15, 2008  }}</ref>
After the single's success, Afroman joined the lineup of [[Cypress Hill]]'s fall festival "Smoke Out" with the [[Deftones]], [[Method Man]], and others.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1449406/20010928/cypress_hill.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011006012704/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1449406/20010928/cypress_hill.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 6, 2001|title=Cypress Hill's Oakland Smoke Out Bumped By A's|last=Schumacher-Rasmussen|first=Eric|date=September 28, 2001|publisher=MTV News|access-date=March 27, 2009}}</ref> After this, [[Universal Records]] signed Afroman to a six-album deal, and Universal released ''The Good Times'' in 2001. ''The Good Times'' was a compilation of Afroman's first two albums and also featured new songs.<ref name="allmusic" />
Afroman started releasing his music independently and mostly through the Internet in 2004,<ref name="allmusic"/> and that year, he recorded ''Jobe Bells'', which [[satirized]] traditional [[Christmas music|Christmas songs]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1493225/20041028/simpson_jessica.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041031033320/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1493225/20041028/simpson_jessica.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 31, 2004|title=For The Record: Quick News On Jessica Simpson, Ashlee Simpson, Snoop, Good Charlotte, Afroman, Chingy & More|date=October 28, 2004|publisher=MTV News|access-date=March 27, 2009}}</ref>
Afroman was part of the 2010 [[Gathering of the Juggalos]] lineup.<ref>[http://juggalogathering.com/home.php?page_id=performances GOTJ 2011:::Buy Tickets Now!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816045903/http://www.juggalogathering.com/home.php?page_id=performances |date=August 16, 2010 }}. Juggalogathering.com. Retrieved on October 30, 2011.</ref>
In October 2014, Afroman released a remix of his hit song "Because I Got High" in order to highlight the usefulness of cannabis as part of the effort to legalize its sale across the United States.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Harley |title=Exclusive: Afroman Remixes 'Because I Got High' in Support of Marijuana Legalization |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/afroman-because-i-got-high-remix-marijuana-legalization-6281761/#! |publisher=Billboard |access-date=March 23, 2023 |date=October 15, 2014}}</ref>
==Personal life==
===Religion===
In 2003, Afroman declared himself a [[Christian]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 30, 2003|title=Rapper now gets high on his faith|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2003-05-30-0305300261-story.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630205347/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2003-05-30-0305300261-story.html|archive-date=June 30, 2021|access-date=July 9, 2021|website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> In January 2023, he released an hour-long video on YouTube titled "How To Be Happy In An Unhappy World - Sermon By Afroman" detailing his experiences and understanding on life's issues and how to overcome tribulations through faith in [[Bible|the word of]] God.<ref>{{Citation |title=How To Be Happy In An Unhappy World - Sermon By Afroman (Made by Ellis Lewis Jr.)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV9qtyhl5ds |access-date=March 24, 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
===Assault case===
On February 17, 2015, Afroman was midway through his performance at a live music venue in [[Biloxi, Mississippi]], when a woman walked on stage. While dancing and holding a drink, she approached Afroman from behind. Afroman punched her in the face and was eventually escorted offstage by security. He was taken into custody, charged with assault, and released on bond shortly thereafter.
There were reportedly 12 to 15 security guards on duty to manage a crowd in excess of 500 people. According to Afroman's representative, he had punched the woman as an involuntary reaction to the invasion of his personal space. Afroman also stated that he mistook her for another audience member who had been heckling him throughout the performance. He publicly apologized and sought assistance with [[anger management]].<ref>[http://www.wlox.com/story/28133270/afroman-punches-woman-during-performance-at-a-biloxi-nightclub?clienttype=generic&mobilecgbypass "Afroman punches woman during performance at a Biloxi nightclub"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218094432/http://www.wlox.com/story/28133270/afroman-punches-woman-during-performance-at-a-biloxi-nightclub?clienttype=generic&mobilecgbypass |date=February 18, 2015 }} [[WLOX]] News. Retrieved February 18, 2015.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Regan |first=Helen |date=2015-02-19 |title=Afroman Sorry For Punching Woman Onstage |url=https://time.com/3714508/afroman-apologizes-hitting-woman/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240124091958/https://hightimes.com/culture/afroman-announces-2024-run-for-president/ |archive-date=2024-01-24 |access-date=2015-02-19 |website=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |language=en}}</ref>
===Raid on Ohio home===
In August 2022, the [[Adams County, Ohio]] Sheriff's Department searched Afroman's home on suspicion of kidnapping and drug trafficking. Nothing was found during the search, and according to Afroman he "had nothing more in his house than the ends of a few blunts and unused pipes made for him by fans." No charges were presented against Afroman.<ref name="NPR RAID">{{cite news |last1=Treisman |first1=Rachel |date=March 24, 2023 |title=Afroman put home footage of a police raid in music videos. Now the cops are suing him |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/03/24/1165822372/afroman-police-raid-lawsuit-music-videos |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240220113614/https://www.npr.org/2023/03/24/1165822372/afroman-police-raid-lawsuit-music-videos |archive-date=2024-02-20 |work=[[NPR]] |publisher=}}</ref>
Afroman, who was in [[Chicago]] when his neighbors informed him of the raid, posted about the experience on social media, and criticized the officers for raiding his home and causing damage to his property.<ref name="raid_tmz">{{cite news |title=Afroman's Home Raided by Cops in Ohio, Says He Needs Ben Crump |url=https://www.tmz.com/2022/08/22/afroman-home-raided-police-ohio-drugs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229230424/https://www.tmz.com/2022/08/22/afroman-home-raided-police-ohio-drugs/ |archive-date=2024-02-29 |access-date=2022-08-24 |work=[[TMZ]] |language=en}}</ref> He also posted about a previous burglary on his home where he was threatened with arrest by the sheriff's department if he kept checking about the progress of the case and was told they did not have time to provide him with an update.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Goffinet |first1=Jared |date=2022-08-23 |title=Afroman's Adams County home raided by sheriff's office |url=https://www.fox19.com/2022/08/24/afromans-adams-county-home-raided-sheriffs-office-tmz/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605134459/https://www.fox19.com/2022/08/24/afromans-adams-county-home-raided-sheriffs-office-tmz/ |archive-date=2023-06-05 |access-date=2022-08-24 |work=[[TMZ]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Schramm |first1=Molly |date=2022-08-24 |title=Rapper Afroman's Ohio home raided by Adams County Sheriff's Office |url=https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/adams-county/rapper-afromans-ohio-home-raided-by-adams-county-sheriffs-office |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240817033753/https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/adams-county/rapper-afromans-ohio-home-raided-by-adams-county-sheriffs-office |archive-date=2024-08-17 |access-date=August 24, 2022 |work=WCPO |language=en}}</ref> The search of Afroman's home damaged his door, external gate, and security system wiring, which cost over $20,000 to repair. During the raid officers also seized over $5,000 of cash from his home. The cash was later returned to him, but with $400 missing.<ref name="NPR RAID" />
He recorded a trio of songs criticizing the raid, titled "Will You Help Me Repair My Door", “Lemon Pound Cake" (also the name of his album, set to the tune of ''[[Under the Boardwalk]]'' by [[The Drifters]]) and "Why You Disconnecting My Video Camera", and released three music videos composed primarily of security camera recordings of the raid, to his [[YouTube]] account, on December 29, 2022.<ref>{{Citation |title=Afroman - Will You Help Me Repair My Door (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO) |date=2022-12-29 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oponIfu5L3Y |access-date=2023-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209134101/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oponIfu5L3Y |archive-date=2024-02-09 |url-status=live |publisher=[[YouTube]] |language=en}}</ref>
On March 14, 2023, seven police officers from the Adams County Sheriff's office sued Afroman, alleging that his use of their personas from the video of the raid was an invasion of the officers' privacy.<ref>{{cite news |date=2023-03-22 |title=Afroman sued by law enforcement officers who raided his home |url=https://www.fox19.com/2023/03/22/afroman-sued-by-law-enforcment-officers-who-raided-his-home/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240708163653/https://www.fox19.com/2023/03/22/afroman-sued-by-law-enforcment-officers-who-raided-his-home/ |archive-date=2024-07-08 |access-date=2023-03-23 |website=fox19.com |language=en}}</ref> Afroman tried to get the case dismissed. The court dismissed the claim that he improperly used the officer's likeness for commercial purposes, but let the claim that he defamed and placed the officers in a false light go to trial.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-25 |title=Strictly Legal {{!}} The latest on Afroman case |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/2023/10/25/whats-happened-with-the-afroman-case-in-ohio/71314878007/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231025224512/https://eu.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/2023/10/25/whats-happened-with-the-afroman-case-in-ohio/71314878007/ |archive-date=2023-10-25 |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=[[The Enquirer]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== 2024 presidential candidacy ===
On December 20, 2022, Afroman announced his candidacy in the [[2024 United States presidential election|2024 presidential election]]. His campaign manager, Jason Savage, announced his candidacy on his behalf, citing inflation, the housing market, law enforcement corruption, and legalizing marijuana as key issues of his campaign.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keller |first=Erin |date=2022-12-22 |title=Afroman running for president in 2024: 'We're gonna get legal weed everywhere' |url=https://nypost.com/2022/12/22/afroman-running-for-president-in-2024-were-gonna-get-legal-weed-everywhere/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240530091303/https://nypost.com/2022/12/22/afroman-running-for-president-in-2024-were-gonna-get-legal-weed-everywhere/ |archive-date=2024-05-30 |access-date=December 24, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Herrington |first=A.J. |date=December 23, 2022 |title=Afroman Announces 2024 Run for President |url=https://hightimes.com/culture/afroman-announces-2024-run-for-president/ |access-date=December 24, 2022 |website=High Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Discography ==
{{main|Afroman discography}}
<!-- Studio albums only -->
*''My Fro-losophy'' (1998)
*''[[Because I Got High (album)|Because I Got High]]'' (2000)
*''[[Sell Your Dope]]'' (2000)
*''[[The Good Times]]'' (2001)
*''[[Afroholic... The Even Better Times]]'' (2004)
*''[[Jobe Bells]]'' (2004)
*''4R0:20'' (2004)
*''The Hungry Hustlerz: Starvation Is Motivation'' (2004)
*''Drunk 'n' High'' (2006)
*''A Colt 45 Christmas'' (2006)
*''Waiting to Inhale'' (2008)
*''Frobama: Head of State'' (2009)
*''Marijuana Music'' (2013)
*''The Frorider'' (2014)
*''Happy to Be Alive'' (2016)
*''Cold Fro-T-5 and Two Frigg Fraggs'' (2017)
*''Save a Cadillac, Ride a Homeboy'' (2020)
*''Lemon Pound Cake'' (2022)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/lemon-pound-cake/1647004012 |title=Afroman - Lemon Pound Cake |publisher=[[Apple Music]] |accessdate=September 30, 2022 |archive-date=September 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930044735/https://music.apple.com/us/album/lemon-pound-cake/1647004012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*''Famous Player'' (2023)
*''Hunter Got High'' (2024)
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
<!-- Per [[WP:ELMINOFFICIAL]], choose one official website only -->
* {{Official website}}
* {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p435536}}
* {{discogs artist}}
* [https://www.apple.co/3rWVvJV Afroman] at [[Apple Music]]
* [https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Icvbp9RDt5aY2TWDOVDsr?si=NFVrmOsOR16IUO7gpbE6og Afroman] at [[Spotify Music]]
{{Afroman|state=expanded}}
{{2024 United States presidential election}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Afroman}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American bass guitarists]]
[[Category:20th-century American drummers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American rappers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century American bass guitarists]]
[[Category:21st-century American drummers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American rappers]]
[[Category:21st-century American singers]]
[[Category:African-American candidates for President of the United States]]
[[Category:African-American Christians]]
[[Category:African-American guitarists]]
[[Category:African-American male rappers]]
[[Category:American hip hop singers]]
[[Category:American male bass guitarists]]
[[Category:American male drummers]]
[[Category:American male rappers]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 2024 United States presidential election]]
[[Category:Cannabis music]]
[[Category:Comedy rappers]]
[[Category:Guitarists from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Guitarists from Mississippi]]
[[Category:Musicians from Hattiesburg, Mississippi]]
[[Category:Rappers from Mississippi]]
[[Category:Rappers from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:West Coast hip hop musicians]]