Despite a broad range of recordings throughout a career that dates back to the latter half of the s, the singer, songwriter, and producer has consistently maintained a blue-collar everyman quality -- as enhanced by his rustic tenor voice -- with most of his writing rooted in reality yet typically feel-good and uplifting in nature. Along with fellow traveler Mayer Hawthorne , Aloe made the revered independent label Stones Throw an unlikely and unintentional launching pad for sustained above-ground success. He absorbed styles such as cumbia, merengue, and salsa in his household, and eventually hip-hop in his environment. While in elementary school, he began playing trumpet and started writing rhymes. These pursuits continued through high school. As simply Aloe , he made his recorded debut as a teenager in on Imaginary Friends, a mixtape by Exile credited then as Eksile.
Where people listen
Navigation menu
We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. By using our website and our services, you agree to our use of cookies as described in our Cookie Policy. Despite a broad range of recordings throughout a career that dates back to the latter half of the s, the singer, songwriter, and producer has consistently maintained a blue-collar everyman quality -- as enhanced by his rustic tenor voice -- with most of his writing rooted in reality yet typically feel-good and uplifting in nature. Along with fellow traveler Mayer Hawthorne , Aloe made the revered independent label Stones Throw an unlikely and unintentional launching pad for sustained above-ground success. He absorbed styles such as cumbia, merengue, and salsa in his household, and eventually hip-hop in his environment. While in elementary school, he began playing trumpet and started writing rhymes. These pursuits continued through high school. As simply Aloe, he made his recorded debut as a teenager in on Imaginary Friends, a mixtape by Exile credited then as Eksile. Aloe and Exile continued to work together as Emanon , primarily through the 12" single format, and in released a proper album, The Waiting Room. By this time, Aloe had fallen hard for the works of classic soul artists such as Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye , and while studying at the University of Southern California had also pored over contemporaneous folk-rock recordings.
Back to All Musicians. As a kid, he fell in love with hip-hop and started writing rap songs when he was nine, going on to release his first hip-hop mixtape at age And in creating his upcoming album, Blacc has kept focused on making music meant to inspire a positive shift in mindset. I want my music to be the light. Posted on July 22, Global Thought Leadership Conversation. Participants will reflect on how we can build a better world, one that breaks the cycle of systemic […]. Posted on March 20, For all of our musician friends and family, below is a list of organizations that are offering help to musicians in need during this challenging time.
He is best known for his singles " I Need a Dollar ", " The Man ", which topped the charts in the United Kingdom, and for writing and performing vocals on Avicii 's " Wake Me Up ", which topped the charts in 22 countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom. When it made more sense to fix the instrument, Blacc had what he later described as a "very specific moment" in his evolution as a musician. His exposure to LL Cool J in fourth grade was equally significant. I had a hip hop moment and a musician moment. A Renaissance and Trustee Scholar at the University of Southern California , Blacc majored in linguistics and psychology and graduated in In , Blacc teamed with hip hop producer Exile and formed Emanon -- 'no name' backwards—which was inspired by the title of a Dizzy Gillespie song. A fourth album, Bird's Eye View, was recorded but shelved, it is unknown if the material was reworked into their reunion album Dystopia. While Emanon was Blacc's primary project during this time period, he additionally toured and recorded with the members of the collective Lootpack and worked with the French jazz group Jazz Liberatorz. Blacc launched his career as a solo artist in , releasing two EPs, and signing to Stone's Throw Records in , after label head Chris Manak known as Peanut Butter Wolf heard Blacc and immediately offered him a contract for the full-length Shine Through. I wondered how I could be more crafty at writing songs in the form of a rap that actually expressed more than ego, style and finesse," he stated.
