This is truly a dynamic duo you won't want to miss out on.
Angelo is a Colorado native whose father raised him in Aurora while his mother was in and out of prison. He grew up an avid reader and writer, eventually taking his stage name from Walter Mosley's novel. The now 21-year-old first discovered his undeniable talent for music while attending William Smith High School, where he took a two-week"rap intensive" course as an elective."For two weeks we were in class the whole day writing raps, learning about rap, going to the studio.
Christian Angelo, aka Forty $even, also has an R&B album in the works, which he plans to release under his real name."It was summer 2020, and I put up a post like, 'I'm trying to work with other artists and build a team. If you have talent and you work hard, send me some music, hit me up,'" Arnold remembers.
After an initial meeting, Arnold invited Angelo to a group studio session, where he was an obvious standout."For me, personally, it was clear," Arnold says of his first encounter with Angelo."This one right here? He was a light, for real. I felt embarrassed for some of the other people in the room, to be honest. He was really comfortable, and it was clear to me that he was better than most artists that I've heard, period.
Despite the age difference and Arnold's tenure in the hip-hop scene, the relationship between him and Angelo is rooted in mutual respect and equal recognition of each other's talent, rather than an unbalanced power dynamic."When I was a little kid, I always had a problem with adults because I knew I was smart and I had shit to say, but no one wanted to listen because I was young.