Atlanta has long been a cradle of hip-hop and alternative musical talent. Since the ’80s, the city’s underground scene has continued to produce fresh voices, and Christoph Christopher, an emerging musician and producer, is among the city’s most promising talents. With raw, honest lyrics about life as an up-and-coming musician and a strong sense of style in his music videos, Christopher is carving out his place in the alternative rap world.
His breakout single, “Safe To Say,” dropped with a music video in June, featuring a sleek studio setup and some eye-catching, curated outfits. The video got my attention for its production quality, which felt a cut above what I’ve seen from other smaller artists.
“‘Safe To Say” is really about just like me working at a store and spending all my time and energy on product,” Christopher said.
The track was born during his time working retail at ANT/DOTE, one of Atlanta’s top luxury boutiques. The job gave Christopher a chance to connect with other artists, though it wasn’t his first gig in retail.
He landed the position after working retail at another store from ANT/DOTE’s owner, Wish Atlanta. Both stores have reputations for being staples of Atlanta’s fashion scene.
“The manager that hired me at Wish, which was my first job, Justin. He just kind of gave me the opportunity,” said Christopher. “But yeah, it saved my life and made me realize what I was.”
While ANT/DOTE helped him meet people in the creative world, Christopher ultimately left to focus on his music full-time. The challenges of making ends meet during that time inspired his single “It Is What It Is,” where he dives into the struggles of balancing a day job and chasing a dream. Hearing the song for the first time, I was struck by how its punchy lyrics cut through the noise of other similar tracks.
Christopher’s ability to open up about his challenges is refreshing to see among other artists who appear to want to distance their reality from their image. Christopher talks about his perspective as “renovating while being alone, or innovating while being alone.” It’s raw, relatable and deeply personal.
“A lot of people have been through that same situation. It could be musicians. It could be NBA players. It could be hockey players. Like, they had to come from something. And a lot came from nothing to something. So if you have a passion to come from nothing to something, people will always vote for you . . . cause I’ve been there before,” said Kory Griffin, Christopher’s manager. “I’ve been in his position.”
Though he never finished his degree in audio engineering at the SAE Institute of Technology New York, the experience left its mark, teaching Christopher how to refine his sound and develop his craft.
Music runs in the family for Christopher. His dad is a songwriter, and he credits him as a big reason why he got into music in the first place. The two even collaborate on projects, with Christopher sometimes producing beats for his dad.
“Everything in the album is talking about my life,” he said. “They’re all true stories.”
Christopher’s roots in South Carolina and his life in Atlanta have both played a big role in shaping his music — but he’s not letting geography box him in.
In fact, one of his recent 2024 releases, “Racks IN RAIN,” features Christopher on a track by Liverpool-based artist REALLY GXNE.
“Atlanta always always touches in my music as far as even how I say things,” Christopher said. “Sometimes beat selection. Mostly that 808. I feel like Atlanta’s known for just having, like, crazy sounding percussions. So I try to always have that influence in my music.”
Since “Safe to Say,” Christopher has been working on a string of singles that were originally meant to be part of a project called “Outside.” Tracks like “The Bachelorsss,” “Too Many Drinks,” “It Is What It Is” and “Figure It Out” have come and gone from streaming platforms as Christopher works on his projects’ rollout.
Christopher has even found success performing at venues live. When I spoke with him about performing live, he pointed to a three-song rooftop he did enthusiastically as where he is most comfortable.
“I love recording in the studio too, but, like, being able to be on stage,” he said. “Engaged with the crowd. Yeah, because I really feel like that’s when they can really feel my energy.”
Under his label, Rockavelli Forever, Christopher has been collaborating with other artists and navigating Atlanta’s music scene. With his mix of authenticity, ambition and undeniable talent, Christoph Christopher is one to watch. Whether you’re drawn to his raw lyrics, his clothing style or his live performances, one thing’s for sure: you’ll want to keep him on your radar.