Features : New Jersey Hip-Hop Trio The Underdogs Are Working-Class Heroes Who Inspire On Debut Record “Be About It”

“We needed to be patient and hold off on releasing our music until it’s industry quality,” Lady Ink says. “A lot of people want instant gratification and results, but if it’s not quality, it’s not reaching the people.” 

That patience paid off, as the New Jersey artists who met over Instagram spent two years refining their sound and crafting meticulous Latin-infused and house-inspired hip hop. The result is a debut album full of hard-hitting danceable tracks that are ready for the club and trippy, groovy beats perfect for the afterparty.

“The music speaks for itself. Sometimes I listen to the records and I can’t believe this is us,” she says.

The lead single off “Who Let the Dogs Out?” is “Be About It,” a hard-driving hype track that Lady Ink calls a “statement record.”

“We felt like a lot of people will talk about it but won’t really be about it. We don’t just talk about it, we be about it,” she says. 

The Underdogs are already proving how they “be about it.” Even as their debut album is making waves, their luxury sneaker and fashion brand Underdog360 is turning heads. Lady Ink says The Underdogs already have two more albums worth of material that will be dropping soon, with their second album arriving in mid-November. 

Talking on the phone from her home in New Jersey, Lady Ink is passionate about the way she wants The Underdogs’ music and style to be understood by their fans. She says the entire band comes from working-class backgrounds and immigrant parents and knows that the odds are stacked against them as they enter the music world. That’s where their name comes from. 

“It’s highlighting the perseverance of an underdog. That hunger can’t be replicated. It can’t be taught” she says. “It can mess with your confidence and give you doubts. Coming from nothing, your dreams and goals can feel far-fetched and out of reach. It’s hard to talk about sometimes because you feel foolish. 

“I want to reach the audience that feels that way and show them they can be whatever they want.  When they see what me and my team have created out of nothing, it’s going to inspire them to see and know their power.”

But Lady Ink says her ambitions are about more than just becoming a hip-hop and fashion mogul.

“My reason for doing things is more than money and fame. I really do want to be able to help out the communities and give back. Without the fans supporting and being there, it wouldn’t be possible,” she says. 

Make sure to stay connected to The Underdogs on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.

Websites:
Apple Music
YouTube

Socials:
360underdog IG
straight_outta_jerz IG
kingbohailbutta IG
therealrafayel IG