As Leone Capone enters the studio at WCRXFM, he immediately greets the “Sessions @33” team warmly with a huge friendly smile and handshakes/fist bumps all around. This positive energy exemplifies his down-to-earth personality and his ability to acclimate to his surroundings. These, along with superb talent, is why he is on the fast track to success in the music industry.
Born and raised in Chicago, IL, and a graduate of Gary Comer College Prep, Leone has always been attracted to music. In fact, his earliest memories capture the significance of this impact. “Some of my earliest moments of music were in elementary school. I was on the sound team, and I had the pleasure of getting out of class early to do so. I also did a lot of freestyles with my friends in high school at lunchtime which helped me write some songs.”
As Leone started to explore a career in music, he settled upon Columbia College Chicago, which was a natural choice. “Some of the reasons I chose Columbia were to be an artist, and develop my creativity. I developed as an artist through connections I’ve made here, through classes that help educate me, and I put that into my music. This is why I grow every time any new music comes out, because it elevates my mind.”
I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss my first-time meeting with Leone. I was instantly captivated by his pursuit of his craft, musical talent, and most importantly, his desire to help others. This, according to Leone, is something that is second nature to him due to his upbringing. “Growing up, my father and godfathers were heavy into politics. They brought many communities together, and one day my father and I fed the homeless and I knew that’s what I wanted to do, help people, especially the homeless. Once going into high school, I joined a male mentoring program in which I am now a mentor, and we did and do so much in the community to make sure that families don’t go without. I love seeing people happy because you never know what someone is going through, and I live by that. My mom also worked with women who were domestically abused, and I saw how important it is to treat people how you'd wanna be treated.”
Having a platform to showcase music, as well as tell a story in the songs chosen for performance, are just two of the reasons Columbia College Chicago music artists value Sessions @33. According to Leone. “It’s very important because it’s an outlet for artists who usually wouldn’t have one. We get more opportunities to showcase our talent, and the connections from Sessions @33 allow more connections, which allow our voices to be heard.”
With a wide swath of influences, Leone cites the following as crucial to his style. “Common, Mos Def, Lil Wayne, Talib Kweli, Wu-Tang, G-Herbo, and my mother and father especially. My mom had me grow up listening to a lot of House Music, and my dad had me listening to a lot of HOV (Jay-Z).”
Leone’s future goals stand alone as a testament to his brilliant mind at work, as well as his empathetic nature. “I want to open a building dedicated to the homeless, and build my life of music, candle making, mentoring, and more. I want to continue to build my legacy as I have started doing now, and make sure that I help to save as many lives as possible and change as many as possible. I want to leave my impact and mark on many, and my goal is to make someone smile every day.”
Sessions @33 is a series featuring Columbia College Chicago music artists performing a 4-song set in an intimate performance space at WCRXFM, Columbia’s very own radio station. In addition to the artists getting exposure, students from various departments get experience in filming, audio recording, and talent management. Support these fantastic up-n-coming artists, as well as the collaborative efforts of the students involved behind the scenes, by watching sessions on YouTube, as well as listening to the podcast version on either Apple or Stitcher.
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