Aloe Blacc is best known for his UK No. 1 hits "I Need a Dollar" and "The Man" as well as his vocal on the global hit "Wake me Up" by Avicii which reached #1 in 103 countries. Raised on salsa, merengue, and cumbia, Aloe Blacc fell in love with hip-hop as a kid and started writing rap songs when he was nine. With his lyrics drawing influence from socially conscious artists like KRS-One, he put out his first hip-hop mixtape at age 17. Later developing a fierce admiration for such soul musicians as Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye, he also discovered an affinity for folk-rock singer/songwriters during his college years. "One of the most important factors in my transition from hip-hop to being a singer was listening to people like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Kris Kristofferson, and Cat Stevens," Blacc says.
