South Carolina native Thirty6Kealo embodies confidence, hustle, and perseverance in his rhymes; all the right ingredients for a successful artist. 
 Rather than become a martyr to a lifestyle you learn all too well when growing up in a rural, deep-southern county, Thirty6Kealo turned his environment into motivation. 
 Ambitions for a better quality of life are the driving force behind Thirty6Kealo’s music, and it always has been. Growing up in Marlboro County with a population of less than 30,000 people combined meant a lack a resources and abundance of trouble. His 2020 debut album, 111, is where the pieces clicked. Matured from the raps about drunken behavior and girls, Kealo has now found himself in the position to grow or shrink to the pressures of life. 
 Mixing down-south beats with prosperous lyrics and affirmations, the goal is bigger than keeping up with online optics. It's more than the music. That's clear on tracks like "Soulja Slim" and "Through a Fence" from his aforementioned album. Boisterous rhymes still make an appearance on an anthem like the 1stclass produced banger "Rioz". 
 On his latest release Evergreen Ct. we see his artist arc continue over 13 tracks. Standouts like "Stay Down You'll Come Up" and "Make Yourself Proud" not only display Kealo’s storytelling ability, but also resonates with listeners on the same path of life trying to figure it out. 
 Amongst peers, Thirty6Kealo is in a lane of his own.