Self-described “hick town” rapper Ciurleo had a busy 2018 marked by a sharp learning curves. He asks smart questions, and I’ve been impressed so far by his approach to the business of music. He’s been booking shows, moving merch, and learning from multi-talented collaborators like Big Homie Wes and, especially, THEN WHAt. Along the way, he also landed spots in an episode of the legendary Grind Mode Cypher as well as the second volume of the local production, the Extra Mile Cypher.
Between the recent release of his debut project, Better Late Than Never, and his upcoming tour, it was past time to catch up this with this young rap entrepreneur.
VTHH: You've always distinguished yourself as an artist who wants to learn, and stranger still, wants to get feedback. Does that humility come naturally to you or do you have some sort of system?
Ciurleo: I’ve always had that “I want more” attitude so I think in terms of trying to learn and grow, it’s something we will always be doing as life goes on. Four years ago, I had no idea there even was a scene ... so with that being said, even though I’ve been rapping since 2010 ... I feel like the new kid on the scene. With so many talented artists and people in the scene, it’s hard to not wanna pick their brains. Lately though, I’ve just been making sure to surround myself with people who I think are better than me. That raises the bar right away.
VTHH: What do you think has been the key to your success in the past year?
Ciurleo: A lot of it has just been showing up. I’ve gotten a lot of opportunities by being in the right room with the right people. I was always taught “it’s not what you know, but who you know.” So I have always tried to keep that in mind when meeting people and conducting myself from a business aspect.