“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” It’s a classic idiom that has proven itself time after time to be true and the music industry is no exception. However, what happens when talent does work hard? Well, you get an artist like Leebo who is capable of rapping, singing, producing, engineering, designing, marketing, and performing at a very high level. After a year of incrementally feeding his audience with dynamic singles every 2-3 months, Leebo now has a finished project for his fans to digest that encapsulates all of his skills into one offering, the Calm Before The Storm EP.
Where Has Leebo Been?
Last time we chopped it up with Leebo, he gave us some insight into how he was building his buzz out in his stomping grounds of Tri-Cities. Since then, he has greatly expanded from his local market, performing shows out in Boise, Seattle, Tacoma, Hermiston (Oregon) and more. While also scoring write-ups from huge platforms like Lyrical Lemonade and Elevator.
His Eternvl Nights shows and parties have also continued to grow as he was able to snag Burberry Perry and Thouxanbanfauni for one in March. As well as Bandkid Jay and Sauvesidle for a Hoopsfest edition out in Spokane. Not to mention, he was able to get some of the aforementioned artists (and Warhol.ss!) in his self-made Eternvl clothing brand.
Outside of working on growing his brand and bettering his craft, Leebo has taken on a position as a medical assistant at an addiction clinic while getting ready to launch his own non-profit that will focus on spreading awareness on the opioid epidemic and fighting addiction.
What’s the Origin Story for Calm Before The Storm?
When asked about the origin of the EP Leebo said, “Calm Before The Storm came from me wanting to express my different styles in the title. The EP starts out calm and melodic and by the end, the hard rap songs come in. Therefore making it Calm Before The Storm.”
He continued, “Everyone that is a supporter or new supporter of Leebo should know lightning is my thing. I incorporate thunder in a lot of songs with my producer tag and every now and then you’ll hear thunder within the track. I started using thunder instead of crash symbols because I felt it sounded cooler. I am always looking for new ways to use sounds like they haven’t before. I feel being myself & pushing for new ways to do things keeps me apart from the average artist trying to do music and since I’m able to produce my own beats, mix, engineer, and record my own songs. I have control over my entire product.”
That last line is an important one. What I love about Leebo’s music, new and old, is that everything sounds like it’s coming from the same universe. Since he produces nearly everything he’s on (“FOREVER” is the only song with co-producing credits on the EP), Leebo is able to create his own worlds of sound that you won’t find from any other artist.
The same goes for the engineering aspect of his music. His vocals won’t sound exactly like anyone elses because he isn’t using anyone elses engineer. In a musical climate where a lot of artists are trying to emulate someone else’s sound, Leebo’s ability to keep everything in-house makes all his songs a breath of fresh air.
What To Expect From Leebo’s EP
Eight songs in total, Calm Before The Storm is an EP designed to be listened to in full. As Leebo described, there’s a gradual shift from the newer, more melodic content, to his classic mosh-pit inducing rap style.
“Play this album from start to finish with no skipping. Preferably while on a car ride with friends or alone with headphones in a comfortable environment. Close your eyes and listen as the storm progresses.”
When I asked him about his favorite part about the EP he said it was definitely the production.
“I don’t feel there is a single beat on this project that isn’t dope. All of ’em go hard and will have the listener vibing. It’s cool that my production skills have advanced to where there are at now. I remember making beats for the first time a little over two years ago & thinking I’d never get better. Now I’m able to cook up hits within 15-20 minutes without trying.”
As for his favorite songs, “Probably “FOREVER,” “EZ” (my late-night vibes), “NO HOOK” (pure evil in a song), “SHE SAID,” or, “ENVY.” “ENVY” is a song that actually has an audio clip of someone actually hating on me, which was someone I used to make music with. I took the audio clip from the video that was sent to me and incorporated it into the song.”
Considering how rare it is to have an artist handle literally every single aspect of their project and its release, it’s pretty awesome getting information on Calm Before The Storm from the man himself. I want to make sure our readers take in exactly what Leebo wants to get across with the new EP, so I’ll end this here, giving Leebo the final words and letting him speak directly to his fans.
“I want the listeners to take away that they are capable of doing anything they put their mind to. Just two years ago, I just had the idea of making beats for fun out of boredom. Now I am able to connect to people I would’ve never been able to reach. I want listeners to feel me and be able to see my personality throughout the EP. I hope everyone that listens to Calm Before The Storm enjoys each song. Every song is a song that I genuinely feel can blow up. I want people to be able to see my ability to create different vibes and fit the song with my vocals.”
“Thanks to: God, Lil Exxon (right hand man), Dovzey (digital artist), Eman8, DJ Ralph, ETERNVL, Noah Samsen, Justin Frick, Lyrical Lemonade, Elevator, and Respect My Region.”
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