Aloe Blacc

The trajectory of Aloe Blacc, who functions as singer, songwriter, and producer, reflects repeated inventive shifts shaped by an eclectic array of influences. Beginning with subterranean rap efforts, he later scored a breakthrough single steeped in raw soul ("I Need a Dollar," 2010), a worldwide country/folk-EDM blockbuster helmed by Avicii ("Wake Me Up," 2013), and a Grammy-nominated full-length (Lift Your Spirit, also 2013), after which he delivered a collection that polished his warm, cross-genre style even more (All Love Everything, 2020). Across an output stretching back to the second half of the 1990s, he has retained an ordinary working-class persona, reinforced by his earthy tenor delivery, while centering most compositions in lived experience that nevertheless tends toward optimistic and encouraging tones. Together with like-minded artist Mayer Hawthorne, Aloe turned the respected indie imprint Stones Throw into a surprising, unplanned springboard for lasting mainstream traction.

Born Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III to Panamanian immigrants, Aloe Blacc grew up in California's Orange County. Household listening introduced him to cumbia, merengue, and salsa, while surroundings gradually added hip-hop. Trumpet lessons began during elementary years, and rhyme writing started soon afterward; both activities persisted into high school. Credited simply as Aloe, he made his first appearance on record as a teenager in 1996, contributing to Imaginary Friends, a mixtape by Exile (then listed as Eksile). Aloe and Exile maintained their partnership under the Emanon name, issuing material chiefly on 12" singles before delivering a full album, The Waiting Room, in 2004. By then Aloe had developed a strong affinity for classic soul figures including Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye, and while enrolled at the University of Southern California he also immersed himself in contemporary folk-rock releases.

A succession of understated solo Aloe projects that appeared alongside Emanon work resulted in a connection to Peanut Butter Wolf's Stones Throw roster. The arrangement produced two albums of markedly varied character. Shine Through, which surfaced in 2006, mixed disparate elements, among them a skewed reinterpretation of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and a Spanish-language salsa rendering of John Legend's "Ordinary People." By contrast, the more cohesive Good Things, issued four years afterward, emphasized Aloe's songwriting focus on broad, enduring themes while assigning production duties to Leon Michaels and Jeff Dynamite. Its vintage soul and funk foundation became evident several months prior to release via lead single "I Need a Dollar." Licensed internationally to multiple major labels, the track achieved its greatest success in the U.K. (through Epic), where it climbed to number two on the pop chart. It reached the Top Ten in numerous additional markets and served as the theme for the HBO series How to Make It in America. Aloe's subsequent project involved Roseaux, a French ensemble led by Radio Nova's Emile Omar. Although tracked between his solo efforts, the recording did not appear until 2012; stylistically it spanned bossa nova and folk-rock while including covers first performed by an eclectic group that encompassed D.J. Rogers, the Police, Blaze, and Pearl Jam.

Aloe entered a major-label agreement with Interscope before the close of 2012, yet his subsequent high-profile step came in support of producer Avicii. He co-wrote and performed on "Wake Me Up," a country/folk-EDM fusion that attained number one in Avicii's native Sweden and headed numerous charts worldwide, establishing it as one of 2013's most prominent global pop successes. During the week the single attained its U.S. peak of number four, Aloe issued the sleek, multi-layered Lift Your Spirit, created chiefly with DJ Khalil alongside input from Pharrell Williams, Theron Feemster, and Rock Mafia. The album coincidentally debuted at number four on the Billboard 200. It contained an acoustic rendition of "Wake Me Up" yet centered on the uplifting "The Man," a retro-modern blend of gospel, soul, and pop that referenced Elton John's "The Man." The single climbed to number eight in the U.S. and reached the top of the U.K. chart. Its parent album later earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album.

In the intervals between albums, Aloe expanded philanthropic involvement and broadened featured appearances, recording with artists such as Fashawn ("Something to Believe In"), Owl City ("Verge"), Zedd ("Candyman"), and Tiësto ("Carry You Home"). He also partnered with wife Maya Jupiter, contributed to The Hamilton Mixtape, and sustained Emanon alongside Exile. Several standalone solo tracks released across 2016 and 2017 preceded heightened output in 2018. He appeared in America's Musical Journey and supplied "My Story" for the documentary, then issued "Make Way" and "Brooklyn in the Summer" as additional singles. He further released a holiday-oriented album, Christmas Funk.

Aloe kept extending his collaborative circle and issuing fresh material through 2019 and 2020. He joined consistently positive tracks by artists including Avicii (the posthumous hit "SOS"), Lost Frequencies ("Truth Never Lies"), David Guetta ("Never Be Alone"), Flight Facilities ("Better Than Ever"), Young Bombs ("Better Day"), and Mesto ("Don't Worry"). That affirmative spirit informed the creation of All Love Everything, Aloe's fourth proper album, which emerged in the final months of that year.