Awon

Antwan Wiggins also known by his stage name “Awon” is an American rapper who prefers to be distinguished as an emcee. Born on March 6, 1980 in Brooklyn, New York Awon was surrounded by culture. His earliest memories are of graffiti lined subway cars and DJ’s having jams in his neighborhood of Fort Greene. His influences were other prominent emcees of the Golden Era of Hip Hop like Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, and Slick Rick. In 1989 his family decide to move from The Big Apple to Newport News, Virginia.

As a teenager Awon found himself immersed in the underground Hip Hop scene because he preferred the style of production, which was very jazzy and smooth. Groups like A Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, and The Roots were among his favorites as well as the new comer to Hip Hop, Nas. Awon took everything he learned from being a fan of the culture to cultivate his own skills on the microphone and he paid dues doing various talent shows and showcases in the area.

Awon received his first break in 2006 when he received an offer from Hip Hop producer Nottz to feature on an album he was working on which was Canibus’s Hip Hop For Sale. At the time Awon was working with a newfound crew called The Soul Students on his debut album Beautiful Loser that was released on May 17, 2008 by Goon Trax Records in Japan.

Since then Awon has been a figure in the new emerging Jazz Hop scene working with his friend Kameleon Beats as a group and other producers from around the globe including Thomas Prime and Soul Chef. Currently Awon is gearing up for a rerelease of Beautiful Loser in South Korea and a new album with Kameleon Beats called Brighter Days. A new Jazz Hop album can be expected from Awon in the near future that will include features from all his peers in the Jazz Hop community around the world. Awon credits the Internet to having played a key role in his overall success and ability to collaborate with talented people from the least likely places.