Little Homie

When Big L dropped “Ebonics (Criminal Slang)” in 1998, the late MC invited listeners into his Harlem world replete with a dictionary to assimilate in the concrete jungle. Similarly to L, Dominican Republic’s Little Homie is taking people to his specific stomping grounds of Herrera, a neighborhood in Santo Domingo. His lyrics are inspired by the gritty ‘90s rap stylings of East coast MCs. “Of course, because it’s something different,” he says when asked about bringing the essence of ‘90s New York rap to today’s Latin trap scene. “Nobody is really doing that '90s sound here [in DR]. A lot of people tell me I sound like I’m from over there, like I live in New York Growing up in a humble barrio, he focused on the good rather than the challenges. He admits, his childhood was overall pleasant, because it’s also when he discovered his passion for music. His influences run the gamut of hip-hop including Lil Baby, he hopes to collaborate with Argentina's Bizarrap, and Anuel AA. And you can hear the raw influence on songs like “Natural,” “AADENTRO” and in particular, his “No Fumo, Ni Bebo ‘Freestyle.’” At his best, Little Homie’s words overshadow any beat regardless of the producer. “It really depends on the instrumental,” Homie says about his creative process. “If the instrumental is really fire, a good beat, I can finish the verse in about 20 minutes. It all depends on the beat. I write every day, even when I’m not in the studio—I always have something ready.”