Al Hostile Presents a New Flavor With Home Grown
Maryland-grown music artist Al Hostile photographed by Joseph Mukendi.
When Al Hostile first heard that his song Sum Real, a song off his latest album Home Grown was going to be on the radio, he couldn’t help but pull into the nearest McDonald parking lot and call the producer of the song, Trill800, and shed a few tears. “Hell Yeah! You deserve this man... Be in the moment!” Trill800 encouraged him and he did just that. When Sum Real came on the radio his followers on social media blew up his mentions with congratulations and reposts following the release of his highly anticipated album Home Grown.
Front cover album artwork for Home Grown, photographed by Lani Jetson.
Home Grown, an 8-track R&B and soul project, introduced Al Hostile listeners to a new sound of his. Previously, Hostile’s sound has always been centered around rap so when he dropped promo snippets of his ‘new’ sound working with artists that would be featured on the album, including Kasey Jones, B. Alexis, Matt McGhee, and Tim Arlington, it raised the anticipation.
Growing up, Hostile listened to Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson Family, and Jill Scott. Even now he describes his music taste as very broad, from Chinese Jazz to R&B to Country. When Hostile made the switch from rapping to R&B, he said, “I don’t think it was a specific moment in which I decided–it just happened over time. There wasn’t a moment where I decided I was going to make a R&B project. It's kind of just turned I was only thinking R&B overtime. It just felt like I don’t feel like rapping anymore.”
Back cover album artwork for Home Grown, photographed by Lani Jetson.
Home Grown, nurtured by Executive producer Matt McGhee, Mad Bliss, and Trill800, brought Al Hostile’s vision to life. “The creative process of Home Grown was easier working with hands-on producers. All these guys I’ve been working with since 2014, 2015. We have chemistry, we have a real relationship.”
Hostile did not expect the reactions he got from the album. “I cried about 1,000 times. I felt proud because that’s one thing I’ve always wanted to do was sing. Two friends of mine, Mike and Eazy, who passed had been through my musical journey with me... For this finally to come out and for them to not be around kind of sucked. Real bittersweet.”
The year 2020 introduced some crazy themes to the music artist, one being the inspiration behind one of his favorite songs on the album Can’t Sleep. Can’t Sleep came from quarantine. “The girl who I was talking to [at the time, she and I had broken up] so the fact that we couldn’t see each other... drew inspiration. The big thing with me is the story behind things.”
Al Hostile photographed by Lani Jetson.
When it comes to inspiration and Al Hostile finding his sound, the thing that inspires him most is life itself. “I know life is not promised... The fact that I can wake up and say ‘hey, I’m alive’– that inspires me to make music.”
What's next for Al Hostile? “More singing opportunities. I want to perform... I feel the need to be on the stage performing the new music on Home Grown. So, look out for that!”
