‘New Detroit’ is Bigger than Lelo

His new single, “Kudos,” is out now.

Photography by Christian Wohler

When we think of Detroit rap, we think of heavy-hitting drums, incomparable piano chords, and old-school samples transformed into fast-tempo background vocals. Lelo is doing that and more. The Detroit-born rapper integrates the city’s signature sound with cadences and flows reminiscent of Lucki, Earl Sweatshirt, Tony Shhnow, and other alternative rappers. He’s done this with no features—racking up tens of millions of streams on his discography.

Lelo is coining the term ‘New Detroit.’ While this term often comes off as a negative connotation due to Detroit’s rapid gentrification, Lelo is shifting that narrative as someone who is near and dear to the city’s culture. For him, ‘New Detroit’ is a perceptive concept; it’s putting his own dynamism to Detroit’s paradigmatic music.

“It’s my take on my position in the Detroit space,” Lelo says. “I’ve always existed in this space. I was born and raised in Detroit, and the music influenced me, but there are also a slew of other influences. It’s my way of paying homage to what I grew up on while introducing my own wave into it.”

In his new track, “Kudos,” Lelo confronts the inauthenticity around him. Lelo is the needle in the haystack. He’s played the game, and now he won’t let it play him. “These niggas want kudos for what?” Throughout the song, it’s evident Lelo is fed up with the BS, and it comes out in his inflection accompanied by a Detroit snare and synth sounds often heard in Atlanta songs.

Lelo began making music as a teenager, and since then, he’s set a precedent of always experimenting with his compositions and production. The ‘New Detroit’ sound stems from his family’s love and knowledge of various genres of music.

“My grandfather is a huge music-head,” Lelo says. “My dad made music. My mom’s entire pregnancy was spent in the studio. It just made sense. I grew up around it. It got to a point where I knew I could make it, too. My father made rap music, and my mom was really into R&B—she loved Xscape. My grandfather loved everything.”

It’s pretty easy to distinguish when someone is from Detroit. Aside from their Midwestern, almost-country-like accent and the abundance of Cartier buffs, Detroiters have a certain je ne sais quoi—a demeanor that most cities don’t acquire or recognize.

“It’s like a bravado—almost a confidence that just comes from being from here,” he says. “For many people in many different avenues, you have to adapt and find a sense of belonging in the space, whereas, in Detroit, everybody has a vibe that feels like you belong already. I didn’t have to carve it out. I already had the confidence.”

Like many great artists, Lelo’s process is not linear. There is no organization to it—just creating. It could take him one week to finish one song or three songs in one day. Fatefully, his roommates make house music, and he’s also invested in how they make music. He says their meticulous yet free-flowing techniques rub off on him, so he’s taking them on himself.

“For the most part, my lyrics are my experiences and conversations, Lelo says. The conversations are especially with my grandfather because he says a lot of clever shit. He’s just that type of person.”

Last year, Lelo opened for Bktherula, Yhapojj, and skaiwater at their Detroit show, and not only did the stars align perfectly for that link-up, but so did their sounds. Soon after, Lelo hopped in the studio with Earl Sweatshirt and Pi’erre Bourne, whose sounds align with his ‘New Detroit’ perspective.

“I’ve definitely expanded my sound, but I think a lot of it comes from how little of what I can do I’ve shown,” Lelo says. “I’ve been really meticulous about only doing so much. There are 20 more avenues I’m already comfortable with or familiar with sharing, but I just haven’t done it yet. The studio sessions are a way of including things that I’ve already been in-depth with.”

As Lelo emerges from the underground music scene with almost one million monthly listeners on Spotify, people are finally catching on. Regardless of how recent the bountiful streams are, he says the most fly and trend-setting listeners mean the most.

“There will always be somebody that other people look up to who are also vouching for me,” he says. “I think what that’s done now has made for a big ol’ cascade of all of that paying off at the same time.”

It’s not only music Lelo is dedicated to; he also dabbles in fashion, as heard in his song, “Main Event.” He recently traveled to Paris Fashion Week for the first time, and it felt natural for him. Lelo can easily make a niche fashion reference in lyrics.

“I can curate a sound in the same way a designer will look at their pieces,” Lelo says. “It makes sense that I’m touching on the two so much.”

Lelo hasn’t let his foot off the gas and doesn’t plan to do so soon. In addition to keeping Detroit and its rich culture on the map, he’s also making a name for himself. He wants to keep exploring his voice and lyrics over different genres, collaborate with artists he’s never imagined, and give back to Detroit first and foremost.

“The most important part is that it’s real,” he says. “It’s important to have an actual relationship with these people before anything happens. I’m just building the story.”

‘New Detroit’ is bigger than Lelo. The concept is not just to convey his style of music but also to shed light on those who have influenced and impacted him. He aims to give back to Detroit first and foremost and, ultimately, put on for himself and for his city in this next chapter of his life.