What Musical Genre Do You Feel Best Describes Your Music And How Would You Describe Your Sound?
I am a versatile artist, muscian and producer. My peers call me "The GENIUS "and my fans call me "Versatile AL". I play four instruments, I make music that falls into the categories of HIPHOP, RnB, Trap Soul Jazz, Pop, AfroBeats, and Funk/Instrumentals. My sound therefore is eclectic and versatile.
How Did You Get Your Name Is There A Story?
Yes, my name is Alex and I was born in the 9th month of 1999. AL99 was born! It is pronounced "AL Nine-Nine".
What Are or Have Been Your Musical Influences?
My musical influences are vast! Hence, the type of music I create. I've been influenced by my Grandfather, Herbert "Toubo" Rhoad of the esteemed "GodFathers of Acapella" The Persuasions! So harmonizing is a very important element of my singing.
My artistic talent and passion in music was nurtured and developed by listening to multiple genres while growing up. The music that I create and the sounds that I highlight are reflective of my cultural and musical exposure.
My biggest influences range from Eddie Van Halen, Nile Rodges, Prince, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Eric Johnson for guitar to Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, Tupac, Biggie, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and Future for musicality, performing, lyrical greatness and singing!.
What Are You Working On Now? Any Future Collaborations We Can Look Forward To?
I just completed my new album, "Enigma"! It was a labor of love and is my absolute best work to date! It will be released late August 2024/Early September 2024. I bring some amazing artists to the project from New York and New Jersey to help tell the story of my musical journey.
What Is Your Ultimate Goal In The Music Industry? What Is Your Plan Of Action?
My ultimate goal is to be the biggest artist in the world one day honestly. The love I have for music makes me want to do more than the average artist, and my plan of action is pretty much to continue to not only discover more and more creative ways to express myself in my music, but to discover more of myself in general so I can deliver passionate and meaningful songs and albums.
What Is Your Favorite Track To Perform Live and Why?
My favorite track to perform live is "Come Back" because everyone loves it, and they start to sing along. At the end of "Come Back", I play the studio version solo, then I'll improvise and give the crowd some of my guitar skills. It's really fun and exhilarating on stage.
What Has Been The Biggest Challenge In Your Career Thus Far?
My biggest challenge up to this point has been trying to shape my artist pages on apple music and spotify. I finally am in the process of reshaping both artist pages, but it was very frustrating that my pages didn't have related artists that made any sense to the music I made, and it was like that for years until I fixed it by creating new pages.
Whats Your Typical Songwriting Process?
Sometimes it just comes to me, and other times there is a specific process. I'll either start with a beat that I've made or am making, then write to it or use old lyrics. That is the simplest way I finish songs, but of course there's a lot of grey area in that process. I let my creative juices flow most of the time, without actually thinking or telling myself to necessarily write a specific song.
How Has Social Media Influenced Your Career As An Artist?
Honestly not much. It definitely keeps me in the loop of what's going on in the music industry and community, but it doesn't influence me personally or my actions on what I make artistically.
What Are Some Tracks and Artists Currently On Your Playlist?
Well I love all of Kendrick Lamar's catalog, and I listen to a lot of old school music and artists like Michael Jackson, Van Halen, Biggie, Tupac, Jay-Z, Wu-Tang...but of course I still love my modern music like Drake, Future, 21 Savage, Young Nudy, Young Thug, and the Migos.
On an underground basis, there's many dope artists I've met like Debanaire out of Brooklyn, NY, Slim da G out of D.C., and the dope music monopoly team of LBLeoBars, myself (AL99), YoungDiggz88, and 400HazeMoney.
What Did You Do Before You Started Making Music?
Before I started making music, I went to school for music. I have two degrees in music, one in Music Theory and one in Audio Production & Technology. I started making music professionally in 2019. But, music has always been a big part of my life. I stared playing the guitar at 6 years old, the drums at 12, the keyboard and bass by the time I was 18. I've sang in both school and my house of worship choirs.
Any Advice For Young People Men or Women That Want To Succeed In The Music World?
You have to believe in yourself even if no one else does first of all, but truly stand on your morals and ethics throughout the journey of being in the music world and industry. My experience has also taught me that learning how to properly promote and market yourself is essential to being successful, because at the end of the day you're selling yourself first, not the music.
What Would You Change In The Music Industry If You Were A Top Music Executive?
I would change the saturation of the content in music being of negativity. Don't get me wrong, like I listed above, I love a lot of the modern music but I just feel that not EVERY SINGLE SONG being pushed by the industry has to be of violence, drugs, sex, and overall negativity. We need more of a balance in the music world where MAINSTREAM artists who make maybe different or conscious types of music get the recognition and profits they deserve.
How Do You Feel About Originality?
Look, originality can kind of be viewed in two ways to me. We all take from something, like me for instance, I took from Kendrick, Biggie, Tupac, Jay-Z for my hip hop, then Eddie Van Halen, Eric Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, Steve Vai for my guitar style...it all shaped into my own style eventually, but you need inspiration from the artists you love in order to make music that you yourself will connect with. On the other hand, when it becomes basically plagiarism or copy-paste of a former artist, then I feel you do lack originality.
Is There Anything Else We Should Know About You Or That You Would Like to Add?
I'm coming out with what is really my first official album, "Enigma" on August 30th. I think it's my best piece of work yet, and it basically captures all the different aspects of what makes me AL99 the versatile artist.
AL99 is a multitalented hip hop, trap soul, boom bap, pop soul, singing and instrumentalist guitarist, producer, engineer, and songwriter. He has no limits, incorporating Jazz sounds and Gospel rhythms into his beats! His fans call him "Versatile AL" and his peers call him the "GENIUS"! His artist's name is pronounced "AL nine-nine", and is derived from his first name and birth year. He has cultivated his skills through hands-on experience, working with musicians of varying backgrounds. 
