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Deaf Detroit area rapper Sean Forbes makes history, shoots up the charts

Published  February 29, 2020 12:21am EST
Entertainment
FOX 2 Detroit

FOX 2 - Metro Detroit's own Sean Forbes is hitting some musical milestones and making history.

His new album "Little Victories" is about to break into the Billboard Top 200 which would make him the first deaf artist to do so. 

Sean Forbes makes history as deaf rapper burns up the charts

Metro Detroit's own Sean Forbes is hitting some musical milestones and making history.

"To able to have a career doing music and to be on the charts is just unbelievable," he said.

Not just on the charts - No.1.

"I've been working for this moment since I was 5 years old," he said.

Rapper Sean Forbes is the first deaf musician ever on the charts, topping No. 1 on Amazon for all genres, and No. 1 in the hip hop category both on Amazon and iTunes.  

"Little Victories" - an album seven years in the making by Forbes and producer Jake Bass, but a lifetime of practice went into it for the artist who lost his hearing at 1-year-old to Spinal Meningitis. 

"The only reason that I'm number 1 on the charts right now is because of the deaf community," he said. "Without the deaf community that would not be possible. I am extremely thankful and grateful for that."

It was a grassroots movement by the deaf community to catapult Sean to the top - and it's worked. He's bumping elbows on the charts with another Detroit rapper, Eminem.

"For me, Eminem is, and will always be the person, who opened the door," Forbes said.

The door is wide open now and Forbes is toying with the idea of heading out on the road.

Producer Jake Bass, left, and Sean Forbes

"I want to balance that home life and touring life because for me there is nothing I love more than seeing my kids at night and being a part of their life," he said. "So I have to find that balance between being dad and rock and roll dad."

A trailblazer in the deaf community - and he's just getting started.  

"I want something that somebody can listen to 10 years from now, 50 years from now," Forbes said. "Music should be something that transcends time." 

It's the Billboard Chart that Sean Forbes has in his sights now - he says he'll find out next Tuesday if he's made the cut - but all signs point to yes.