Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Concert Review


Photos by John

John Reuben
8/18/04, Penn Jersey Youth Camp, Mount Bethel, PA

Review #1: Husband. Son. Rapper. Producer. Masseuse. John Reuben Zappin is a jack of all trades, but what he's most known for, of course is his music. Since a true John Reuben convert in 2001, I've highly come to enjoy John's shows and albums. He's brutally honest, unashamedly spiritual, and unapologetically silly. Unlike The A-Team, Reuben gets better with age but proposes just as dangerous threat to his hip-hop brethren. He knows when it's appropriate to take life lightly, causing "as much ruckus as legally possible", and when to still the audience with a message of God's love.

John's set consisted mostly of new tracks from his 2003 record Professional Rapper, and with a full band out on the road with him for the first time this year, the audience is treated to an energetic and loud live show. Fans will notice one common entourage member missing, unfortunately, as the renowned and beloved DJ Manuel has decided to sit out Reubens shows (perhaps indefinitely?) due to a recent marriage and a desire to settle down more. Reuben and company rose above a few technical issues involving his microphone several times during the start of his show and didn't let the difficulties slow them down a bit. As he's done other times I've seen him live, John invited a few audience members on stage with him to try their hand at freestyle rapping -- for better or worse.

John Reuben's shows are for the fun-loving and those who have no problem with an emcee who rather goof-off than front. I've yet to catch him on an off night as John's continued to offer one memorable and crazy evening after another. -- John DiBiase

Review #2: Having not seen John Reuben's live set at Creation East this year, I was eagerly anticipating tonight's show. The band consisting of Gotee artists (i.e. newcomer Jeff Anderson) as well as friends of John's opened the show with "Treats" and went right into "Move" and "Have No Opinion". Right away you could see the difference in energy from tracks to a live show. This was really evident when John's mic went dead and the band and John continued along near flawlessly. Next was some crowd participation featuring some local free stylers pulled from the crowd. "Do Not", the first song released from John, followed before the guys went back to playing some new cuts from the Professional Rapper album like "Higher", "Time To Leave" and the eerie rocker "Freedom to Feel". Next was "Doin", a definite crowd favorite, followed by "Gather In", one of my favorite JR songs. They finished with the party song "Life is Short" which naturally left the crowd calling for an encore, which John responded to with some more freestyle from audience members. The live band is great and really adds to the energy of the show, and adds depth to the music presented by the talented and down to earth John Reu. This was evident before "Time to Leave" when he said that we forget to thank God for even just the simple things in life like food, clothing, shelter and waking up in the morning. I'm glad I was able to make it to this show after missing him earlier this Summer. If you get a chance to see him please do -- and make sure to exercise your arms before going. -- Kevin Chamberlin

 

John Reuben Set List
01. Treats
02. Move
03. Have No Opinion
04. Undone (Weezer cover) / (Audience Member Freestyles)
05. Do Not
06. Higher
07. Time To Leave
08. Freedom To Feel
09. Doin'
10. Gather In
11. Life Is Short
Encore:
12. (Audience Member Freestyling)

 

John Reuben Circus Photo Gallery

click on an image for a bigger size
*all photos by John DiBiase, and are the property of Jesusfreakhideout.com


 

go to main Album review page

 

                 
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

Search JFH



This Friday, July 25, 2025
ALBUMS
Anchor & Braille New Mexico [Equal Vision]
B. Tee Told You [Syntax]
Bride Scarecrow Messiah CD Re-Release [Girder]
Empowered SALT - EP (independent)
Homesick Prodigals Different Good (independent)
KDNS After Eden [Syntax]
Olivia Lane Songs About Jesus (Deluxe Edition) [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard TASHA [Motown Gospel]
Kevi Morse Kingston We Winning [Syntax]
Pulpit Vomit Hospital Lens [Rottweiler]
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno Dance for Jesus - EP (independent)
Taylor & Co Worship Breakthrough - EP (independent)
Josh Wright LEAD (independent)

SINGLES
abenezer i was lost - Single [Gotee]
Joe L Barnes Good Shepherd (Studio Version) - Single [Provident]
Sho Baraka Still Got Faith (ft. L3xdivine) - Single [Syntax]
Gracie Binion Easy To Please - Single [BEC]
Katty Camargo Shine Upon Me - Single (independent)
The CCC Collective Thankful - Single (independent)
C4 Crotona Mr. Gritty - Single [Syntax]
CXMMXNS Trust and Obey (feat. CAIN) - Single [Provident]
EJ Swavv & Nickwit2Ks Growth - Single [Syntax]
Forrest Frank GOD'S GOT MY BACK - Single [River House / 10K]
Andrew Gonoude Closer To You - Single (independent)
Noah Paul Harrison Oh Lord My God (Live) - Single [Bethel]
J.Solo All I Have (ft. Kaboose & MotionPlus) - Single [Syntax]
Kings Kaleidoscope + Kings Kaleidoscope Hymns Amazing Grace - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton Life In Me - Single [BEC]
Lecrae Bless You (feat. Torey D'Shaun) - Single [Reach]
TobyMac God Did It (feat. Jamie MacDonald) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Matt Maher Wait (Radio Version) - Single [Provident]
Hunter Plake Down to Earth - Single [BEC]
QEW JOYXFIX (ft. Stevie Rizo) - Single [Syntax]
Naomi Raine God Will Work It Out - Single [Tribl]
Rave Jesus Runnin' - Single [Provident]
Saints in Exile Bad Vibes - Single [Syntax]
Xander Sallows infinite - Single [DREAM]
Silent Reflection Left Me for Dead - Single [Syntax]
Michael W. Smith Your Love Is A Flood - Single [The Fuel]
John Stratton The Body and the Blood - Single [Pure Mosaic Services]
Regina Vandereijk You're the Light - Single (independent)
Joel Vaughn Feel It - Single [DREAM]
Zach Williams Killed A Man - Single [Provident]
Zauntee Jesus Down In Florida - Single [BEC]

VINYL
Bride Scarecrow Messiah Vinyl [Girder]

DVD
Jordan Smith The People's Hymnal DVD [Gaither]

This Saturday, July 26, 2025
SINGLES
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno What Would You Do? - Single (independent)

Next Friday, August 1, 2025
ALBUMS
Crash Rickshaw Big Sir - EP [Velvet Blue]
McKamey Legacy Holding to Truth [Horizon]
Ordained Thunder Roar [Girder]
V1 Worship Archives [DREAM Worship]

SINGLES
Dan Bremnes Human - Single [Curb]
Lauren Daigle Let It Be A Hallelujah - Single [Centricity]
Sleeping At Last Believe - Single (independent)

VINYL
Disciple Attack! (Limited Run Vinyl) Vinyl [Girder]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Join honey and save on online purchases!
Get all of JFH's indie compilation now totally free!
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images