B. Reith
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2011}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = B. Reith
| birth_name = Brian James Reith
| image =
| caption =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1979|01|26}}
| origin = Brown Deer, Wisconsin
| genre = Christian hip hop, pop, soul, rap, contemporary Christian
| occupation = Singer-songwriter, rapper, guitarist, pianist
| instrument = Vocals, guitar, keyboard
| years_active = 2002–present
| label = Gotee, Nside Entertainment
| associated_acts = Knine, KamBino
| website = {{URL|www.breith.com/}}
}}
Brian James Reith, better known as B. Reith, is a Christian hip hop/pop singer and rapper.{{cite web |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/artists/BReith.asp |title=B. Reith Discography |accessdate=March 11, 2009 |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090305093023/http://jesusfreakhideout.com/artists/BReith.asp| archivedate= March 5, 2009 | url-status=live}}
He began his musical career with the release of his first album, Urgent Message, in 2003. In 2008, Reith signed to Gotee Records and released his EP The Forecast. Later that year, he toured with TobyMac on the Winter Wonder Slam tour. In September 2009, Reith released his second album, Now Is Not Forever, which charted at No. 2 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 32 on the Heatseekers chart. The album spawned the singles "Antidote", which peaked at No. 50 on the Christian Songs chart, and "The Comeback Kid".
In early 2011, Reith released a buzz single "Knockin On My Door". On November 11, 2011, Reith released his third album, How the Story Ends. On September 2, 2016, Reith released a crowdfunded EP called Heart on My Sleeve, through Pledge Music.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/breith/updates/73904|title=Surprise Artist Feature|website=PledgeMusic|access-date=November 1, 2017}}{{citation needed lead|date=December 2016}}
Early life
Brian James Reith grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where his father, Jim, owned and operated a recording studio. At a young age, he was exposed to music and soon took an interest in it; Reith sang on his first commercial at the age of five.{{cite web |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/2008/04/22.B.%20REITH%20SIGNS%20TO%20GOTEE%20RECORDS%20WITH%20THE%20FORECAST%20EP%20RELEASING%20THIS%20MAY.asp |title=B. Reith Signs to Gotee Records With The Forecast EP Releasing This May |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout |accessdate=March 15, 2009 |date=April 21, 2008}}
Musical career
Reith's musical career began when he released an independent album, Urgent Message, in 2003.{{cite web |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/UrgentMessage.asp |title=B. Reith, "Urgent Message" Review |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout | quote =
The pastor and him wife from his church in Milwaukee convinced him to move to Nashville, Tennessee so he could start his music career.
|accessdate=March 11, 2009}} Christian singer and Gotee Records manager TobyMac discovered his music in 2006.{{cite web |url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2008/forecastep.html |title=B. Reith – The Forecast EP |accessdate=March 11, 2009 |author=Russ Breimeier |work=Christian Music Today| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090312030259/http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2008/forecastep.html| archivedate= March 12, 2009 | url-status=live}} TobyMac reportedly pulled his car off to the side of the road when he first heard Reith's music, later stating: "Brian is just naturally gifted from God vocally and his lyrics [...] sort of just ease into your heart." In 2008, Reith signed to Gotee Records and released his EP The Forecast in May 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/TheForecastEP.asp |title=B. Reith, "The Forecast EP" Review |accessdate=March 11, 2009 |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout |author=Kevin Hoskins}}
At the end of the year, he guested on TobyMac's annual 2008 Winter Wonder Slam tour, which ran through November and December 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/2008/11/04.TOBYMACS%20WINTER%20WONDER%20SLAM%202008%20ROCKS%20WITH%20DIVERSITY.asp |title=TobyMac's Winter Wonder Slam 2008 Rocks With Diversity |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout |date=November 4, 2008 |accessdate=March 11, 2009 |work=The M Collective}} On March 10, 2009, an expanded edition of his EP was digitally-released, featuring two more songs and two music videos.{{cite web |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/TheForecastEP2009.asp |title=B. Reith, "The Forecast EP (Expanded Digital Release)" Review |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout |accessdate=March 11, 2009| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090327192428/http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/TheForecastEP2009.asp| archivedate= March 27, 2009 | url-status=live}} Reith's first full-length album, Now Is Not Forever, was released on September 22, 2009. In late 2009, Reith toured again with TobyMac on the Winter Wonder Slam tour.
In early 2011, Reith released a buzz single "Knockin On My Door". His third studio album, How the Story Ends, was released on November 1, 2011.
On September 2, 2016, Reith released his crowdfunded EP Heart on My Sleeve, through Pledge Music. The EP was released on regular digital markets on October 14, 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/heart-on-my-sleeve-ep/1161774519|title=Heart on My Sleeve – EP by B.Reith on Apple Music|website=iTunes|access-date=November 1, 2017}} On October 21, 2017, Reith released the EP Heart on My Sleeve (Acoustic).{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/heart-on-my-sleeve-acoustic-ep/1300057079|title=Heart on My Sleeve (Acoustic) – EP by B.Reith on Apple Music|website=iTunes|access-date=November 1, 2017}} He released an EP with reimagined versions of tracks from Now is Not Forever under his birth name in 2021.{{Cite web |last=Reith |first=Brian |date=2021-09-24 |title=post |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CUNJTlJr-2J/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=Instagram}}
Style
Discography
=Albums=
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Album |
| 2003
|Urgent Message
|
2009
|
| 2011
|How the Story Ends
|
=EPs=
- 2004: One Down
- 2006: The Introproduction EP
- 2008: The Forecast EP
- 2009: The B. Reith EP
- 2016: Heart on My Sleeve EP
- 2017: Heart on My Sleeve (Acoustic) EP
=Mixtapes=
- 2012: How the Story Continues
=Singles=
| class="wikitable"
!rowspan="2"|Year !rowspan="2"|Title !colspan="3"|Chart positions !rowspan="2"|Album |
| width="50"|US
!width="50"|US Christian !width="50"|US CHR |
|---|
| align="left" rowspan="2"|2003
|"Automatic" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan="2"|Urgent Message |
| "Hurt No More"
|align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |
| align="left" rowspan="1"|2004
|"Take Me Away" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan="1"|One Down |
| align="left" rowspan="2"|2008
|"Go On" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan="4"|The Forecast EP |
| "Awe-Struck"
|align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |
| align="left" rowspan="3"|2009
|"Rain Down" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |
| "Mess"
|align="center"|— |align="center"|— |
| "Antidote"
|align="center"|— |align="center"|50{{cite web |url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=b. reith|chart=all}} |title= Billboard – Antidote – B. Reith | accessdate=October 16, 2012}} |align="center"|— |rowspan="2"|Now Is Not Forever |
| align="left" rowspan="1"|2010
|"The Comeback Kid" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |
| align="left" rowspan="2"|2011
|"Knockin' On My Door" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan="1"|Knockin' On My Door – Single |
| "Simple Days"
|align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan="2"|How the Story Ends |
| align="left" rowspan="1"|2012
|"2 Steps Forward" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |
Tours
{{BLP unsourced section|date=January 2015|reason=the tours, and his role, must be referenced or removed}}
- 2008: Winter Wonder Slam Tour (with TobyMac)
- 2009: Creation Festival: The Tour
- 2009: Winter Wonder Slam Tour (with TobyMac)
- 2009: The Comeback Kid Tour
- 2012: Synergy (with Mali Music)
- 2015: Northern Lights Tour (with Christon Gray & Swoope)
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable" |
| ---- bgcolor="#ebf5ff"
!Year !Category !Nominated Work !Result |
| ---- bgcolor="#bfd7ff"
| colspan=6 align=center | Dove Awards |
| 2010
|Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year |"Go On" |Nominated |
| 2010
|Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year |"Now Is Not Forever" |Nominated |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.breith.com/}}
- {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p1092537|label=B. Reith}}
- {{YouTube|user=s2rtv|B. Reith}}
- [http://www.discogs.com/artist/B.+Reith B. Reith] at Discogs
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reith, B.}}
Category:American performers of Christian music
Category:Performers of Christian hip-hop
Category:Gotee Records artists
Category:American hip-hop musicians