Biography

Carlos St. John Phillips (born August 26, 1986), known professionally as SAINt JHN, is a Guyanese-American singer, rapper, and songwriter. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and spent his childhood moving between Brooklyn and Georgetown, Guyana. This dual upbringing exposed him to a wide range of musical influences, from the hip-hop of Jay-Z and Dipset to Caribbean artists like Beenie Man. His older brother's involvement in rap cyphers was an early inspiration for him to start creating music at the age of 12.

Career Beginnings

Before gaining fame as a solo artist, SAINt JHN began his career writing songs for other musicians. He penned tracks for notable artists such as Usher, for whom he co-wrote "Crash" and "Rivals", as well as Jidenna, Kiesza, and Gorgon City. During this period, he released some of his own music under his birth name, Carlos St. John, including an EP titled "The St. John Portfolio" and a mixtape called "In Association" in 2010. In 2016, he began releasing music under the moniker SAINt JHN, starting with the song "1999," followed by "Roses" and "Reflex".

Breakthrough with "Roses"

While the original version of "Roses" was released in 2016, it was the 2019 remix by Kazakh producer Imanbek that catapulted SAINt JHN to international stardom. The upbeat dance remix went viral, topping the charts in numerous countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Ireland, and peaked in the top five of the US Billboard Hot 100. The massive success of the remix introduced SAINt JHN's music to a global audience.

Studio Albums

SAINt JHN has released several full-length projects that showcase his blend of hip-hop, R&B, and trap influences.

Collection One (2018)

His debut studio album, "Collection One", was released on March 30, 2018, through his own Gødd Complexx label and Hitco. The album featured early tracks like "Roses" and "Reflex" and peaked at number 50 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Ghetto Lenny's Love Songs (2019)

His second album, "Ghetto Lenny's Love Songs", was released in 2019. This project helped further establish his sound and featured collaborations with artists like Lil Baby.

While the World Was Burning (2020)

His third studio album, "While the World Was Burning", released in 2020, included the massively successful Imanbek remix of "Roses" as a lead single. The album boasts a star-studded feature list, including artists like Kanye West, Lil Uzi Vert, DaBaby, and A Boogie wit da Hoodie.

Gødd Complexx

SAINt JHN is a founding member of the music collective and record label Gødd Complexx. He releases his music through this entity, often in partnership with other record labels like Hitco and Warner. This allows him to maintain creative control over his artistic output and ventures. He has also directed some of his own music videos under the pseudonym Taylor Foor.