Born in the German village of Bösingfeld to a German mother and American father, Griffey moved to Augusta, Georgia, U.S. after two weeks of life. Living in a trailer park until the age of 11, it was then the future rapper returned to Germany with his mother and younger sister. Having immersed himself in the hard rock and hip-hop scene in the States, Griffey began developing his rhyming talents and formed the metalcore band, a Fear Called Treason.
After parting way with the band, the rapper released his debut mixtape “Die Welt Hört Mich” in 2006 on the 667 label. The record was supported by two years of constant touring throughout Germany, following which Casper issued his debut studio album “Hin Zur Sonne” once again on 667 Records. Despite not propelling the musician to the German mainstream, the record proved popular in underground circles and led to Casper signing with Selfmade Records. In 2009, Griffey, alongside fellow rappers and label mates Kollegah, Favorite, and Shiml, released the album “Chronik 2”.
By October 2010 the rapper had departed Selfmade Records and signed with German label Four Music. Casper’s debut release on the label was the 2011 album “XOXO”, which earning Gold certification in Germany, propelled the rapper to German rap consciousness. The record subsequently won the 2012 ECHO award for Best Hip-Hop/Urban album, and was followed by his third full-length “Hinterland” in 2013.
Benjamin Griffey, also known as Casper, has engineered a strong following in the German Rap scene, due to his unique lyrical content and guitar based instrumentals. The self proclaimed “emo rapper” initially divided many rap fans with his Eminem-esque persona, but he quickly won over the masses in Germany with his album “XOXO” going straight to number one in the charts in 2011.
Casper is so endearing to fans due to the autobiographical nature of his music, instead of spitting rhymes about shooting gangsters and buying rims, Griffey has alternatively chosen to tell his own story, about being a small-town German kid growing up in a trailer park in Georgia, USA, before moving back to Germany without knowing the language.
In addition to his distinctive inward expression, Casper differentiates himself from other rappers with his live performances. There are no gold chains or DJ’s to be seen at one of his concerts. Instead Griffey enters the stage wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans, and is backed by a full live band, which bring his riff heavy tunes to life with aplomb. Tracks like "Auf und davon" and "Halbe Mille" get the crowd bouncing, with hands raised and heads bobbing.
There is no denying that watching Casper is like witnessing hip hop in it’s truest form, an MC delivering his message to the masses, even if it’s not a traditional rap concert.