Johnny Go Deep now goes by the name Johnny IV.

Hailing from Metro Detroit’s own Romulus, Michigan, Johnny IV aspires to become the next undeniable voice in Hip Hop. With inspiration from his own journey, other artists and society, IV aims to depict the reality and beauty within the inevitabilities of life. By continuing to step outside of his comfort zone and channeling his inner roots, IV’s mission is to create art that inspires people of all backgrounds and establishes a legacy that positively impacts generations to come.

Johnny IV takes after his father, Blake Ridah, one of two members of another Michigan native Hip-Hop group named Whodowhat which found significant local success in the mid-2000’s. After pursuing a dream of playing professional baseball, IV found himself shifting his trajectory with his time as a student at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. Here, he is pursuing a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business with a minor in Creative Writing. While on campus, IV began to channel his newfound passion for music and ventured into life as a creative, while balancing responsibilities that came with being a student.

His debut project Canvas was the initiation of his humble beginnings. With features from other local talent such as: Sage of Six, SoVersetile, Damon and his father Blake Ridah; Canvas is not only a debut with room for improvement, but a statement that he has a voice that demands to be heard. His follow up project The Story Never Told is his first full-length work, which partially made its way onto streaming services as an EP. Although the project failed to release in its entirety, the project carries a lot of emotional and relevant weight. Not only did the project prove that he is capable of piecing together a conceptual project, but there are moments within the project where IV delivers the voice and confidence which he possesses today.

Currently, Johnny IV is planning to release a trilogy EP series entitled IVever. and is committed to working on his autobiographical poetry collection, “INEVITABLE.”

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