Introducing amazing new artist, song-writer and C.E.O., 88 LO. He is far from your average rapper. A triple-threat, he raps, produces and sings his own hooks. He is also C.E.O. of his own label, 88 MUSIC GROUP, LLC. His innate ability to think beyond his circumstances and great business mind definitely put him ahead of the curve.
From very early on in his life, music was a source of healing and seemed to ease the blows life dealt him. Growing up in Jamaica he was exposed to the violence and drug wars soundtracked by the island vibes of Bob Marley, Beres Hammond, Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff. At that time the DJ’s were gangsters and they ran the gangs, dance halls and the music scene. This fascinated LO. “I remember seeing Supa Cat, Louie Rankin, Capleton and Tiger come through the dance halls dapper and drippin’ with jewels. They were superstars, they were Dons. Music was sort of an escape for the real gangsters from the killing, drugs and gangs that plagued our towns in Jamaica. You could feel the pain in the beats and rhythms of their songs. They inspired me to become an artist.”
Born Jamaal in Kingston Jamaica West Indies, LO came to the United States at the age of 15 yrs old. He grew up in the Bronx, N.Y. in a neighborhood plagued with drugs, crime and gangs, very much like Kingston. He quickly fell in with the wrong crowd and eventually, he found himself incarcerated and facing 25 years to life. At that moment he decided he needed to change the direction his life was headed in. He got on his knees and prayed to God with all his might for forgiveness and promised to walk a straight path. His prayers were answered, he was found not guilty and released from prison. Now it was time to make good on the promises he made to God.
88 LO began his transition from the street life to an artist and businessman investing his time, money and full energy into studio sessions and creating his label. He and his friends started their own group called 88. Each member had a different skill and talent to contribute to the group. Some sang, others rapped and/or made beats. In 2017, 88 LO, 88 GOLDIE, 88 CedDean and 88 K-Dogg released their first track, “TrapHouse” with a visual for YouTube. It received close to 500 views! This was just the beginning…
The hard work payed off when DJ K-SLAY caught wind of the single, “TrapHouse“. He was quite impressed with the song, in particular, 88 LO’s verse. He reached out to LO and they began to build a working relationship. In late summer 2018 LO released his first solo single, “Betrayed“, to rave reviews! The video has garnered over 30, 000 views on YouTube to date. Six months later he dropped his first official project, the “Millionaire Dreams and Billionaire Nightmares” mixtape hosted by DJ K-SLAY.
His style is authentic and doesn’t mimic any sound you hear on the airwaves. His sound infuses DanceHall and Reggae with gritty Hip-Hop. His musical roots in Jamaica are evident and provide the right spices to the ingredients for this mouthwatering dish! “Everything about me is authentic. The shit I rap and sing about is all real and inspired by my life experiences. I am a Jamaican-born emcee who raps New York-style and I sing my own verses. That makes me unique and amazing! Originality is missing from the music right now. I have always been a leader and most artists are followers nowadays. I’ve come to restore some order, know what I mean?”
88 LO’s latest project, yet to be titled, is slated to be released summer of 2019. Seven straight bangers with guest features from Dave East and Tory Lanez. New York is sounding like New York again!
INSTAGRAM: 88_LO_
88 LO “BETRAYED“
88 LO “MILLIONAIRE DREAMS BILLIONAIRE NIGHTMARES“
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