Independent Artist John Keenan Defies Trends with New Album Wreckage of the Past
18-track, fully self-produced record reclaims the hip-hop album as art in an era of playlists
PHOENIX, Sept. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Independent rapper, producer, and author John Keenan has released Wreckage of the Past, an 18-track project that channels a decade of unfinished material into a vibrant fusion of hip-hop, funk, jazz chords, guitar solos, and orchestral elements. Available now worldwide, the album rejects algorithm-driven formulas in favor of raw authenticity.
Keenan shares: "Three days before mixing, I realized I'd never asked for help—too much pride and insecurity. So I booked a big studio, re-recorded all the vocals in a sprint, and finally heard my songs the way they should sound. That breakthrough changed everything; the album finally felt alive."
He adds: "I wanted this album to be dangerous creatively. If something felt safe or trendy, I did the opposite. It's full of guitar and synth solos, genres colliding, and brutally honest lyrics."
Early Praise
- "Ultimately, Wreckage of the Past isn't trying to reinvent hip-hop; it's trying to reclaim it… messy, human, political, joyful, contradictory and above all; authentic." — Ian Ureta, The Gatekeeper Space
- "A sprawling, 18-track experience of independence & personal excavation... rare ambition, rare cohesion, rare honesty." — We Write About Music
- "Keenan is raw with it while showcasing excellent balance in what John can do." — Jer@SBS, Sleeping Bag Studios
Standout Tracks
- "Afraid to Try" — jazz-infused chords and live-feel drums propel hesitation into momentum.
- "Letter to the President" — urgent protest with orchestral grit.
- "No Stress At All" — breezy, funk-drenched escapism.
Rooted in small-town Kansas origins and sharpened in Phoenix, Wreckage of the Past speaks to listeners craving honesty and ambition. A companion book chronicling its decade-long creative journey will follow this fall.
🎧 Stream now:
Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/30Q19NfuBIVoSGn2QnFAw9
Apple Music: music.apple.com/album/wreckage-of-the-past/1827425858
About John Keenan
John Keenan is a Phoenix-based independent rapper, producer, engineer, and author. His catalog includes Mind of a Madman II, Where I Went Wrong, Late Bloomer, and the book Play God, End Up Jesus. He is the founder of Full Circle Muzik.
Media Contact
John Keenan
📧 info@soundloudmedia.com
🌐 www.johnkeenanonline.com
📷 Instagram: @johnrkeenan
📺 YouTube: @JohnDangerKeenan
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SOURCE John Keenan Online