We’re extremely excited to present 2LATE, a rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer from Belmont, Massachusetts. 2LATE presents a unique take on hip-hop and R&B, meshing the two into a futuristic sound that stands out as thrilling, hard-hitting, and precise art. He captures both ends of the genre spectrums, bringing trending production similar to that of Travis Scott, but also captures the smooth energy of 6LACK or PARTYNEXTDOOR. We wanted to learn more about 2LATE, here’s what we found out:
Tell me a little about yourself:
I’m from a populated suburb right outside of Boston called Belmont, and now am a second year at Northeastern University. I lived in rural Vermont growing up and was huge into guitar and rock music, but when I moved to Belmont I basically quit guitar and just tried to fit in, getting into sports and such. I got into rap music in 4th grade, something my parents were really unhappy about, and I always felt self conscious about my music and essentially listened in private until as early as highschool. I started making beats my junior year and didn’t know I could sing until the end of my first year of college when I met my engineer who turned out to be my next door neighbor in the dorms. Originally I would’ve described my music as moody, late night R&B, but I’m realizing more and more that there are no limits except the ones I make for myself. Now, I view my music as a redefined style of pop music. I make genreless music (based in Hip-Hop/R&B) pulling from many styles to make music that can and will reach the masses. This is what I believe to be the future of “pop” music, and I plan to be on the forefront of that wave.
How did you get into the music industry and how has the journey been so far?
When I met my engineer, Connor James, I gained the confidence to try singing a few songs that I wrote to my own beats. I didn’t plan on even releasing them because I was just testing the waters, but Connor assured me that I had to make a name and release it. We sat around brainstorming names and settled on 2LATE. I dropped my first song, Paranoid, and it received a ton of support from friends and acquaintances on campus. The journey since then has been pretty crazy, at least mentally. Most of my experience so far has just been my team and I working on music without anyone really knowing how seriously we’re taking it. Now, people are starting to tune in, and I hope to make it even more clear soon. Thus far I’ve been in an interesting and disillusioning position where I know how much talent, passion, and dedication I have for this dream, but no one else knows. We’ll see what happens when they do.
Have you had any other career paths or passions that clashed with music?
No, I came into school majoring in Music Industry but I didn’t think I would make it as a producer so I wanted to see where else I could fit in the industry. Since my senior year of high school I’ve known I want to do something music related. I even remember a few drunk conversations with myself in the mirror in highschool, before I even started singing, telling myself that I WILL do something with music for the rest of my life. Now I know it more than ever. I’ll sooner die than not be a musician, so it’s only a matter of time for me. That being said, I’m a Philosophy major in school right now and am just looking to expand my mind while I’m here. I’m not sure how I’m going to go about my job search process before things pick up with music, but I won’t let it get in the way.
What are some of the major lessons you’ve learned from writing your own music?
I’ve learned not to doubt myself or hesitate to try something for the first time. I wrote my first song my senior year of high school and wrote a few more in the coming years but never thought I could do anything with them, but here I am now. Whatever truly excites you, just fucking do it. At least try it. It also taught me and continues to teach me to be myself and to not care how it is received. Some of the songs I write are really emotional and personal, and it used to stress me out a lot about the prospect of these songs being on display for everyone. Now, I try to keep in mind that nothing really matters so I may as well speak my truth. I learned that when you let your guard down, be yourself, and own it, it is usually well received.
Out of all of your released music do you have a favorite? If so why is that one your favorite?
My favorite track right now is the intro to the song is called PURPLE, on my EP: ‘PALETTE’. I love it for many reasons. I’ve always loved songs that reach around 6 minutes but are warranted to be that long and it makes me feel good to have made such a long, cinematic piece that tells a story. I struggled a lot with dissociation, anxiety, and depression last semester as a result of an enlightening journey I experienced over the summer that dissipated for months. PURPLE articulates this experience in depth and captures my profound disillusion and questions about life and the universe and where I fit within it. I’m a big thinker, and have a lot of deep and complex thoughts, and I’m proud of myself for making an amazing song out of them. The production (from WES.) is also amazing and really captures that late night, trippy sound that I’ve been so infatuated with since getting into Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR.
What’s the most rewarding part of being a musician for you?
It’s pretty simple, just making the music itself. People always ask if artists listen to their own music. I listen to my own music constantly because I fucking love it. It’s amazing for me (with the help of my team) to make exactly what I want to hear that literally no one else is making right now. The sound that I am most inspired by isn’t being created much these days, so for me to take the sound I’ve loved for years as inspiration to make my own sound feels so good. There’s nothing better than making something you’re proud of.
Who or what are your biggest musical influences?
Drake is easily the biggest. I’m not into new Drake much but when I was younger I fell in love with records like Take Care and Thank Me Later. Cherishing melodic and evocative rap and R&B during those formative years did a lot for me. I still vividly remember sitting on my windowsill listening to Take Care, watching the driveway for my family to come home because I only felt safe listening to music in complete privacy. It was really irrational to be that self conscious, but it made me treasure that music. PARTYNEXTDOOR is also a huge influence. He actually inspired my name, hence the all-caps. PARTYNEXTDOOR changed my world for me as I fell in love with his hazy, 808 banging, late night R&B style that was so distinctly different from any other music coming out. “Welcome to the Party” was my top song of the decade on Spotify.
Who would be your dream to collaborate with?
My dream is to collaborate with Sabrina Claudio. I’ve already sent her a couple dm’s assuring her all the great music we’ll make in the future. One day she’ll read them. She’s one of the most recent inspirations of mine. Her vocal layering is insane, and I’m really into layering my vocals and filling up a whole spectrum of sound like she does. Her music is so ridiculously melodically pleasing and I just know we would make some wild stuff together. Correction: will.
As an artist, what are some of your major goals in the next five years?
I really just want a platform. I want a platform to speak my mind and connect with people. I don’t need to be a superstar, although I plan on taking this as far as it can. I also want to do a country wide tour and if possible, a world tour. I want to experience the world and connect with people from everywhere. My family raised me to be curious and have appreciation and enthusiasm for other cultures, so I want the chance to experience the diversity, intricacies, and beauty of life.
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What can we expect from you in the near future? Do you have any new music or live shows coming soon?
I’m dropping a lot of music. I’m not like all these artists that drop one mediocre project a year and keep claiming that stuff is “coming soon,” hyping up a single that sucks when it finally drops. No, no… I’ve studied the game as a consumer for far too long. I’m dropping an EP this Friday after a release party and concert on Thursday. After that I have a whole album ready to go and I’ll start dropping singles soon to build it up. The album is called “UP TIL 2”. I’m actively working on a second album called “NIHILIST KING”. I plan on throwing a lot of parties and concerts around Northeastern’s campus until things pick up and I get more legit opportunities to perform. Basically, I’ll be flooding the people with dope ass content and experiences, so stay tuned because I won’t slow down.
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