Phoenix dad Mega Ran earns Grammy nomination for kids album
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Phoenix rapper Mega Ran's latest album was inspired by his son and is up for a Grammy. Photo: Courtesy of Raheem Jarbo
Step aside Sabrina Carpenter — we have a local artist to cheer on during next week's Grammys, and his beats require no bleeping for little ears.
The big picture: Phoenix dad and rapper Mega Ran secured his first Grammy nomination for "Buddy's Magic Treehouse," an album inspired by his foster parenting and adoption journey.
- The "Best Children's Music Album" Grammy will be awarded during the Feb. 1 ceremony.
Catch up quick: Mega Ran, whose real name is Raheem Jarbo, is a former middle school teacher turned video game soundtrack contributor whose music career pivoted sharply after he became a dad in 2022.
- In 2023, he released his first children's album, "Buddy's Magic Toy Box," which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard charts for U.S. kids music albums.
- His Grammy-nominated record, released last year, expands on the playtime-celebrating vibe of the first while encouraging self-worth and acceptance.
What they're saying: "It changed my life, being a foster parent and adopting my son. I started writing new songs because what I was listening to changed," Jarbo told Axios.
- Jarbo said he began thinking about what he wanted his son, now 4, to listen to and the takeaways from the lyrics.
- "We should always be aware of what we're bringing into our home, but sometimes it takes a kid to realize we're not taking in healthy and helpful stuff," he said.
The intrigue: Jarbo said his goal was to create clean music without dumbing down the message.
- "I've always wanted to make music that could go anywhere," he said.
Zoom in: "Buddy's Magic Treehouse" hits include "The Library Jawn," which captures the magic of reading, a STEM-inspired tune called "Inventors," and "Why do People Go," a heartstring-tugging ballad to help kids understand death and departure.
One sweet moment: A TikTok of Jarbo and his son learning of the Grammy nomination shows the tot excitedly jumping around their living room while Jarbo tells him, "That's your album, buddy."
- "It was totally unbelievable to be in that moment. I was just overcome with tears of joy," he told us.
What's next: Jarbo, who is quieter than you'd expect from a seasoned performer, said he's a little nervous about the chaos of the Grammys red carpet. His 4-year-old plus-one, however, is not.
- "He's probably gonna run up on Billie Eilish and introduce himself," Jarbo joked.
See Mega Ran: Our local Grammy nominee maintains a packed touring schedule, including a stop at the Musical Instrument Museum in north Phoenix on Valentine's Day.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that, after being a middle school teacher, Jarbo became a video game soundtrack contributor (not a video game music composer).