Novice Principles

InterviewsNovice Talk: 180 Cruz

Novice Talk: 180 Cruz

The talent displayed in Virginia compared to many states is premier. VA has recently become a coveted location to seek out rising artists and deservingly so; The range of artistry is a major component why.

Hampton Roads, better known as the “7 Cities” has long been the popular area for the Virginia music scene. Home to Missy Elliot, Pusha T, The Neptunes (Pharrell & Chad Hugo) and Timbaland amongst others, this region now has many names worth the listen and one promising name to pay attention to is 180 Cruz.

Hampton, VA is the home of 180 Cruz; A stellar, young talent whose mixture of vibrant melodies and an authentic sense of lyricism have paved the way for a bright future. His energy is radiant and it pours into the passionate, soul-filled music. Dead Than Famous is a stellar, 13-song project of his that shows the VA native’s creativity on full display. Experimenting at a high level with harmonies and raps are paying dividends and that is what makes 180 Cruz special.

The Summer is on the horizon and 180 Cruz plans to dominate the rest of the year. On the heels of his newest project, Rookie Of Da Year 2, in our latest conversation w/ founder Alex Cherry, we lean about 180’s youth in Hampton, his lessons learned from previous works and what we should be expecting from the talented musician the rest of the year and more in an exciting Novice Talk episode!

Interview Highlights

Cherry: So 180, since we’re on Novice Principles…what is a principle you stand on/live by?

180: The energy you put out is going to come back. I like giving out positive energy and staying true to myself. It’s really simple, be yourself.

Cherry: I recently watched an interview of your. Growing up in Hampton, what does that mean to you as well as being from Virginia?

180: It means a lot to me. Being raised here shows you many different things. I’ve seen so much from a young age and it helped me analyze and learn. There’s honestly no place like it but for the most part it’s a great city. I’ll always have a love for it because it’s where I’m from.

As far as the whole state, we’re coming up after all these greats. There’s so many talented artists coming up at the same time. Everyone just has the stay consistent. The sky’s the limit.

Cherry: What are difficulties you may have personally as an upcoming artist?

180: The only difficulty is that you’ve gotta do everything yourself. There’s no-one holding your hand telling you to do certain things. I have a team though and we’re still building. You have to have one for longevity.

Cherry: I wanted to talk a little bit about Dead Than Famous. What was that process like and what have you learned since as an artist?

180: It was right after I graduated and I was going through so much. Each track felt like an experiment and I feel like there were so many vibes that you can hear throughout. I’m trying to grow old and that title was more in the moment of what I was feeling. I’ve been able to think about how much i’ve changed. I don’t move the same way I did since and I’m maturing. Summer time is coming and I’m going to keep being consistent.

Cherry: What’s 2022 looking like for you and your music?

180: RODY 2 coming July 1st. I’m excited for it and we’re going to start the Summer off right. Backwood Party merch coming as well. My birthday is in June so definitely dropping a single for that.

Cherry: You have any last words?

180 Cruz: No matter what you’re doing, even on days that you don’t feel like working…don’t stop. Don’t get lost in your head and keep doing what you’re doing to make it.

Novice Principles looks forward to the success of 180 Cruz and his growth over time. There was so much more we unpacked in this stellar conversation so be sure to check out the full conversation on Youtube. Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcast!

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