RH First Look: Aleon Craft

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Last fall I made a trip out to Atlanta. While I was in town I asked a few people about artists that were “bubbling” as the tastemakers say… One name was repeated a little bit more than others, and I got a real vision of things when this young man’s music came on at the club… Everybody went nuts. The person I speak of is Aleon Craft, who retooled the spelling of his name a little bit, the direction of his music, and the mentality of his hustle from the harder way to the smarter way. Craft says, “I’ve more so just started moving smarter and strategically…. I have grown and matured, mentally and musically.”

That growth was in part manifested by a unique collaboration with Atlanta’s Symphony Orchestra, a musical partnership that was perhaps as unexpected as musical partnerships go. Craft spoke to us about working with the symphony, his not so out of this world partnership with SMKA, and more in this new RH First Look.

RubyHornet: I’m told that this is sort of like a reintroduction for you, and in the last couple months you kind of halted things to restart them? If that’s the case, what are some things you’re changing and what brought on the attitude to chill? We’re kind of taught to always, always be hustling, grinding etc… But it seems you have to hustling the right way?

Aleon Craft: I haven’t necessarily halted the grind. I’ve more so just started moving smarter and strategically. And yes, this is a reintroduction of myself. I have grown and matured, mentally and musically.

RubyHornet: Your name, Aleon Craft, very interesting… When did you pick up the name, and am I right to think it’s meant to communicate that your music is out of this world, or perhaps given to you by a higher power it is in a sense an “alien craft”.

Aleon Craft: That name just came to me during one of my nightly, star gazing, sessions. Aleon Craft is a term that simply lets you know that my craft/art is outside the box; limitless like the universe; not of this world; alien.

RubyHornet: Where did your relationship with SMKA start as far as producers/emcees? It’s really a cool thing when an artist vibes so much with a producer, and sadly something that not every emcee/producer gets to enjoy… Almost the way they picked those flying dog type things in “Avatar”, it just has to be a mutual choice. What makes the connection w/you and SMKA so smooth?

Aleon Craft: We meet through music. The 808 Experiment Vol. 1., the song “Caddy’s”. And with 808 Blake being a Decatur dude like myself, we had to vibe out and see what we could come up with…you feel me? It helps when everyone involved has the same goals, which in our case is good music. Staying humble and focused.

RubyHornet: You were featured on CNN with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. What’s the response been like, good and bad? I’m sure you had congratulators, but were there others that talked s**t about it, or made you feel like you were selling out?

Aleon Craft: The response has been overwhelming. I still can’t believe I was a part of that. An amazing experience. If there were people who talked s**t about it, that’s good, too. They’re still doing what I need them to do. Listen.
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