Standing in the crossroads of the material and metaphysical, Sleep Sinatra (pronounced “Sleep Sin-AH-truh”) is a lyrical force out of Lincoln, Nebraska. A poet and griot, he channels his innermost thoughts and surroundings into a reflection of the duality between the streets and the spiritual. His moniker, “Sleep,” stands as a bold acronym: Survive Life, Examine Every Perspective, encapsulating his mission to probe the full spectrum of human existence through his art. 

A fixture in Lincoln’s hip-hop scene for over a decade, Sleep Sinatra was rhyming as early as the fifth grade, inspired by OutKast, 2Pac, Big Pun, and Xzibit. By sixteen, he was already a formidable presence on stage; honing his skills in local ciphers and open mics, particularly at the influential venue Box Awesome. Eventually opening for icons like Slum Village and Freddie Gibbs, his sharp perspective earned him a coveted feature on Mach-Hommy’s critically acclaimed GREEKFEST album, and recognition from MASS APPEAL, which named him among the Best Albums/EPs of 2017. Beyond his own music, Sleep has been a driving force behind Lincoln’s hip-hop culture, curating the long-running “GoodGospel” show for 18 volumes. 

As he prepares to release his next projects, The Flame Conduit EP, produced by Trox, and Midnight Of Tha Soul LP, produced by August Fanon, he’s cultivated and mastered a slick, sophisticated sound. A proponent of the writing of James Baldwin, Charles Bukowski, and Amiri Baraka, he acts as a vessel for truth-telling, narrating the lives of those often overlooked. Holding strong, he remains a standout voice that has as much to say about survival as he does about one’s spirit.