A country rapper who chronicles small-town life with a big-city swagger and a musical attack that mixes hip-hop and rock & roll, Hosier (not to be confused with the similarly named singer and songwriter Hozier) was born Chris Hosier in Fort Wayne, Indiana on December 1, 1988. By his own admission, Hosier had a difficult childhood, and he learned to rely on himself from a young age. Chris grew up in Anderson, Indiana, 80 miles from Fort Wayne, and he was influenced by his cousin and best friend, both of whom were hip-hop fans and performers on the city's underground rap scene. When he was 18, Chris began writing raps and producing tracks, eager to make a name for himself. In 2011 he released his first singles, "Crooked City Champion" and "Make the Hood Jump," using the name Young Chris, and he began earning a reputation as one of the Midwest's leading "hick hop" artists. By 2012, Young Chris changed his stage name to Hosier, and over the next several years he expanded his following with frequent live work. Hosier's hard work was beginning to pay off by 2016, as singles such as "Long Bumpy Road," "Redneck Rave Anthem," "Country Side Living," and "Jamming Sweet Home Alabama" began attracting attention through online play. Hosier's first full-length album, Paving My Way, was released by Hosier's own Redneckin label in April 2017. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi