Adonis King

Some say that Hip-hop is over-rated hood music these days. You have to truly be eccentric and unique to be heard. Most importantly, you have to be able to pick up a mic and shine brighter than the competition. People often wonder how can such a young artist write and perform with such passion and charisma. “What’s the real deal?” they ask, “Who writes for this kid?” That brings us to ADONIS KING—aka Elijah I Harris- Who truthfully flips the script on numerous levels. His Mixtape, Pretty Gang, is a captivating and emotive debut that heralds the appearance of a gifted and significant new talent, one whose music feels recognizable in the best possible way, while striking out on its own territory.Born as a Washington DC native, the young 18-year-old grew up in a lively household with his two brothers and one sister. King played the saxophone as a child, but didn't take music seriously until he was fifteen. He explains, “I started free styling and writing songs in school with friends, just playing around. My friends heard the songs, and even though we were all broke, they approached me and we combined our money to buy a microphone and recorded on a laptop. Writing songs took my interest in music to another level.” Almost immediately, he formed a three-piece group and began playing for school talent shows, and friend’s birthday parties, going through what he calls, “recognizing himself in music.” “I was never going to settle when it came to music. I wasn't interested in anything I was doing other than music, and I appreciated the wide-openness of my life.” King says.Now recording seriously, King was gathering skill as a songwriter; Adonis didn't land on his personal connection of pop and hip-hop overnight. He took notes on his influences, such as Eminem, Boy George, David Bowie, and Michael Jackson and used them to shape his own style. “I grew up with a lot of 90’s pop,” Adonis explains, “My mom used to go around the house with her broom and sing Michael Jackson all the time. I naturally gravitate to that kind of sound; there’s a warmth and timelessness to it that I’ve always loved.”As his name grew in and around the DMV area, the pieces began to fall into place for Adonis. Entering the WPGC WMS Talent Show in Woodbridge, Adonis won, which earned him some needed cash and the notoriety to begin playing bigger shows for an ever-increasing local audience. Recording continuously, Adonis hooked up with producer Johnny Juliano (who worked with such artists as Wiz