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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Victoria Princi December 6th 2025 This week, I had the pleasure to speak with Victoria Princi. Included in this conversation is exclusive insight into her new single, In and Out: From the beginnings of the project to the satisfaction of releasing it. We also spoke of her 2026 goals, her musical inspirations and much much more. View the full interview below!

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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT marado February 21st 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners Rock & Boom rnb with the intensity of rock as teezotouchdown once said and alt rnb I didn’t grow up listening to a lot of music because allow to listen to most music. I think this gives me an advantage of being unbiased when creating, and not being a copycat. HxH is a song that’s been popping off on social media and has a really inspiring story behind it, describe your process for making that song That was the most organic song I’ve made because it took a couple years to completely finish. The first part of that song was recorded when I was at work one day and happened to call a friend while doing a training sales video. I found the beat on YouTube years ago and it had almost no views at all less than 400 I think. I made the intro and put the beat together, but I wouldn’t completely write the song until a year later when I was homeless. Actually no I wrote the first part of the song when I I had a job, but I couldn’t write the second part of the song so I kind of gave up on it. Sometime later, when I I was periodically sleeping on my friends floor of the studio apartment I finished writing the lyrics there. I was thinking about killing myself how it would be a little bit easier than going on being a loser that no one kind of cared about. But I made a deal with God that if he helped me out in this moment and help me find something I was good at I would keep living. Then I freestyle the last part of the song after I was watching Hunter Hunter. The song was written and not recorded until a year later cause I didn’t have the money, but I found a Producer for my vocal class named Aaron Ruperto who is willing to record this song. Shout to Aaron and shout out to the main proper liamonthaaux How’d you first get into making music? This is a really long story, but basically when I had left being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I told myself that at least I would have money if I wasn’t gonna be as close to God(or be in a religion) I got a sales job that ended up paying me about six figures but deep down I really wanted to be a singer. I happen to get some free time from work and I drove down to Florida and met a girl who happened to lose my virginity to while listening to Frank Ocean. We were hanging out when I was singing after and she said I sounded just like him. She told me I should make music. Deep down I always wanted to anyways, so it kind of came full circle. This is just a really fast version of the story lol Where do you find the inspiration to create music? I find my inspiration to create music from the same place you find yourself when you’re wondering how you came to be here what it all means. I find inspiration the same way one would look at their vocabulary and wouldn’t use it. I also find inspiration in truth. Perspective truth, and absolute truth. You cannot lie and do music but you can entertain a reality that is untrue, but mean it. What song/project should unfamiliar listeners start with? If you love music, then the song for you is Hennessy & Honey If you’re a fan of art, figure it out outro is my favorite. So much of my personality and being is in that song. It’s completely one take. It was a random freestyle that just happened to come out of me when I was trying to figure out a way to win the industry in a way that wouldn’t make the industry happy but make everyone around me Happy. What’s next for Marado? What are some goals for 2025? I think this year that goes to drop a little bit of a longer project. People can enjoy and possibly working with more artist who care about the same things I care about. I wanna work with anybody in any genre, but they have to care about the things I care about. What music have you been listening to lately? Ive been listening to Roy Blair, Jean Dawson, & Mustafa

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT JAY.WES March 7th 2025 Describe the sound of your music for unfamiliar listeners I would say my music is a representation of whatever I feel I am drawn to in that monet. And it can vary depending on what’s happening in my life or what time of the year it is. I think in that way, it makes me unpredictable and a bit hard to pin down to a certain style of rap music. Describe your creative process My process can vary quite a bit at times too. There are times when I catch that “spark”, and in those moments, songs like “JACK SPARROW” will just write themselves, and you end up having a song by the end of that session. However, there are also times where I will have a few lines written down here and there and it is not until a certain beat is played or I have a conversation that inspires the rest of a song. Your single, “JACK SPARROW” is my personal favorite song of yours, describe how you made that song JACK SPARROW was actually a spur of the moment song. My friend JEM* was producing a beat and it just kinda snowballed. We were originally just messing around with some keys and some different drums sounds. To be honest, it was truly just the perfect storm. How’d you first get into making music? I got into making music about three years ago. I had always loved hip-hop but I had never written anything for myself. JEM* and I had been in class together, and I just remembered him inviting me over to his apartment to try to make some music. I was really prepared for it to be like a dream killing moment but it was the exact opposite. Shortly after, I decided to take it seriously and the rest is history. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? I would say my inspiration comes from around. I really try to take in all my experiences and process them. With that mindset, it sometimes can take a while for a song to form, but I believe that whatever is supposed to come out will eventually happen, so I do my best to not force the inspiration. What song / project would you suggest for unfamiliar listeners? GOYARD or JACKSPARROW What’s next for JAY.WES? What are some goals for the rest of the year? I think this year I have a lot to prove. I have been really fortunate to have the resources and people around me to make what I have been doing possible, and on some level I want to live up to what they believe I can be. I definitely want to show that high level work is possible even without the backing of labels or major studios, and that it really takes having a dedication to the craft, a desire to take risk, and a whole lot of ingenuity. As far as what is next, I’ll see yall next Monday…

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT JOEY AICH December 6th 2024 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners. My music is a modern twist on the 90s (Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, De La Soul, etc) and 2010s blog era (Lupe, J Cole, Kid Cudi, Mac Miller, Asher Roth, and many more). A big emphasis on storytelling and using my personal experiences to paint on the canvas that is recorded music and stage performances. I'm a professional dreamer and hopefully my music inspires others to dream as well. How and when did you get into music? I got into entertainment at an early age. I was always involved with church and school plays and choir. Once I got older I gravitated towards poetry and the meanings of lyrics and storytelling. I would print and read lyrics of my favorite songs to try to figure out metaphors, entendres, connections to life events, and that shaped what I wanted to be as a writer. Growing up in Woodmere Village, a suburb outside of Cleveland, OH, I was very anti to the idea of being a "Rapper" in high school. I would hear people around the area who called themselves rappers and everything felt fake (lyrics and image) and I didn't want to be considered similar so I kept my songs to myself and used it more as a diary. I gained more confidence right before going to college and that's when I started to release my own original music and the first time I performed my own music I was hooked and realized this is what I wanted to do. I got that same feeling as a kid when I started entertaining to begin with! Creative Process? My process goes in a cycle. Since my lyrics are very personal experience based, I use my life to fuel the lyrics. So I have to live, I have to go through new experiences so I can share and relate to those who listen. After that, I reach out to my team of producers who I've worked with over the years and then the stories and production form where I'm headed and I go from there. Outside of that, I am the owner of Joey Aich Entertainment, LLC, so I run the show and operate my Patreon, study analytics, research opportunities to perform, craft release strategies, and find ways to be useful in multiple capacities within the community. ink of a feeling or memory, lots of the time having to do with nostalgia, and I try to capture how that would sound and feel to me. Where do you find inspiration? I find my inspiration from my lived experiences. As a fan of music first, I knew when I was younger the songs that really resonated with me were the ones that hit my spirit during times where music was the only thing that could heal or amplify the time. To write songs like that are my own stories and others relate and tell me how it impacted them is special to me. I'm also inspired by my family and friends. I've been very blessed with incredible people around me and I never have to look far outside of my circle to be inspired. First and foremost, my parents are true examples of what I want to be, so talking to them and watching them inspires me to ALWAYS want to make them proud. Everyone around me does something special and it's almost like - How can I be the one that DOESN'T do something great too. What song/project should unfamiliar listeners begin with? Ooooh this is a hard one. So I'm big into sports and have built my brand with music and sports combined so I'll give a starting five of songs. I feel like Brown Liquor, Rope Break, Rossi on the Deck, Zoom, and Jenga III, are a good reflection of who I am as an artist. If you give those a try and enjoy what you hear, I know you'll like everything else because it's something in the catalog for you. Project wise, I'm into universe building and I feel like I'm creating a catalog that people can find easter eggs in so right now the center of the universe is Open Treehouse (Deluxe), it's a long album, but it tells you exactly who I am and how you can revisit albums like If Money Grew on Trees and AichFiles. But also, if you just like starting from the beginning, knock yourself out and start at AichFiles and enjoy the ride! Any new projects soon? Anything you'd like to promote Yes, currently I'm in a groove and working on a bunch of music and ready to unload the vault. I have a collaborative album on the way with my brother and frequent collaborator, Dave Zup, titled DUO. After that, in 2025 I am releasing a solo album. Also, I have a side project as well under a pseudonym where I will be releasing music very often. A lot to look forward to. What music have you been listening to recently? I've been running a melting pot of music so I'm just gonna list a few - that new Kendrick (obviously), Brijean (probably my most listened to group of the year, I gotta see them live), Dan Kye, Leon Thomas, Grandace, Liteweight Champion, and Tommy Richman and Tommy Richman adjacent music, Channel Tres, and the Ohio homies!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Evan Sturtevant July 5th 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners Soft rock, 70's R&B, god music, every song has a little god in it. Describe your creative process Figure out all I'm trying to say, find something catchy, copy that as the melody. How’d you first get into making music? I first got into making music in audio engineering school at Dark Horse Institute. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? I find the inspiration in something that I find I want to share, a message others could appreciate. What have you been working on lately? Any new music soon? I'm releasing my demo album after over a year of hard work every week. The single Yahweh should be finished on CDBaby and on major platforms this week. The album I'm hoping to have out on 7-11-25. Other than music, what else have you been up to? Other than music, I'm dealing with my tenants, owed money with one of them. I installed new floors on my mom’s whole upstairs, and closed 6 storage units with my bio-dad hoarder. What music have you been listening to lately? I've been listening to the artists that are playing the festivals I'm attending — Dom Dolla for Bonnaroo, and half•alive for Lollapalooza.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Radicule September 6th 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners I’ve been dubbing my music as “head massage music” for a minute now. My beat projects largely come from the school of [adult swim] bumps, while my most recent project has been a blend of anime raps with plugg & trap-inspired production. Describe your creative process Ooo, that’s a loaded question. I usually need some type of anime or cartoon on in the background, muted. Maybe a nice lil bev too and then I usually will start cooking up in FL. I always have a tendency of starting every beat with the hats, it’s the lil things that get me in a beat. Your new album, “Wannaknowthename1?” is so sick. What went into making it? Do you have a favorite song on it? Dawggg, I could talk for days about this one. It was a lot dark moments, but also a lot of light that went into it. I was going through love-life problems, lost my uncle, and just was trying to make sense of everything. I was bumping a lot of plugg music, messing with the Devil May Cry games, watching BLEACH, and the project just fully spawned from there. Fav track off my newest baby though? Definitely gotta be RADDYS WORLD. It’s my own spin on NY-Drill elements, but still rapping from my own lil nerd braggadocio bubble. How’d you first get into making music? It was mainly through my brother Bruce. We used to play Call of Duty 4 and talk smack over our lil Logitech headset. Realized I could probably record off it if I hooked it up to our computer, and then I started burning cds with me rapping over Lupe Fiasco , Gorillaz, and Nas instrumentals. He put me onto Nujabes too & through there I found Samurai Champloo, Dilla, Negrosaki, mad Youtube-notorious producers & ultimately started messing with beats as well. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? Honestly it comes from a lot of video games (JRPGs especially), anime/manga/ cartoons, cathartic reasons, and really my people. Living life with a lot more love and presence lately got me wanting to make music as a way of documenting the journey. What have you been working on lately? Any new music soon? Maneeee, we just got these t shirts orders out and gonna donate a portion of that to charity (pancreatic cancer research). I just shot a music video for RADDYS WORLD, directed by the homie King Z. The whole crew on that was amazing and we’re trying to get that out in October. New music? I’m working on the next project currently, which kinda focuses back on my [adult swim] bump roots and focusing on a more positive future. It’s gonna be titled “AFRMAYSHUNS” and the bulk of it is almost ready, there’s still a lot of finishing touches to be done though. Other than music, what else have you been up to? I’ve been chilling fam, for real. Big civilian hours just being outside with my people, coming home from work, watching Outlaw Star and looking for my next Lego set. What music have you been listening to lately? Man, y’all keep the loaded questions on deck. Right now I been bumping: Mexikodro, Tony Shhnow, Larry June, Sade, Kelela, TiaCorine, Anycia, Dazegxd, Teller Bank$, Kelly Moonstone, AJ Suede, the list goes on & on, but those are the main ones as of late!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Mei Semones January 31st 2025 Describe the sound of your music for unfamiliar listeners jazz-influenced indie j-pop Kabutomushi is a project I continuously return to, what was the process of making each of those songs? Thank you! Most of the songs were written summer '22-winter '22, and we recorded winter '22-spring '23. My process for songwriting starts with chords first, then melody, then lyrics last. Once the guitar/vocals are set, I bring the song to my band and we arrange all the parts together :) How’d you first get into making music? I started playing piano when I was 4, guitar when I was 11, and started writing songs shortly after that. But I didn't write a song I really liked until the first single I put out in 2022, called "Hfoas." Where do you find the inspiration to create such captivating music? I'm inspired by the music I love, like John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, and João Gilberto. I'm also inspired a lot by my friends & bandmates, who are also all incredible musicians. I also find a lot of inspiration in my everyday life living in Brooklyn, NY. What song / project would you suggest for unfamiliar listeners I would suggest the Kabutomushi EP. I think it's a nice mix of genres and it showcases various aspects of our music well. What’s next for Mei Semones? What are some goals for 2025? We are putting out our debut album in May of 2025. I hope to do lots of touring this year, and hopefully do some international touring with my band :) What music have you been listening to recently? I have been listening to a lot of Michael Brecker & Wayne Shorter.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT TWELFTH April 18th 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners Noise pop and shoegaze blended with tints of glitch, rap, and metal Describe your creative process I'll usually be thinking about lyrics or something I could use as a topic in a song and then just flow on whatever beat I choose and just make the song from there. No planning or any complicated steps I just kinda get in the studio and make something, and if I like it enough I'll put the whole thing together or work on it off and on. Your latest album, “I’m not, I’m just” is such a cool and dynamic project. How was that album created? What is your personal favorite track on that album? I'm Not, I'm Just is probably my favorite project I've ever done, I started working on it in May-June of 2024 and was working very hard on it throughout the rest of 2024 and until it was released. I'm honestly not set on an absolute favorite track on the album because I always change my mind or have phases loving a song from my albums- But as of right now it would definitely be zombie, it's my most abrasive, noisy, and experimental song I've ever done and xandrey killed it on the mixing. It was really hard to put it all together when I made it I almost cut it from the album but I'm glad I did finish and put it out and I'm very happy to see the attention it's been getting How’d you first get into making music? I started making music in fifth grade, I was inspired by a lot of popular rap around that time, like Polo G, DaBaby, and Roddy Ricch and I started messing around with Bandlab and eventually started dropping rap songs on Soundcloud under a different name Where do you find the inspiration to create music? My biggest inspirations are definitely my favorite artists and just the music scene as a whole- I really have Quadeca to thank for really introducing me to different genres besides hip-hop after he dropped I Didn't Mean to Haunt You. That album definitely started my love for music as a whole and that's when I started to really get involved with the Album of the Year community, deadAir artists, and other genres that I never thought I would be into. Any new music soon? can't say too much but definitely have been in the mix What music have you been listening to recently? I've been nonstop listening to underground rap, Jane Remover's newest album has been on repeat lately but I also really like che & nettspend. and if you aren't tapped in to Daniel Kashule yet trust me you must get tapped in

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 2Hats January 10th 2025 Describe the sound of your music for unfamiliar listeners My music is all over the place, honestly. It’s always gonna be rap, but the style can vary from Detroit-inspired relentless punchlines to Griselda/New York aggressive boom bap to Atlanta autotune-infested trap melodies. I’m always trying something new; basically clicking on one my songs is like a slot machine. You never know exactly what you’ll get. How has your discography transcended from “satire rap?” I started out recording music on my phone with no knowledge of producing or engineering whatsoever. In my mind, the easiest thing to do at that time was to make songs that had a bit of novelty since I didn’t have the assets to make a so-called “serious” record (Hence my most popular song: “Fuck Chili’s”). As my equipment got better and my production skills got sharper, I was able to show more and more of what I can actually do while still keeping it light-hearted. I think nowadays I’ve found a nice balance between the serious and the unserious. When creating the songs for your latest album, “The Hat Trick”, did you know you were going to put those songs together in an album? Or did that come afterwards? Or did that come afterwards. The original plan was to make a bunch of EPs over the course of a year, and at the end of 2024 I would compile the best songs from those EPs into one big album. But that changed as the EPs I released developed into their own standalone bodies of work. By the end of the year around late November, I just wrote and recorded new songs non-stop until I had 15 records that I was confident in releasing as a full-length album. Some ideas had been in the works as early as April 2024, and other songs were started a week before the album came out. How’d you first get into making music? I started making my own beats and writing lyrics in high school. And to no one’s surprise, I was trash. I never thought I could be good enough to actually write and record my own original material. As years went by, I noticed how accessible and simple it was to record on your own by seeing people online do it. So I tried it myself in 2022, and I haven’t stopped since. Describe your creative process, how do you come up with such clever lines? Usually, I’ll browse YouTube beats for literal hours on end. Every so often I hear a beat that inspires a flow or a chorus, and I’ll either write it down or make a voice note to remember later on. In my Notes app, I also have one note that just has endless one-liners in it. Any time I randomly think of a funny line or a good idea, I’ll put it in there. Some of my most memorable bars come from that method. Then, when it’s time to record I just go line-by-line until I have a full song. What song / project would you suggest for unfamiliar listeners As previously mentioned, my album “The Hat Trick” was just released, and I do consider that to be my best overall project. But I got 2 EPs released last year, “Free Agency” and “Getting Faded at Smile Grocery,” that are full of essentials and some true 2hats classics. “Prada for Me” and “NTSB Jacket” are two songs off those EPs that people seem to really gravitate towards. What’s next for 2hats? What are some goals for 2025? This year I want to focus on music videos. That’s an area I haven’t explored yet, and I already have some crazy ideas in the works as we speak. Also I plan on releasing 3 full-length albums along with miscellaneous EPs throughout the year. Hopefully the albums will be a little more cohesive in terms of sounds and vibes, but that remains to be seen. What music have you been listening to lately? What music have you been listening to recently? Recently been listening to a lot of Pierre Bourne(TLOP5 is peak), Earl, Rio, Jane Remover, Rome Streetz, and Kendrick(new and old). Vince Staples and SahBabii are probably tied for my favorite album of 2024, both of them went crazy.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Jordyn Tareaz May 30th 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners I make pop diva music with alt and rock elements. Think big riffs, runs, powerful vocals, and catchy hooks, but also 808s, electric guitars, strings and synths. Describe your creative process I make my music at home doing the songwriting, producing, and engineering. My life is my muse so my art stems from what's happening in my own world. A lot of the time I'll just hear a melody in my head and a couple words or phrases within that melody. Once I have the basic melody or vibe of the song I'll make the chord progression and the skeleton of the beat. From there I’ll come up with the concept of the song and flesh out the rest of the hook and then the verses. Then I'll go back and finish the rest of the production. And after that I'll record final lead and background vocals in harmonies. Lots and lots of harmonies Your latest single, “Pressing Play” is very impressive. How was that song created? I made that song while studying at the Los Angeles Academy of Artists and Music Production. It's producer duos Stargates program. They've made songs Like Diamonds by Rihanna and Irreplaceable by Beyoncé two of my favorite artists and songs and their catalog. I attended the program last year on a full ride scholarship for production from Splice. Each week we were put in sessions and had to come up with a song. Oftentimes there was a theme for the week. I really don't remember what the theme was for the week that we made Pressing Play. I made it remotely with my co-writer Thea who’s based in London and my producer for the song and mixing/mastering engineer Colleen is based in Germany. I’m based in the US so it’s cool that the song was created in so many different places. I made a reference playlist with some of the vibes I was feeling sonically and Colleen came back with a couple of track ideas. I had never done anything that was dance pop/EDM inspired but still had an electric guitar leading the song so I was really drawn to the production of this track. Thea and I over a couple of days wrote the song, I recorded all the vocals, then Colleen finished up the production and the song. I remember the writing process taking longer than it usually takes for me. And at times we got really frustrated but I'm really glad we pushed through cuz I love the way the song turned out. How’d you first get into making music? I started performing and taking piano lessons at 2 years old so music has always been a part of my life. When I was 8 years old I performed in a talent show and my mom suggested that I should write my own song. The song was called Free To Be Me and I wrote the lyrics and a piano accompaniment to go with it. I got a really, really great reaction from the crowd and people were coming up to me all night about the song. I've been writing ever since. It wasn't until college in about 2020 when I started teaching myself to produce and record my own vocals. There's a real lack of female producers in the industry so that's a huge driving force for why I decided to learn. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? My life is my muse. Art can be found in even the mundane micro-moments of everyday. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten new music from you! Any new music soon? Yes! I have a song called Wild Woman coming out June 13th! I'm so excited because it's the start of a new era. I wrote, produced, recorded, and played all the instruments for the song by myself in my bedroom. The song is all about reclaiming your power and unleashing your truest self. What music have you been listening to recently? Been loving the artists Jade, Adela, Chxrry, and Jae Stephens. Would love to open for any of them in the future!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT BB Bando October 1st 2025 How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard it before? I feel like everyone’s go-to answer is “refreshing.” I definitely get that vibe from my music, don’t get me wrong, it’s just so much more than that to me. The best way I could describe my music to someone that doesn’t know me is unapologetically expressive. You can tell just how I’m feeling with each and every song I’m on. If I’m feeling a certain way or thinking about certain things it’s gonna be told in my music, and that goes both ways — positive and negative. I feel my music is honestly the most me thing about me. Like if you don’t know me, 3 songs in you will. Can you walk us through your creative process? My creative process for a lot of songs is very dependent on my setting. I find I make my best music when I’m completely alone. It gives me the freedom to say/try anything I want and see for myself if it works for the song, rather than not saying something out of fear of being judged/laughed at. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made a number of great songs during seshes with my N2K brothers; however, most of my solo songs, if not all, have been by myself in my room, bottle of soju to my right and my bong to my left. I let them be my audience. Your latest single, “yugioh,” has a video game–inspired, almost retro style that I love. What influenced this sound, and how did you build such a wide arsenal of effects? Yugioh is a song I hold very dear to my heart. I almost treat it like “the big bang” in me finding my own style of music. I never really implemented any of my current creative process until this one song, and it really showed me my true potential. It’s definitely retro-based thanks to the beat (shout out Rubbish) and has ties to my childhood as I was around a lot of Yugioh growing up (ironically becoming more of a Pokémon fan in my later childhood). In 2025, you’ve collaborated more often with producers like 5kjordn and Rubbish. What has that experience been like for you? First, I wanna give a big shoutout to 5kjordn and Rubbish — they’re really goin crazy. Some of the most talented producers I’ve come across. That being said, I haven’t spoken with either of them too much, but Rubbish’s beats were definitely standard for me in the beginning. If it wasn’t for his beats, I probably wouldn’t have ever found the sound that’s gotten me all this attention. Another big influence in my music production-wise would have to be my brother Gerk. He and Rubbish really defined my sound. Although I haven’t used too many Gerk beats, I can definitely attribute a lot of my sound to him as he does most of my mixing. How did you first get into making music? Gotta thank my brother @rayymond for that one. He was making music before all of the waves he’s making now through his music videos. Seeing him properly do it in a time (2019) where it seemed everybody was trying to do what he did with poor effort really gave me the inspiration to go after it myself. I don’t think I would’ve tried to even record if he didn’t push me, because he saw the potential. I even made my first ever song with bro (unreleased). Where do you usually find inspiration to create? My inspiration to create really comes directly from things I experience in my personal life. I feel the more active I am, the healthier I am, the more life I’m living, the more music I create. My good friend @rayymond once told me a quote he pulled out of a book one time we were hanging out: “It’s not about creating or having the motivation to create, it’s about being in a place in your life where creation is simply inevitable.” What have you been working on lately—any new music on the way? I’m very excited to announce I got a song with my brother @chon_978 coming out 10/10 called The Way I Like It. The only way I could describe it is really a whole party in a song — from 0:01 you’re gonna be taken to a better place mentally. It’s just one of those songs. Other than that, I’m always workin on new things with my North Vicious brothers as well as my N2K brothers. Where did the name “BB Bando” come from? I got 2 people to thank for the name “BB Bando.” The name originally started as Anto Bando, originally coined by @rayymond. Everyone called me Bando to the point that it’s how I introduce myself. At this point, if someone who’s not immediate fam/my girl calls me by my government name, I’d look at them crazy. It then turned into 777bando after I drew to the number heavily during some hard times. I had 777 up until February of this year when I had linked my brother Ricky Chix, who thought up the name BB Bando when we were discussing alternative names. It just had a ring to it that I couldn’t describe, and I just felt at that time it was time for a new era, so BB Bando I became. What artists or songs have you been listening to recently? Recently, I’ve been on a crazy contemporary rap/alternative rap kick. Someone I’ve been listening to heavily is an artist out of Long Island named Theravada, very similar to Earl Sweatshirt, and I know they’ve collabed at least once. I’m just really feeling the rawness and grittiness of this type of music. The tapes Voire Dire by Earl and The Years We Have by Theravada are big on rotation, usually listen to them continuously on L rides or errands.