Ayeloni, born Koloni Hodge, is a Landover (MD) native with something to say. Only 18 years old, he may be young, but his bars are definitely ready to prove that age is just a number in correlation to skill. Before the interview began, he wanted to shout out his management team consisting of AyyTone, Mikey B, and Rome Bundy.
MUSIC:
“It felt like God put it in my lap.”
A powerful, mature quality of Ayeloni is that he is self-actualized and self-aware of his own strengths and uniqueness. Although he has love for the DC-Maryland-Virginia area (the DMV) he says, “I don’t try to go with everyone else’s flow…[The DMV Flow] I don’t think I qualify with that.” If one listens to multiple local DMV artists currently on the come-up, they can immediately see where Ayeloni is coming from. Thus, Ayeloni purposely tries to switch things up with his delivery and musicianship. It’s because of this that Ayeloni didn’t look up to a lot of DMV artists coming up at the same time as him, as they were “kind of doing the same thing” as described by the young emcee. “It’s Ayeloni music. I can’t really describe my music as anyone else’s. I would describe my music as…better.”
PURPOSE:
“I want to be an artist, but I want to make it an actual reality instead of just living in the DMV.”
In his youth, Mikey B, Ayeloni’s cousin, would freestyle with him for 6 hours nightly until eventually the rapper began to contemplate whether he wanted to take off with his rap career in full seriousness. After April 2018 and turning 18, Ayeloni would go full throttle with studio sessions, performances, and branding. His purpose as an artist is to have people want to talk and give arguments about why his music is better, in the same ways Drake, Kendrick, Jay Z and Nas are debated in Black barbershops. His last purpose is to help people going through depression, which is why he is always hyping his own music because he knows the power his verbular ability has.
PERSONAL/PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:
“You can’t just down your craft.”
Ayeloni speaks of his very first studio session as a career highlight thus far-he felt at home, and all of his constituents, even the ones older than him, were sure of his skills when he first entered in the booth and delivered great content. During his first year, Ayeloni would hit the Lion Lounge in Washington DC to perform in May 2018 and through this performance, he learned that he could truly perform, wow a crowd, and deliver. This first taste of the lifestyle gave Ayeloni the confidence to continue, just like a performance at the beginning of February 2019, in which he would perform at a 21+ up hookah lounge in Washington DC. Although he was well below the age requirement, his skill was not: After Ayeloni’s manager stuck up for him to convince the owner of the venue to let Ayeloni in, Ayeloni performed and rocked the crowd so well that the owner allowed for Ayeloni to stay the entire evening.
It’s get better with time, as The Internet song goes. And with time, Ayeloni will only get more astounding as a DMV artist. You can check out his music in links below, available now for streaming.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/all-in-my-head/1435025223
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