Aloe Blacc and Darren chinwag about all things music, US elections, and mental health
Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III, better known by his stage name Aloe Blacc, is an American soul singer, rapper, record producer, and philanthropist.
We may have been introduced to him through his hit song, 'I'm The Man', but Aloe Blacc actually started rapping at the age of nine and put out his first hip-hop mixtape at age 17.
It was through his love for rap that he chose his stage name - 'Aloe', because his voice is smooth as lotion and 'Blacc' because during that time he was inspired by the pro-black hip hop movement.
Jumping straight to the elections in America, Darren wanted to know if Blacc had voted already and his reply was "yes". He also wanted to know what the first thing the musician would change if he was president of the United States between gerrymandering and the electoral college - to which he chose the electoral college.
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Labelling his music as 'Folk Soul', Aloe Blacc uses a sensibility of folk music and common individual stories of the underdog rising through adversity. However, he flirts with different genres of music.
"There's a proclivity to acoustic instruments. I think my voice works best with instruments like piano and guitar. If I have a really good song I can build a soundscape around it," Aloe Blacc says.
With the release of his new album titled, 'All Love Everything', Aloe Blacc shares how lockdown affected the release of the album, specifically one track on the album, 'Corner'. In these troubled times of COVID-19 and racial violence, Blacc’s soulful songs about togetherness and family will help keep a grip on the things that matter most.
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IMAGE CREDIT: Instagram/aloeblacc
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