Tobi lou is the artist you may not have heard yet—and wonder why he isn’t already in the mainstream. With catchy beats, smooth delivery, and a voice made for radio, tobi lou delivers hit after hit.
His latest single, “Hit and Run,” is collaborative track featuring Chief Keef, Saba, and internetboy. The beat is catchy, the verses on point. The rest—well you would be missing out if you don’t listen to it.
In an interview with tobi lou, we also had the pleasure of speaking with his mother and hearing all her insight (and favorite lyrics).
As told by tobi lou’s mother, he first embarked on his musical journey around age 7. From that point onwards, music came hand in hand with his baseball career. In college, tobi lou played D1 baseball and played in the independent league—winning a championship with Joliet Slammers his first year—until an injury ended his career. Tobi lou used the transition to return to music—full time. “We, as parents, gave him an ultimatum,” shares tobi lou’s mom. “You can’t just do music. If you’re going to do it, go figure it out on your own.” And so, he did, moving to Los Angeles and driving Uber, while mastering his art along the way.
Once in Los Angeles, tobi lou wasted no time launching his music career. Years later, he’s still based in LA and making his mother proud. “I’ve been leaning more toward feeling like a scientist—experimenting and trying new things out. That’s always what I’ll be about,” explains tobi lou.
What’s the story behind “Hit and Run”? “There’s no crazy story,” shares tobi lou. “Internetboy—a producer from Detroit—sent me a song I really liked. I asked him to remix it differently—I had an idea for it. That was before the pandemic. I kept adding to the production and wanted to get some features on it, so I sent it to Saba, a rapper from Chicago. Then [it made its way] to Chief Keef and he sent it back. And that’s how it came to be.”
Tobi lou isn’t trying to get across any particular message with his song other than reminding people to have fun. “It’s something that’s catchy that can take people’s minds off stuff. Enjoy the journey,” he says. The unexpected song itself is a musical journey filled with twists and turns.
It’s also a tribute to Chicago in its own way. Three different type of Chicago artists come together on the track to make it special. “Chicago soulful,” adds tobi lou.
Make sure to stay connected to tobi lou on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.
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