Hip-Hop Lives Here
Hip-Hop Lives Here
AL99 (pronounced “Al nine-nine”) is an artist, producer and multi-instrumentalist on a mission to do more than just make music for people to listen to. He wants people to get inspired and motivated by it. He wants to be an example for young people and show them that being authentic leads to success. His latest track, “Addictive Visions" features Aisha Hall of Yapp City Music/Ghostface of Wu Tang, and demonstrates his desire for new experiences by achieving his goals through not only his music but all of his entrepreneurial endeavors.
Written in 2025, “Addictive Visions” is a laidback rap track with an entrancing melody where AL99 and Aisha Hall bring different flows but both discuss what they want and what they’re trying to achieve. AL’s flow is more relaxed but still confident as he slides from his verse to the hook. Meanwhile, Aisha Hall brings her confidence to the forefront with her verse which packs a punch but keeps the relaxed atmosphere of the track intact.
“I’m trying to see things I’ve never seen before. I’m trying to go places I’ve never been before. And I want to do that through the music path I’m on.” he said.
AL99 wants to lead by example through the authenticity in his music. And with that authenticity, comes diversity in the booth and in the boardroom. He’s earned degrees in Audio Production and Music Business and releases music through his company, TPC (To Progress the Culture) Music Production, whom he has a distribution deal with via Universal Music Group/Bungalo. He wants people to see that he’s an example of how to navigate the music world on your own terms by making the business decisions that are best for your music and everyone else on your team.
The diversity continues on the music side too with AL99 being a fan of music of all kinds and wanting young people to be inspired to live their truth and be themselves. As a multi-instrumentalist he plays the guitar, drums, and keyboard, giving himself a wide-ranging musical ear. This comes in handy not only when he produces his music but when he mixes and sometimes masters it too.
AL sees himself as a voice for those who may not have one because he himself was once the child that was interested in things that were not as popular with his peers. With age came the confidence to fully embrace these interests and now he’s built a career on musical diversity.
“I’m trying to bring something new to the industry. I feel like today people are more open to that in the rap world because people are starting to stray away from what we’ve been seeing for years. They’re embracing the new creative ways people are doing things and I’m a part of that.” he said.
With AL99 pursuing multiple paths that branch out from his music, motivation to keep moving forward is key. Motivation comes from his love of music and his love for sharing his journey in real time while people witness it with him. He feels as he grows in life his audience is growing along with him and they’re navigating life together. And the through line for this is his aforementioned authenticity and accountability.
AL99 has big plans for the future which include expanding his TPC brand and making movies since he already takes a cinematically intentional approach to his music. In addition to more music, he’s also got something special and unique planned to truly illustrate his story but listeners will have to stay tuned to see more about that.
“Addictive Visions” by AL99 featuring Aisha Hall is available on streaming services now.
You can see more of AL99’s authenticity and journey by keeping up with him on these platforms.
LinkTree | Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok
The Starlight PR Team thanks AL 99 for taking the time to speak with us.
Tap in and stream “Addictive Visions” now!
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Tinie Tempah has opened up to NME about being committed to supporting the UK’s grassroots venues, and plans to drop what could be his first new album in nearly 10 years.
The London singer, rapper and producer caught up with us on the red carpet for the 2026 Ivor Novellos, where he is a member of the Ivors board and works to “continue to uplift and promote and protect songwriters” across the country.
Speaking about how the industry has changed since then, the rapper – real name Patrick Okogwu – explained how he and countless others owe their success to the grassroots venues across the country.
As a longtime supporter of the Music Venue Trust and their efforts to help protect grassroots gig spaces, Tempah has joined their bill for Everywhere At Once – a festival taking place at hundreds of vital venues across the UK next month.
“When I think about my time coming up, I think about the 10,000 hours that I put into going around the UK and performing in all the small venues from 100 capacity to 500 capacity,” Tinie said. “I think of all the times I got cheered, all the times I got booed, all the times there was no one there, or when there was one or two people in the crowd.
“I think it was really my rite of passage, because it helped me to build a core fan base, most of whom have stuck with me to this day,” he added. “Obviously we now have social media and you can cast your net out into the wider world, but there is something so important about being in front of people in real life.
“Think about all the scenes that the UK has been able to bring to the forefront over the years – they typically start underground and they typically start in places and spaces like that. So if we lose these spaces, I worry for the next generation of artists.”
He continued: “On top of that, live music is where a lot of musicians make the lion’s share of their income, so if we don’t have these venues to perform in, we’re screwed. Considering how much UK music has impacted around the world, it’s almost our duty as the British population to preserve some of these venues and spaces. Some of them should be institutions.”
Despite years of hard gigging, he has not released any new music since 2020, when he dropped the single ‘Top Winners. His last album was 2017’s ‘Youth’.
Speaking to NME at the Ivors, the ‘Written In The Stars’ singer revealed that he has finally completed work on new music with a renewed and sharpened focus.
“I took a long hiatus and I just went to figure out my life. But I’m definitely back now,” he shared. “There’s a lot of new music coming your way. I’m going to drop the project in September, so I’m super excited for people to hear that and take it in.”
“A lot of it is inspired by what I was just talking about: nightlife culture,” he continued, adding that it will be an album that takes listeners “on a journey through the night from the start – when you even have the idea of wanting to go out – all the way to the messy 4am that we all know and we’ve all experienced.”
“I’m super excited for people to hear it. I’ve worked super hard on it. I’m super proud of it as well.”
More details about the new release are expected to be shared soon, with Tinie Tempah playing at intimate venues across Newcastle, Norwich and Southampton as part of the Everywhere At Once festival next month.
Others on the bill include Becky Hill and The Lathums, and the festival is being spearheaded by Music Venue Trust, The National Lottery, Save Our Scene, and Association of Independent Promoters. Audiences will be given the opportunity to help support various music charities too, with donations distributed to War Child, Nordoff and Robbins, Help Musicians UK and Teenage Cancer Trust. Find remaining tickets and more information here.
The news of the festival’s launch arrived at a vital time for the UK’s live music sector, as reports show that 30 grassroots venues were lost forever between July 2024 and July 2025 – and last year alone saw more than half of those remaining making no profit, with over 6,000 jobs lost.
There is currently an ongoing push for a ticket levy to be introduced, which would see smaller venues and rising talent across the country receive a contribution from arena and stadium gigs to ensure their survival. The pressure is now on for the live music industry to ensure that 50 per cent of these shows are voluntarily paying in by June 2026, or else the government will step in to make it mandatory by law.
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