Rapper, artist, and fashion muse — Aurora Anthony is rising out the streets of New York’s Lower East Side. Swiftly earning a name for himself, the multi-hyphenated artist has dropped off a new track titled, “Terracotta” in support of the launch of his debut album TUNDE. Paired with the recent release, he also reveals the cover art for the album.
THE TUNDE EXPERIENCE: FEATURING ARTISTIC MASTERMINDS AURORA ANTHONY AND REGINALD SYLVESTER II
Aurora enlisted the help of his close friend Reginald Sylvester II to produce an original artwork for the cover art of his upcoming album TUNDE, set to drop on September 10th. It was a no-brainer; Reginald Sylvester II is a well recognized American artist who began his career as a streetwear designer after studying graphic design.
His figures emerge from more abstract brushwork in his large-scale canvases, which are now on display at the Maximillian William gallery in London. TUNDE is Aurora’s specially curated art project that depicts all aspects of his life, and Sylvester’s cover image perfectly reflects that story. Additionally, Aurora’s creative insight as a tastemaker in New York’s art scene is aided by this dynamic collaboration.
THE JUMP OFF
Back in July, Aurora Anthony debuted his first single and video for “Cartier”, and it garnered positive reviews and support from Billboard, OkayPlayer, Flaunt, and many others. Now he’s back with his most recent release titled, “Terracotta”. This trendy track comes as the second release off of his forthcoming album, TUNDE.
The single was distributed via Heavy Sounds Lab, which was created by Jason Geter – the person responsible for discovering T.I. and TravisScott. With this record Aurora explores more melodies on a jazzy backdrop. While the softer hooks act as a sharp contrast to Aurora’s signature deep tone.
THE “TERRACOTTA” TAKEOVER
For now, sit back, pop your airpods in while you relax and enjoy the gentle sounds of “Terracotta” as Aurora Anthony prepares to reveal more. You can also take a look at the drawing and captivating accompanying visuals for his new single below.
MORE ABOUT AURORA ANTHONY
The graffiti artist turned musician and fashion mogul, has garnered a remarkably rapid fanbase. His cult-like following paired with two international tours with the late Chynna Rogers, has led to independent streaming success. As a result it landed him collaborations with Future on “Field Trip,” after hearing it. Following with the positive praise backing his 2020 pandemic release titled “Broncos”. Which has now amassed over 1 million Spotify streams.
When you ask Aurora Anthony what he does, he says “art.” He’s been approached by brands like Nike, Jordan, New Balance, and Ray-Ban to provide them with what every company wants: a stamp of approval from New York City’s “cool” kid. He’s an all around creative because when he’s not recording music, he is: designing apparel, bombing graffiti, or crafting plush toys and 3D-printed chrome sculptures.
To put it in lamest terms, Aurora Anthony is your influencer’s influencer.
Although the world was locked down, that didn’t stop Aurora. Instead, he stayed busy with his lifestyle brand 100 WOLVES, and landing Beyonce’s Top Black-owned Brands to Follow list for 2020 while working on new music. Pre-Covid, Aurora was featured in catwalks at Paris Fashion Week, Guess Brand billboards, and model spreads in Vanity Fair, Financial Times, and Elle Magazine — to name a few.
Aurora Anthony’s impending debut album will serve as the mark of his arrival. It will also showcase to fans what it took for him to get here. Staying true to who he is, getting lit, and making a household name for himself in this industry, all while trying to make his father proud.
THE INTERVIEW: KAZI’s Minnee Chops It Up With The Multi-hyphenated Creative
For now, stay tuned here at KAZI Magazine for the release of his debut album, TUNDE. But first, press play on his trendy track titled, “Terracotta” if you didn’t before and let us know what you think! It’s the perfect peephole into what’s to expect on his new project. Also, before you go! Be sure to take a look at our interview with Aurora Anthony. We talk about everything from new partnerships and the artistry to “Terracotta” and the making of TUNDE. Read more now!
Who Is Aurora Anthony?
- Hey Aurora! Thank you so for taking the time out to interview w| me and KAZI Magazine! We are about to jump into our interview to talk about “Terracotta”, your new EP titled, TUNDE, & more! But first, please share with us your story on becoming a recording artist. How long have you been penning rhymes?!
“So it all started just being from downtown and Lower East Side. I feel like how I got into rapping and everything like that was when I was around a lot of graffiti artists from a young age. I was in graffiti, and then those same people that were doing graffiti were B-boying and rapping. So it was like, all inclusive. I kind of just was like, Oh, my rhythm is off a little bit, you know, but I’m gonna see if I can rap. Then I just got really into music and rapping. I was like, Alright, I think this is what I really want to do; what I’m really passionate about.”
– Aurora Anthony
- How do you put words to paper? What’s your creative process like?
“I try to start with a mood. It’s the mood. Then I always try to explain a moment. So you know, I’ll try to recreate a moment for somebody.”
– Aurora Anthony
- Your music is dope and your fashion is fly! Would you say growing up in the Lower East Side influenced your musical sound and style?
“Of course, I mean, that’s at the forefront. That’s the main thing that inspires me. But because there isn’t a voice or champion from my neighborhood, or , my area, you know, that definitely is the goal to be. To work to being that voice or that person that is you know, the champion from there. That’s one of my main inspirations so that the kids there don’t have to look at other neighborhoods, people, things or adapt to like other like types of sounds or music to want to build, you know. Stuff like that is what really pushes me to want to do what I’m doing.”
– Aurora Anthony
- As a musician — artists always have a particular record they love to perform that really sets the tone. What’s your go-to track to perform?
“Probably “Lil Wolfy”. I feel like it’s a very performative track. So if I’m just starting the show Ior opening up, ‘ll probably perform that first.”
– Aurora Anthony
- Super fans may know this, but your nickname is Wolfy. How did you get that nickname?
That’s a long story lol but I will try to make it short. The whole wolves aesthetic has always been a part of my brand, even my clothing brand is called 100 wolves, so I just became “Lil Wolfy”.
– Aurora Anthony
- Outside of music you’re an entrepreneur and model. Modeling for brands such Nike, Jordan, New Balance, Diesel, Guess, and more. Are there any other dream collaborations you hope to manifest?
“I did Nike for the album. I teamed up with Nike and who I have worked with in the past and I got to do a shoe, an Air Force load to like commemorate the album. It’s dope. So I’m happy about that. But, there as some, definitely other cool things that are gonna come in the next couple of months that I’m pretty happy about.”
– Aurora Anthony
Wolfy & 100 Wolves
- Did your nickname inspire the name of your clothing line? How did the name 100 Wolves come about?
“Like I said before, it’s always been a part of my brand ethos. I didn’t want it to feel inclusive. So you know, calling it like one Wolf, or Wolf, or wolves. doesn’t really sound inclusive. Also, wolves are always in their packs. I was just like, 100 wolves. I have 100 wolves like it’s all of us.”
– Aurora Anthony
- Dope, makes sense. First I’d like to congratulate you! Last year you were featured on Beyonce’s 2020 List of Top Black Owns to Follow. Please describe that experience! When did you launch 100 Wolves Clothing and was your clothing line the launch of your entrepreneurial career?
It was sick, one of those things that I’ll never forget. I’ll never forget that moment. It changed things. Also, it changed my perspective on a lot of things. Because you have to make sure that whatever you’re talking about, or whatever group of people you were talking to, that you’re doing it correctly. Because at any moment, it could get put on front page – on blast. So you better make sure that your communication is right – you know what I’m saying? On point, you know.
-Aurora Anthony
That was the one thing that I took from that. Besides it being one of the most amazing things that ever happened to me & I made a bunch of money, which was cool. But that was a reminder that, “Yo at any moment, this shit could go from zero to 100… Oh shit, I gotta make sure I’m ready at all times”.
-Aurora Anthony
The TUNDE Album
- Your new single “Terracotta” comes on the heels of “Cartier” from the artists’ perspective, how would you say these two records differ.
“Well “Cartier” is more upbeat where on “Terracotta” is more of a feel good vibe. I wanted to give the emotion of Okay, this is how I feel when I’m kind of happier so let me set the mood with a happy song. Then let me give you something that’s not too much sorrow, but let me give you the back end of you know. There’s always good and bad, you know, I’m saying “moments”. I just wanted to give those two because I felt like those two represented those two feelings best.”
– Aurora Anthony
- Both songs are great! What made you choose those two tracks as the leading singles for your debut album titled, TUNDE? Great choices by the way as insights into the project.
“Thank you. I felt like those words could communicate easiest. Without it being too experimental. In terms of the musical sound. I felt like they were still me but also what I wanted to do experimentally with my music. They still followed certain guidelines like the hook, there’s a verse there’s a hook, you know what I’m saying so you won’t get too lost. You won’t be like wait what’s this new thing? I don’t I don’t know if I like it or not. It’s Iike no,no,no… there’s still a signature line you could follow and it’s still my shit. You know. That’s why I chose to lead with those two because those two songs were the two most structured songs. While I still got to put out my artistry. Ya know?”
– Aurora Anthony
- As your debut project, you made a great impression! How long did it take to curate the album?
“Wow, it was so The first rendition was done at the end of 2019. At the end, October 2019. And then I was going to drop after I got off tour. And I couldn’t because I ended up doing something with future. So that just gave me more time to like work on the project. And then COVID hit, right, you know, and I was just like, Alright, let me take a backseat and kind of see what pans out in this time and what’s going on. And then we just gave me more time to work on this, I’d say about like, 18 months. So God spent on the album, and it was originally 15 songs, then we dwindled down to 13. And then it went even lower — then we put put it to 10. So it took some time.”
– Aurora Anthony
- The cover art is so unique and eccentric! I love it. What inspired the image by your close friend and renowned painter Reginald Sylvester II as the cover art?
“So it was an artwork that was already done. And before I even started, my album, it inspired, one of the first songs— Lil Wolfy, which was the first song that I did make. So it inspired that record. I remember coming to the studio, he was working on his next show, and it was called nemesis. He was like, yo, come out of studio, come check out some stuff. And I just got lost in that one painting. I was like, Yo, I need this. Like, we got to figure this out. I don’t know what you want to do. But I need this. I don’t know what I need it for. He was just like, bro, like, I’m not even done with what I’m doing. Like, we’re not even there yet.
Then I kept coming back to the studio and just like being intrigued, I was like, Yo can I take a picture of it. He was like, yeah, take a picture. Go ahead. Like he Never. Never. He always be like Aurora do not take any pictures when you come in. Like I just needed I needed to record. Then I ended up recording “Lil Wolfy” and a couple of other records. And then I was like, Yo, this is my artwork bro! He was just like — he heard the record and he was like, yep, yeah, let’s do it. And then that was it.”
– Aurora Anthony
- Next, you have a short film titled, “WOLF” that you’re dropping with the album. I checked it out — it’s dope & informative. Would love to touch on that! Please tell the fans about the inspiration for the visual & more!
“We shot the film in black and white. I really wanted the absence of color just because I felt like it’d be easier for people to pay attention to the music. Additionally, I wanted the music to stand out a little bit more than the visuals. That was my thought process on that. As this is my introduction album, I feel like I’m only focused on one thing. First, you know, when you introduce yourself to somebody and you don’t know anything about them… you just get the name. That’s it. I kind of wanted to recreate that in video format. So that was like the whole idea for it. Also just to me, I mean once you watch the video I think its self explanatory , but the whole message was that as a creative, it’s hard. As a person, it’s hard. Just as a person, it’s hard.
You could be fighting against whatever you’re fighting, whether it be a real fight or fake fight, whatever fight, it’s a fight nonetheless. And I feel like people are going to watch until you prove otherwise. And it’s okay. You know, even when you’re losing, people are going to are going to watch. And even when you win, guess what, those same people are still going to just watch. So you need to be okay with doing stuff yourself. And that was the whole point of the video to just show like, the struggles of of being a person are the same for everybody.“
– Aurora Anthony
The Artistry of Aurora Anthony
- As you continue to become a multidisciplinary artist and influencer in New York’s Lower East Side, how does it feel to be in this cyclone of good fortune that you’re experiencing right now? How are you handling all of it?
“I mean, I like pressure. So it’s cool. I mean, stress is gonna be stress, you know? And that’s like what I asked for. So I was like, I’m happy. Internally. You know, I’m saying and the only thing that sucks is like when we get caught up and stuff is just like, nothing’s ever going to be enough. There’s always going to be more. You know, I’m saying so that’s just my reminder, my reminders like, Yo, this stuff I’m getting now is things I asked for two months ago. So you know, I’m saying it’s like, just because you have this now it doesn’t mean you can look over this, you know, or look past this. So that’s just my reminder in my head to like, be like, yo, you asked for this. Don’t forget that. This is what you asked for.”
– Aurora Anthony
- Now that you’re on the 1800 roster, how has life changed for you? What was that call and/or experience like?
“I mean, it was cool. Like, it was just dope to work with a big artist and to hear his words and just like to critique the music. And like, he was being super transparent, right? He was like, Yo, I like this, I don’t like this. I like this. I don’t like that. So to just hear certain things and to hear like, Yo, what you’re doing, keep doing that. Don’t listen to anybody, any of these people in this building, just do what you you’re gonna do. That was like, that was helpful, you know? Just because of how I was making music in that camp. Like, you know, I was very different from the other artists and how I was making music. So that was just really good to hear”
– Aurora Anthony
What’s Next?
- As we wrap up, what’s next for Aurora Anthony? Without telling too much…Is it true that there’s a TUNDE x Nike Air Force One collaboration in the works?
“More collabs, more music! BIGGER collabs , better music! Let’s say that. We got some stuff coming so I’m happy.”
– Aurora Anthony
- You recently dropped off the third single, “Lil Wolfy,” in celebration of the new project. For those who haven’t seen it yet, what can they expect?!
“JUST GO CHECK IT OUT, YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED”
– Aurora Anthony
- Thank you so much again for chopping it up with myself for KAZI Magazine today! For more about Aurora Anthony and all of his achievements, stay locked here!
