Larry June, Lifestyle Branding, and Doing Numbers
Song of the week: Larry June - Palisades, CA
This is a really dope record from the artist that today’s piece is about. If you need something to go with the (hopefully) sunny weather outside, then this is one of them ones.
“Bettin’ on myself every time, It’s a hit”
And now, for today’s edition of SNOBHOP…
Larry June is one the best rappers of this new generation and his meteoric rise has been years in the making. For those who don’t know, he’s built a really incredible brand in the process too.
In nearly every category you can think of, the competition is fierce, and Hip-hop is no exception. Branding & positioning are more important than ever knowing that thousands of songs get released every single day.
Larry’s success is in part because he’s mastered the concept of lifestyle — every aspect of his presence in Hip-hop culminates into an aspirational brand that his fans want to be a part of.
To that point, in the early days of SNOBHOP, we published a series of pieces on how rappers are masters at branding. Now that we’re halfway through 2024, let’s run it back with a new edition starting with Larry.
Let’s get into it.
Who Is Larry June?
Larry June, born on April 8, 1991, is a San Francisco-born rapper known for his distinctive laid-back style and entrepreneurial spirit.
He gained recognition with his early mixtapes, and steadily built a loyal following with his consistent output and unique brand that touches on a range of topics from self-improvement to financial literacy.
Albums like Spaceship on a Blade, and The Great Escape have cemented his place as one of the top rappers of this era.
When it comes to Larry’s brand, everything he does is consistent making it easy to describe (personally, that feels like the hallmark of a great brand — you should be able to describe it in 1 to 2 sentences).
The comment below is from a Larry June music vide, and it succinctly describes what you get listening to his music.
With that foundation, let’s break it down some more:
I. Larry’s Brand Identity and Values
A key tenet of branding is about having a clear identity i.e. knowing what you stand for, your values, and what you hope consumers will gain from interacting with your brand.
When it comes to Larry’s brand, you can see the level of detail he’s put into making sure he has a solid identity with the values to match. These values include the aforementioned (self-improvement, hustle, doing numbers, etc.)
One of his most successful records, “Smoothies in 1991” encapsulates all of the various aspects of his identity, and different parts of his business reinforce those in a way that feels cohesive.
The “Tag lines” also help reinforce memory structures.
Larry has a ton of memorable ad-libs, so even if you don’t remember the lyrics, you’ll find yourself using them regardless.
In marketing terms, his ad-libs are essentially tag lines.
They help keep fans connected to the music, the lifestyle, and Larry himself. Overall each piece helps build out his brand’s identity.
Ad-libs like “Good Job, Larry” and “Numbers” encapsulate his ethos of productivity and self-improvement. While ad libs like “Yeehee” and “Sock It to Me” add a layer of flair and style to the song.
Peep below to see Larry breakdown all of his ad-libs in detail:
All of this then flows into the music videos, which often highlight even more themes, including healthy living and staying motivated.
II. Larry’s Visual Identity
Larry’s brand is distinct because it showcases a version of flyness that most rappers today have abandoned — it’s highly curated, and reflective of his personal taste. The lifestyle cues show subtle signs of wealth.
Looking at Larry's album covers, you’ll also notice a consistent theme that carries over to the music videos, and the way he dresses.
From the cars to the clothing brands he wears, Larry’s vis ID feels like an exercise in minimalism in the best way.
One of his newer songs “Imported Couches” highlights just that (cover below)
III. The Brand Pillars
Another important piece of building a lifestyle brand is having pillars that reinforce what the brand stands for. These should work in tandem with the creative platform to pull everything together and make it feel cohesive.
Larry’s brand identity, visual ID, and sub-brands all stand on the shoulders of great pillars — ones that include values like health, wealth, hustle, etc.
Let’s break down each pillar so that you can get a clear understanding of who Larry June is:
Health
Description: Taking care of your physical and mental wellbeing so that you can continue to fly shit at the highest level.
Larry’s music reaffirms the need for fans to stay healthy — his midnight organic brand in combination with music videos, and affirmational tweets show that he wants consumers to associate wellness with the lifestyle he promotes.
Take a look below for example:
Wealth
Description: The accumulation of wealth to live a lifestyle better than the one you’re living.
This is another principle that comes through clearly in all of Larry’s music — the ad libs “Good Job” & “Numbers” that were discussed earlier are audio cues reminding Larry (and his fans) that today’s a good day to boss up.
Getting on your hustle will take you to a new level that he wants you to reach.
Prosperity
Description: A lifestyle filled with riches — imported couches, European autos, and everything in between.
Songs like “Meet Me In Napa” underscore the lifestyle that Larry is living and again — the vis ID is so consistent that consumers can actually build a world from what they’re witnessing.
Hustle
“Thinking bigger, you thought I was cooling, I was taking risks… Betting on myself everytime n**** it’s a hit”
Description: Getting up every morning and grinding and betting on yourself so you can do numbers.
Possibly the most key pillar making up Larry’s platform is the idea of putting in the work so that you can shine later.
Thinking about to the “tag lines” mentioned earlier, many of these are about hustle in its purest form.
Larry’s music shows that he came from humble beginnings and that a mix of grind, work ethic, and risk taking took him to a level where you can go too.
IV. Sub-Brands That Reinforce Parent Brand
Finally, looking at the concept of branding, usually two models come to the forefront: House of brands, vs branded house.
Many lifestyle brands opt for the latter — a branded house of projects that tie back to the product.
Nike does it. Apple does it. Google does it. Microsoft — you get it.
Branded houses are great. They make it easier for consumers to have confidence in new products because they have a direct tie to the master brand.
But then there’s the house of brands concept, which Larry June uses.
He does a great job at creating sub-brands under his main brand, and in this particular case, his merch line Midnight Organic stands out in the category.
Although the merch doesn’t usually have his face/name plastered across it, you know that it belongs to Larry because it’s directly in line with the values he puts forth in his identity.
Outside of music, Larry leans into his brand pillar of health in a very tangible way via his tea shop Honeybear Boba tea.
Again — at face value, if Larry didn’t post about the shop it would seemingly have no connection to him as it doesn’t bare his name.
However, once you connect it lifestyle he promotes, and see him next to it, it’s appears like natural progression from the music and visuals he presents to us.
EPILOGUE
Larry June’s ascent has been dope to watch in real time, and his brand is one my favorites.
If you've never heard any of his music, check it out. And if already listen, don’t forget that today is a perfect day to run it up and do numbers.
That’s my goal, at least. Hopefully you achieve yours too.
Good Job, Larry.
Yeehee
One.