Inspired by MCs from near and within his hometown of Flint, Michigan -- such as MC Breed, the Dayton Family, and Top Authority -- rapper and producer Jon Connor (born Jon Kevin Freeman, Jr.) started his own label, All Varsity, at the age of 14. While still in high school, he built his own studio, and during the latter half of the 2000s, released several mixtapes, including The Calling, Pt. 1 (2005), Everybody Hates Connor (2006), and The Calling, Pt. 2: The Second Coming (2008). Connor continued a steady collaboration and release schedule during the early 2010s, highlighted by The Blue Album (2012) and While You Were Sleeping (2012). In 2013, Connor -- known for his gritty, cerebral, and intense approach -- performed at The BET Hip Hop Awards and later made it known that he had signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath label.