Lanii was born and raised in East New York, where he resides today. The hardest-working rapper in Brooklyn, I was able to sit down with him right before a video shoot. The two of us met in prep for prep, though we are clearly both different people from 9 years ago. Lanii gives immediate credit to his mother and 2 older brothers for keeping him away from the elements of the East. They have also been integral in his transition to artistry, both then and now. The first “rap” that Lanii ever heard was Paid in Full by Eric B and Rakim and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. He talks at length about how both albums helped him understand the craft of music itself, focusing on both the sonic qualities and lyrical elements. One love that Lanii never could’ve anticipated, was the one that he found for lacrosse. Developed during his stint at prep school, which was otherwise unpleasant, he played SSDM and enjoyed the speed of the game. Initially playing for his football development, it became an enjoyable pastime, with aspirations to play like Duke legend Myles Jones. Lanii was candid about the aforementioned prep school experience, often left stranded in his battle to be his entire self in a white setting. We echo similar sentiments about the immense pressure and unfamiliar territory that “drove him crazy” in his own words. His rap career has provided him with a positive outlet, both for his emotions and mental health, to talk about things such as that. Lanii made his writing process sound simple when he explained it to me, a skeletal approach building from the ground, humming flows into his phone before lyrics. However, his power is in his pen, and ability to make people feel as he puts it so eloquently himself. Flirting between his natural East coast roots and the melodic sound present on tracks “All Wrong” and “Took On A Lot This Year”, Lanii is in a lane of his own. He admittedly doesn’t like listening to serious music all of the time, and reminds himself to have fun throughout the process. He looks back at all of his records collectively as an “audio history book” , and enjoys tracing his story through verse. Throughout the episode, Lanii made sure to acknowledge his frequent collaborators, from producers and fellow rappers to his manager. His tight-knit group often appears in his music videos(or he appears in theirs) and help provide a support system through the trials and tribulations of music making. For those who have never heard a Lanii tune, he recommends “Dussé”, “Good Riddance” and “Pyer Moss”. The former two have accompanying videos, easily findable on YouTube, and “Pyer Moss” is the most recent release of the 3. Once again living up to his work ethic, Lanii released a song just days after his interview, “Took on A Lot This Year”.The motivation melody and artwork reflect the authenticity of the record, where Lanii details prevailing through adversity. This song and more available on All streaming platforms. You can find the lyrics here on genius!: https://genius.com/Lanii-took-on-a-lot-this-year-lyrics Recorded: 1. 28.21.
