Aloe Blacc

Aloe Blacc, born Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III, is an American soul singer, rapper and musician born in 1979 in Orange County, California.

He began his career in 1995 as an MC, partnering with hip-hop producer Exile to form the independent rap group Emanon (3), and is also a member of The Black Love Crew.

His solo career began with the album Shine Through in 2006, followed by Good Things in 2010. In 2009 he collaborated with the Cradle Orchestra under the pseudonym Bee for the project Open Your Mind.

His song I Need a Dollar, which became the theme for the HBO series How to Make It in America, achieved major success on European charts, enabling him to sign with the major label Epic Records for its release in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

A multi-instrumentalist, he is known for his ability to produce, rap and sing, drawing influences from Cat Stevens’ folk to Negro Spirituals. His sound often moves through digital R&B with Latin nuances and a hip-hop pulse; he recorded a Spanish-language cover of Ordinary People and has collaborated with other artists, for example on Work 2 Do.

Aloe Blacc is married to Australian rapper Maya Jupiter.