Rock-soul fusion artist ALONZO has released his new single “Black Boy Destiny,” available to stream on all DSPs worldwide. The song is an anthem to inspire all young black men to succeed against the odds, and was created as part of Movember’s “Rooted & Rising Collective.”

“‘It’s no secret that historic and systemic racism in the US has created an environment in which Black men are significantly more likely to experience trauma in their upbringing. Our trauma is also likely to be more severe than any other race. Healing from trauma is an ongoing process in my adult life. Despite all of the challenges that I’ve had to overcome, I am so grateful to be living my dreams. I want to remind all young black men that they too can live theirs.” – ALONZO

In short, what’s the story of ALONZO?

The story of ALONZO is a story of resilience. It is the story of a little black boy from a small town that fought for his dreams. As a child, I struggled with anger and depression. As a teenager, I found healing and release through music and dance. I always had big dreams but was often surrounded by people that didn’t think they were possible. Some did it out of love, some out of fear, and others simply projected their limited beliefs on me and didn’t realize. Despite all of the seeds of doubt planted in my brain I fought anyway. I was a semifinalist on America’s Got Talent, I headlined 4 sold out tours in China and I became a Grammy contender. I’ve gone on to accomplish so much and now my goal is to give back and inspire as I continue my journey to accomplish more. 

Tell us about the inspiration for “Black Boy Destiny” and its connection with Movember’ 

Rockford, IL (My hometown) was in Forbes as the 9th most dangerous city in America and to this day makes the top 10 every year. Statistically, most black men don’t make it out of Rockford. I wrote this song as an anthem to inspire all young black men to rise against the odds. It’s no secret that historic and systemic racism in the US has created an environment in which Black men are significantly more likely to experience trauma in their upbringing. Our trauma is also likely to be more severe than any other race. Healing from trauma is an ongoing process in my adult life. Despite all of the challenges that I’ve had to overcome, I am so grateful to be living my dreams. I want to remind all young black men that they too can live theirs. 

Movember is the largest men’s health charity in the world. This song was released during Men’s Health month to inspire young black men to take action in self-care. 

Rooted & Rising Collective?

I had the honor of being 1/10 selected to participate in the first cohort for Movembers Rooted & Rising Collective. It was a program powered by Movember & Second Muse. In this 11-week program 10 black male creatives attended weekly workshops to receive tools on how to grow their businesses while focusing on self-care. We also were required to follow a creative brief while creating 2-3 pieces of social media content with the intention of inspiring other young black men to take action in self-care and well-being. Together this collective reached over 1.5 Million followers. More on the Rooted & Rising collective here: https://us.movember.com/about/rooted-rising-collective

What are some sources of inspiration for your storytelling?

Life experiences for sure. I always tell myself my life is a movie. 

Any funny anecdotes from the time you were recording or writing

this?

Nothing really funny to be honest haha. This period of time was super stressful and serious for me. I gotta remind myself to have more fun when I’m working. I was really just worried about doing a good job for the collective. 

What inspires your stunning visuals & aesthetic?

I’m inspired by quality. My goal is always to do things to the highest quality possible within my budget. 

What’s a record that shaped your creativity?

HARD QUESTION lol. This record kind of came out of thin air. I was in the shower one day and I literally freestyled the song. No record really shaped the creativity for this particular song but in general I am often inspired by Tina Turner & Prince.

What is your view on genres and music styles since you mix a lot

of them in your music?

I think it’s so annoying to be placed in a box. I also feel really frustrated when record executives say “They don’t know how to market artists like me if we don’t know who we are”. I know who I am. I am an artist that refuses to be placed in a box.  

How would you describe ALONZO in one word?

DETERMINED