Twenty Two B

A great shwo, and a lot fans

African war refugee uses terror of past as motivation to inspire others to dream big

LOS ANGELES, CA – War is awful. Perhaps no one knows this better than war refugee and current LA-based musician Twenty Two B.
He’s a man who has overcome an unbelievable amount of twists and turns throughout his life – a life journey that has developed him into the musician and man he is today. Before his eventual move to LA, Twenty Two B grew up on the Ivory Coast in West Africa. It was a place ravaged by war, and over the years he experienced the loss of family members and friends. The war had such an impact on his homeland that it became a daily fight for survival. Wanting to escape away from this horror and find a better life, he eventually found himself on a plane to Los Angeles.
“War is awful,” he said. “You have to find your way out. I got out 10 years ago, but there are still a lot of people stuck in it – people like those children in Syria right now. I wrote one of my songs, ‘No More War,’ as a way to inspire others to do what I did and try to change their lives. One of the lyrics in the song is, ‘Live each day as if it’s your last,’ and I hope that my music helps other people to realize that they have to enjoy every moment of their lives, because there may not be a tomorrow.”
Though it’s a place with more bad memories than good, his years in Africa did lay the foundation for his eventual career as a musician. He said he remembers many times as a child watching his mother – who was an African folk singer – perform for others throughout the area. He learned through her that music is the ultimate way to express yourself, and that through music you can help others solve a lot of problems.
“It’s the best way to ease your mind and to make people happy,” he said. “In this life there’s a lot of drama and tragedy, but through music you can spread a lot of positive things.”
He also realized early on in life that he had a unique sounding voice – something he describes as “raw, and not like anything you’ve ever heard.” He describes his music as a fusion of pop and rock, with influences from all over the world, but most especially from the American rockers he heard as a young boy who influenced his dreams.
His new album, “In The Making,” is one that he hopes will serve as inspiration for others in the same way. It’s set to be released by mid-December, and will feature 10 songs that he said will show off his versatility as a musician and explore a “mix of everything” when it comes to themes and issues in the world. The feature single, which shares a name with the album, is about a dreamer who has to go through the process of trying to reach his goals.
“We all dream about big things,” he said. “But you have to put in the work to get there. I’ve been working on this album for a year, and I hope my story inspires other people to act and to dream in the same ways I have. I would like people to reach for their dreams, and through my music I want to inspire people.”