Phillip Johnson Richardson aka “Phil.” has established himself as an innovative and multifaceted artist. Recently closing his performance in Alicia Keys' critically acclaimed, Tony nominated Broadway show, "Hell's Kitchen" as the role of KNUCK. After attending Northwest school of the Arts in his teenage years, the Charlotte-bred talent honed his raw talents at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where he graduated from the musical theatre program in 2018.
He began writing music in 2016 while attending college due to the lack of freedom he felt in a conservatory program. His music combines the elements of traditional rnb & hip hop with alternative influences.
He created his own brand “gl/æ/d dad. as an ode to his late father and stepfather in 2025.
Immediately after graduating college he landed his first role, joining the Chicago company of the sold-out musical phenomenon Hamilton, playing various characters including its namesake Alexander Hamilton. Since then Phil. moved to Brooklyn, NY and found a successful acting career, with appearances on tv shows Chicago PD, The Other Two, The Last OG, Apple TV+ Little Voice (as a series regular) and A24 & Apple TV + film Sharper. He will be seen in the upcoming highly anticipated Basquiat biopic, SAMO LIVES as hip hop and art legend Fab Five Freddy. He can be heard on the Grammy nominated cast recording of The Wiz (2024 revival cast) as the TINMAN and appeared in the Tiny Desk Performance most notably singing “What Would I Do If I Could Feel”.
