Lottery life has been driven by chance. He came from a rough upbringing and background that included a run-down trailer park in upstate New York and family cycling through needles and jail cells. The music carried Lottery through a short childhood and he put it on the shelf in order to stay on top of bills. His life finally got a little bit more stable, he moved to Raleigh North Carolina, dived right back in, and fully transitioned himself into the artist known as “Lottery”. Lottery put his first single out in 2017. He takes inspirations from artists ranging from Whitney Houston and Tribe Called Quest to J. Cole and Eminem. The death of one of his many idols Mac Miller, inspired Lottery to kick it into overdrive and start planning bigger, thus resulting in the release of his album. Nipsey Hussle’s death gave Lottery the drive he needed to give the genre its justice. Although his streams may currently be low, the amount of support he receives from fans is phenomenal and it pushes him to excel past greater heights.
Lottery released his single titled “Wolf” and we’re almost positive he will do this genre complete justice. His flow and delivery were insane. The way he lyrically spits is just unbelievably compelling. There’s a huge gap in the music industry right now for a rapper like Lottery. Someone with a story to tell but a talent to match. He creates lyrical substance in his music while remaining appealing to the mainstream lovers of hip-hop. The beat has a nice trap feel to it, presented in the hard-hitting bass. Lottery shows multiple transitions through his verses and delivery. He doesn’t stick to one flow or even tempo. His sonically produced voice is translatable across the genre of rap. Lottery raps like he KNOWS he’s talented and that’s remarkable. The cocky atmosphere around his delivery is great for adding attitude to his music. “Wolf” was a nice song that reminded me of a song many of the rap greats would make. Lottery is going to fill the missing piece of the puzzle, and we’re excited to witness the greatness unfold.
Listen to "Wolf" here and get to know more about Lottery in our interview below!
Thank you for sharing your story with us Lottery! In what ways have your background and growing environment impacted your artistry today?
Well, there’s a lot of story there. Number one, I guess, comes down to money. I grew up in a poor trailer park in a rich area of New York. I never had much, and to be honest, I still don’t. Other kids got Audi’s in high school, I got dropped off to a dirt lot by public transit. After I moved to North Carolina, I spent a lot of time dodging evictions, had a repo on my car, I was literally scrambling to stay afloat. I slept on couches, bummed rides and food, hit sidewalk for hours just to get to the ATM in time to pay a bill. I think it’s pretty clear in my songs that I’m craving a better way of life. I don’t need to be rich, but I’m sure as hell sick of being broke. Enough is enough, time for me to break the cycle, or die trying to get there.
We noticed your super cool stage name “Lottery”. Does this represent the many chances you’ve taken in your lifetime? Mind explaining the context behind the wavy name?
Of course, it does represent chance on the surface. I mean, I spent time with people who have overdosed right next to me. It coulda been me instead, you know? So yeah, it does represent a little bit of chance. But really, I lost so often that it started to feel like life was a lottery, and I kept getting losing tickets. What better way to bite back than creating my own winning ticket? And then naming it, myself, after the analogy that brought me here? I don’t think there’s any.
What was the meaning behind your song “Wolf”?
Well, I really wanted to do something with a Japanese vibe. So, I made the track, and kept that vibe as a reference point for some of my lyrics. What I’m talking about, though, is kinda what I got at in the other questions. I’m “sick of the ditch that I’m in… I gotta hustle for Hussle, and Mac, and all of the idols that been.” So basically, it’s about how I have to carry on, the reasons why, how I don’t have much but I’ve gotta change that. There’s some deeper layers in there, and in my opinion, a catchy af hook. But put simply, I’m hungry like the wolf. Shout out to Duran Duran.
In what ways have you elevated your sound since your first release?
Many. Many, many, many. My first release used a pre-processed apple loop and some stock drum sounds, I didn’t really know what I was doing with a microphone, and I feel the performance of it could have been stronger. But, it’s a first release. I could go back and fix it at any time, but I’d rather look forward. In comparison, when I was putting Wolf together, I found a great sample, pitched it and EQ-ed a bit, layered in some drums, put the works into production, recorded it just how I wanted, and polished it for hours. I truly don’t think you see the same artist when looking at the tracks together. But that’s just the technical side of things. Stylistically, I pick things up all the time. I might listen to a new Earth Gang song, fall in love with a particular flow, and try to modify it or create something entirely new. Or I might throw on an older record and hear a sound that I just have to have. Really, it’s like a puzzle that’s always getting new pieces. Right now, I’m feeling the Japanese stuff. Who knows what direction I might find next?
What’s next for you, Lottery?
I have a bunch of plans, some of them I’m waiting on some more traction for, some are coming very soon. Like, I have a couple of album ideas fledged out with songs already attached to them. Still, I’d rather have some better means and connections before finishing them to truly make them something special. Currently, I’m working on a mixtape, the one that Wolf’s on, and I’m spending the year to try to make it the best I possibly can while making sure it resonates with the hip-hop community. In between then and now, I’ve got some throwaway singles planned for the fans to vibe with and maybe even gain a few more before the tape drops. I’m also launching my website and refining my brand a bit, that’s just around the corner. I’m working on shows and physicals, and eventually merch. Aside from all of that, I’ll just be hitting my day job until I earn enough from my music to quit it, and then we’ll see where things go. I mean, after all, it’s the music above all else. If I can afford to live from doing what I love, what’s to lose?
Connect with Lottery on social media:
Twitter - www.twitter.com/Lottery_MSK
Instagram - www.instagram.com/lottery_msk
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