{{short description|American rapper}}
{{Infobox musical artist | name = Wordsplayed | image = Wordsplayed Wiki.jpg | caption = Wordsplayed performing at Irving Plaza (2017, Friends & Family Tour) | birth_name = John Itiola | alias = Magic | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|06|13|df=y}} | birth_place = Nigeria | death_date = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} | genre = Gospel, CCM, hip hop, drum and bass | years_active = 2008–present | label = Miner League | current_member_of = Magic and Bird | occupation = Christian rapper, songwriter and author | website = {{URL|https://wordsplayed.neocities.org/}} }}
'''John Itiola''', also known as '''Wordsplayed''', is a Christian rapper based in San Diego.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wordsplayed {{!}} Album Discography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/wordsplayed-mn0003502859/discography|access-date=2020-07-02|website=AllMusic|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=John Itiola|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm9275478/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=IMDb}}</ref> His style is influenced by trap music. He has made album appearances for artists like Andy Mineo (C-Lite), GAWVI and Social Club Misfits.<ref>{{Cite web|title=John Itiola - MusicBrainz|url=https://musicbrainz.org/artist/dabf261a-9e88-474c-b543-aecda1735037|access-date=2020-07-04|website=musicbrainz.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-03-27|title=GAWVI - Climate Change ft. Aklesso & Wordsplayed|url=https://rapzilla.com/2020-03-gawvi-climate-change-aklesso-wordsplayed/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Rapzilla|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-03-31|title=Gawvi - Look At You Ft. wordsplayed|url=https://jamthehype.com/gawvi-look-ft-wordsplayed/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Jam the Hype|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Misadventures of Fern & Marty by Social Club Misfits {{!}} CD Reviews And Information {{!}} NewReleaseToday|url=https://www.newreleasetoday.com/albumdetail.php?album_id=17184|access-date=2020-07-02|website=www.newreleasetoday.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=REVIEW :: Marty – Marty For President – Rap Remnant|url=https://rapremnant.com/music/reviews/review-deathbymartymar-marty-for-president/|access-date=2020-07-02|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-07-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702185311/https://rapremnant.com/music/reviews/review-deathbymartymar-marty-for-president/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Biography == Wordsplayed was born to Nigerian immigrants who moved to the United States in the early 1980s. He grew up in Long Island, New York.
In 2008, he became friends with members of the evangelical hip-hop ministry T.R.U.C.E. (To Reach Urban Communities Everywhere), which included the rapper Andy Mineo, who gave Itiola a guest spot (credited as John "Word Up" Itiola) on his 2009 Sin Is Wack mixtape.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-12-11|title=C-Lite "Jesus Over Hip Hop" ft. John Itiola|url=https://jamthehype.com/c-lite-qjesus-over-hip-hopq-ft-john-aka-word-up/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Jam the Hype|language=en-US}}</ref> He has also previously worked with Beleaf and Ruslan of ''the Dream Junkies'' and formerly of ''theBreax'', on the songs “Drag ‘Em” and “That’s Me” respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-07-07|title=Album Review : Beleaf - Red Pills + Black Sugar|url=https://www.indievisionmusic.com/reviews/beleaf-red-pills-black-sugar/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Indie Vision Music|language=en-US}}</ref>
Itiola also joined Mineo's artist collective Miner League.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-09-19|title=Andy Mineo reveals new Miner League artist on SMCT finale|url=https://rapzilla.com/2015-09-andy-mineo-reveals-new-miner-league-artist-on-smct-finale/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Rapzilla|language=en-US}}</ref> Itiola released his debut single as Wordsplayed, "Martinelli's (ft. Andy Mineo)," on December 29, 2014<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-12-31|title=Video: wordsplayed - Martinelli's ft. Andy Mineo|url=https://rapzilla.com/2014-12-wordsplayed-martinellis-ft-andy-mineo/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Rapzilla|language=en-US}}</ref> and "Sammy Sosa" on April 11, 2015. Itiola collaborated on the Marty's album (Social Club) in the song "The One with my Friends" alongside NF, John Givez, Fern and Kaleb Mitchell.
In 2016, he debuted with the mixtape ''Clowntown'', which was released by Miner League and hit number 35 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums chart.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-03-25|title=wordsplayed Says 'Clowntown' is 'a Beautiful Mess'|url=https://rapzilla.com/2016-03-wordsplayed-says-clowntown-is-a-beautiful-mess/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Rapzilla|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-06-20|title=Music Video: wordsplayed - Clowntown|url=https://rapzilla.com/2017-06-wordsplayed-clowntown/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Rapzilla|language=en-US}}</ref> Also, he was a special guest with Social Club Misfits in ''"Friends & Family Tour"'' of Andy Mineo.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-06-19|title=Andy Mineo Announces Friends & Family Tour with Social Club Misfits and Wordsplayed|url=https://rapzilla.com/2017-06-andy-mineo-announces-friends-family-tour-with-social-club-misfits-and-wordsplayed/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Rapzilla|language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2017, Itiola and Mineo teamed up for ''Andy Mineo & Wordsplayed Present Magic & Bird,'' on August 4, 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|last=HOOVER|first=CARL|title=Rapper Andy Mineo brings back '90s in new 'Magic and Bird' project|url=https://www.wacotrib.com/entertainment/accesswaco/rapper-andy-mineo-brings-back-90s-in-new-magic-and-bird-project/article_0df5bd78-e712-56de-b102-3cfdbe1e0a71.html|access-date=2020-07-02|website=WacoTrib.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-07-03|title='Andy Mineo and Wordsplayed Present Magic & Bird' Mixtape Cover, Tracklist & Release Date Revealed|url=https://rapzilla.com/2017-07-andy-mineo-and-wordsplayed-present-magic-bird-mixtape-cover-tracklist-release-date-revealed/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Rapzilla|language=en-US}}</ref> The full-length collaboration debuted at number 49 on the all-genre Billboard 200.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-08-09|title=Andy Mineo & Wordsplayed Interview on New Mixtape|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/andy-mineo-wordsplayed-interview-new-mixtape-magic-and-bird-7896845/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Billboard}}</ref> This album had 5 songs on the Billboard's "Hot Christian Songs" chart.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wordsplayed|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/wordsplayed/chart-history/ico/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Billboard}}</ref>
His latest releases, Lo-Fi Love 1 (LFL1) and Lo-Fi Love 2 (LFL2), have been paired with his stellar “Lo-Fidelity Hour” and "Lo-Fidelity Nights Uncut" direct to public access television series', respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-05-31|title=wordsplayed to Release New EP LFL1 at Midnight|url=https://rapzilla.com/2018-05-wordsplayed-to-release-new-ep-lfl1-at-midnight/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Rapzilla|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-10-02|title=Wordsplayed announces new album with release date|url=https://rapzilla.com/2018-10-wordsplayed-announces-new-album-with-release-date/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Rapzilla|language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2019, was a guest on NBC’s ‘Off The Dribble’ on ‘NBA Hot Takes’ segment.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-12-10|title=NBC's 'Off The Dribble' features Wordsplayed on 'NBA Hot Takes' Segment|url=https://rapzilla.com/2019-12-nbc-off-the-dribble-wordsplayed-nba-hot-takes/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Rapzilla|language=en-US}}</ref>
In April 2020, he launched a podcast called "Circle of Trust", with the intention of "building a global network of people with positive, successful and like-minded ideas."<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Circle of Trust Podcast|url=https://radiopublic.com/the-circle-of-trust-podcast-GyyLM4|access-date=2020-07-02|website=radiopublic.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Circle of Trust Podcast on Apple Podcasts|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-circle-of-trust-podcast/id1511191185|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Apple Podcasts|language=en-us}}</ref>
== Discography ==
=== Solo albums === {| class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2" |Title ! rowspan="2" |Album details ! colspan="4" |Positions |- !US !US Christ !US Rap !US R&B /HH |- !Clowntown | * Release date: March 24, 2016 * Label: Miner League * Formats: CD, LP, digital download |49 |35 |23 |28 |- !Lo-Fi Love 1 (LFL1) | * Release date: June 1, 2018 * Label: Miner League * Formats: CD, LP, digital download | - |22 | - | - |- !Lo-Fi Love 2 (LFL2) | * Release date: October 5, 2018 * Label: Miner League * Formats: CD, LP, digital download | - | - | - | - |}
=== Collaborative albums === {| class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2" |Title ! rowspan="2" |Album details ! colspan="4" |Positions |- !US !US Christ !US Rap !US R&B /HH |- !''Andy Mineo and Wordsplayed present: Magic & Bird'' | * Release date: August 4, 2017 * Label: Reach Records * Formats: CD, LP, digital download |49 |1 |23 |28 |}
== References == {{reflist}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Rappers from New York (state) Category:Living people Category:1979 births