John Forté

Having served seven and a half years of a fourteen-year federal prison sentence before receiving a historic commutation from President Bush and being released from prison in December 2008, Forté's undeniable talent as a lyricist and musician, far from diminishing during his incarceration, has grown and matured. His new songs, full of powerful social commentary combined with hope and inspiration, bear witness to the remaking of a man and his struggle to remain free – they are a testament to his spiritual journey and proof that the phoenix can, and will, rise from the ashes.

On StyleFREE the EP Forté delivers an eclectic group of songs, including tracks reminiscent of mixtape culture and throwbacks from Forte's childhood in Brownsville, Brooklyn, such as the title track, "StyleFREE". The EP also contains powerful ballads like "More Beautiful Now," and the self-affirming "There We Are" – each track being equally honest, poetic and creatively expressed.

1. StyleFREE
2. Play My Cards for Me
3. Breaking of a Man
4. More Beautiful Now
5. Nervous
6. There We Are
7. The Best That Love Could Be (featuring Ben Taylor)

Four years after his debut release, Poly Sci, John Forté returned with a substantially different album titled I, John. Unlike his fun debut, this album takes a more serious approach to music-making. Anyone who heard Poly Sci will find the high level of introspection quite surprising. Forté works with co-writer Joel Kipnis and accomplished yet low-profile artists such as Tricky, Esthero, and Herbie Hancock on I, John. Furthermore, he throws the rules out the window, making his own style of music rather than the hot sound of the moment. (allmusic.com)

1. What a Difference (featuring Dinah Washington)
2. Harmonize (featuring Robyn Springer)
3. What You’re Used To
4. Trouble Again (featuring Tricky)
5. All The Pretty People
6. Take Time, Slow Down (featuring Herbie Hancock)
7. Beware (featuring Jeni Fujita)
8. Been There, Done That (featuring Carly Simon)

As a protegé of hip-hop supergroup the Fugees, and a member of adjunct group the Refugee All Stars, John Forté exhibits the same intriguing mix of street and mainstream culture that helped the band rise above all prescribed boundaries. Poly Sci displays the same pumpin’ beats blended with pop elements and articulate lyrics, that made groundbreaking hits out of The Score and Wyclef Jean Presents the Carnival, both of which Forté wrote, produced and performed on. Filled with all the swagger and attitude essential to hip-hop, yet tempered with softer pop sensibilities, as on the quirky “Ninety Nine (Flash the Message),” and the slightly psychedelic “Madina Passage,” and the easygoing title tune, this debut promises a flourishing solo career for Forté. (allmusic.com)

1. Hot (Intro)
2. They Got Me (featuring Fat Joe)
3. Ninety Nine (Flash the Message)
4. God Is Love God Is War
5. We Got This (featuring DMX)
6. P.B.E. (Powerful, Beautiful, Excellent)
7. The Right One / Father to Son Interlude (featuring Jeni Fujita)
8. Madina Passage
9. All You Gotta Do
10. All ****** Up Now
11. Poly Sci
12. Born to Win / Riddle of Steel Interlude (featuring 20 Grand Pikasoe)
13. Flash the Message (featuring Butter)
14. Hot (Outro)