By Cameron Lee
July 6, 2019
When you’re around the Grammy-nominated vocal group The Hamiltones, you immediately sense a chemistry and charisma much like that of three close-knit brothers. But that wasn’t always the case in the beginning.
“We’re gonna keep it real, we were not like brothers, we were actually just guys doing our jobs…this process has kept us together so much, so now? We’re legit brothers,” Tony Lelo said.
Lelo, the most solitary of the group, further explained: “I was the most standoffish person they probably ever knew. Everybody would be on one side of the airport, and I would be on the other side…to the point where 2E and Vito would be like “You gotta stop doing that.'”
In the beginning, J. Vito, BJ the Chicago Kid, and Jack “JK” King were backing up Anthony Hamilton. After BJ the Chicago Kid’s departure — as his career began to blossom through collaborations with major artists like Schoolboy Q, Kendrick Lamar, and Kanye West — 2E, from Greensboro, joined the crew. Eventually, JK left to tour as a backup for Justin Timberlake, and Lelo, from Morrisville, North Carolina, was added.
The guys often crossed paths at events and open mics, moving in similar circles alongside music titans like Fantasia, K-Ci & JoJo, Leela James, and, of course, Anthony Hamilton. Originally introduced to Hamilton by music director Kenny Leonard, it was the persistence of photographer and videographer Lavan Anderson that led the group to record impromptu soul covers of pop hits like “Hotline Bling.” The group remains grateful for those opportunities: “Lavan was really the brains behind puttin’ the camera on us. And, of course, Anthony for allowing us to do what we do,” said 2E.
It didn’t take long for the world to discover The Hamiltones, as the now-infamous Birdman “Put Some Respeck” incident at the Breakfast Club helped create a viral moment for The Hamiltones in 2016 that will forever be embedded in the minds of music appreciators and hip-hop enthusiasts.
In today’s music landscape, The Hamiltones are something of a rarity. In a synth-driven, auto-tune-saturated world of contemporary music, they bring it back to a simpler time, relying on one primary skill: their voices. They’ve amassed a large following in just a few years, and it’s not only their vocal talent that continues to propel the group forward — their personalities are equally infectious. Having traveled much of the world with Anthony Hamilton, they regularly share entertaining snippets of their adventures, along with hilarious improvised skits. For J. Vito, Africa left the biggest impression: “I remember my first time over there, Anthony was singing ‘Her Heart,’ and I just saw people singing the words, crying… it was the Michael Jackson experience. They love Anthony over there.”
For 2E, it’s the people that make the time worthwhile: “It’s been a great experience to be able to travel with people I can call my bros… to be able to travel with our colleagues and musician friends that we’ve come up with… that’s a great feeling. We didn’t outsource and go to Atlanta and get a band or go to L.A. to get a band… we stuck with the people that we came up with from the floor up.”
Now, as a thriving R&B/soul group releasing their debut project Watch The Ton3s — earning press and access comparable to a major-label act — the group is cautiously relieved to have their first project out. “It was good to be able to see people really respond the way they did to the record, but I wouldn’t say we are relieved. We’ve got way more work to do,” said Lelo.
2E felt it a little differently: “It was a weight off my shoulders personally, because I always wanted to put music out there. It was somewhat of a relief that we could put something out and people would get with us.”
As one of the few flourishing independent acts in R&B and soul music today, the journey hasn’t been without challenges. “This whole album was a large part of our team. One guy in particular, Dame — he’s a heavy influence on the distribution side of the Hamiltones… it goes to show the importance of having a good team and people around you that you can trust,” said Lelo, reflecting on the song selection process for the EP.
Even their manager, Brandon Davis, a former rapper from Greensboro, contributed to the project by writing the song “MCBYL.” The remix on the six-song EP features North Carolina’s own Phonte of Little Brother fame and R&B singer Rico Barrino, the brother of Fantasia.
Their music also carries a deep appreciation for home. “North Carolina is turning into the new Atlanta… there’s mad talented and soulful people here, and now talent is being shown. We bringin’ a whole new vibe. North Carolina is on the come-up,” said Vito.
Despite their broad travels and once-in-a-lifetime experiences — including an invitation to the Grammys in 2018 for the song “What I’m Feeling” with Anthony Hamilton — they remain as genuinely humble as they are motivated for more. Their most recent press run included interviews with Charlamagne tha God and DJ Envy on The Breakfast Club, as well as a visit to Sway in the Morning, along with numerous features and appearances on major media platforms. But, as 2E noted, the people are what truly matter and drive the group. Lelo added: “For us, it’s about helping somebody else, and that’s through song… if somebody is like, man, ‘I don’t wanna be here no more,’ then maybe they can go and listen to ‘Gotta Be Lovin Me’ and take that to themselves.”
The Hamiltones are a soulful representation of the Carolinas that continue the history of R&B music following the trail of Anthony Hamilton and K-Ci & JoJo. The music industry landscape may have changed drastically since their days, but you can find traits in J. Vito, 2E, and Lelo that remind you of a simpler time in the Carolinas, when genuine laughs and tenderness were just as fulfilling as “likes” are now on social media. There’s a sense of family that, in the beginning may have not felt like a brotherhood, but ultimately lead to The Hamiltones becoming North Carolina’s favorite musical sons.
Listen to the EP Watch The Ton3s by The Hamiltones and follow the group on Instagram and Facebook.
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