Grieves

Grieves, born Benjamin Laub, is a rapper from Chicago, Illinois, known for a gritty, introspective style rooted in the independent hip-hop scene. He released his debut album, Irreversible, independently in 2007, establishing himself outside the major-label system early in his career.

A turning point came when he began collaborating with producer Budo, a partnership that shaped his sound across the albums 88 Keys & Counting and Together/Apart, the latter marking his first appearance on the Billboard Top 200 Album Sales chart. This Grieves-and-Budo pairing became central to his identity as an artist, blending soulful, sample-based production with raw, emotionally direct verses. His fourth album, Winter & The Wolves, released in 2014, peaked at #57 on the Billboard 200, his highest chart placement.

Over the course of his career, Grieves has built a reputation as a mainstay of the underground rap and indie hip-hop community, earning coverage in outlets like The Washington Post and Seattle Weekly. Songs such as «Sunny Side of Hell», «Growing Pains», and «On the Rocks» reflect the confessional, downcast-yet-melodic tone that has defined much of his catalog.