On Thursday, Dec. 9 in front of a sold-out crowd at the SF Masonic Auditorium, San Francisco rapper Larry June paused, took a breath and shared with his fans, “I ain’t gonna even lie, this the biggest show I’ve ever done.”
It is that kind of reflection and appreciation for steady progress that has gained “Uncle Larry” a dedicated and loyal national fanbase. During the last month, Larry June has embarked on a 28-city Orange Print national tour spreading his message of healthy living, financial freedom and high-end cars. During the last few years, June’s flexing about paying his bills on time, improving his credit score and drinking organic hot tea has begun to strike a chord with a growing national fan base.
Throughout the Bay Area, one can hear June’s music playing in cars and apparel from his Midnight Organic brand is worn by everyone from patrons at local bars to new arrivals at San Francisco International Airport. In San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood, customers snap Instagram photos outside of Honeybear Boba, the boba shop June opened at the beginning of 2021. This past summer, as some Covid-19 restrictions began to lift, June hosted a Farmers Market-album release party for Orange Print in San Francisco, where he even led a fitness class at the event.
Fans who have followed Larry June’s career since his ‘Glock 40’ days know his success didn’t happen overnight, but rather as a result of confidence, persistence and calculated risks.
Hailing from the Hunter’s Point community in San Francisco, Larry moved to Atlanta with his mom at the age of five. At the age of 14 he briefly moved back to San Francisco before settling in Vallejo to attend high school. In 2014, after a feature in Complex Magazine, June signed a record deal with Warner Records, and released two EPs. Now, as an independent artist, he views his time at Warner as his college years and has credited his experiences there with teaching him the ins and outs of the music industry. These experiences informed how he approaches the business aspects of music, and it has paid off.
Since the release of his 2019 album, Out the Trunk, Larry’s career has reached new heights both in terms of his status in the rap game and his musical output. In 2019 Larry released four albums, and in 2020 he released six projects as well. His music has been featured on HBO’s Insecure and God Father of Harlem on Epix. His song “Iced Coffee” was also featured on NPR’s Best Music of 2021 list.
As a full-time father, which he frequently discusses in his music, Larry has credited his productivity to his parenting schedule during the last few years.
In an interview, June shared, “I got my son full-time. So it started when I was taking him to school in the morning. I knew I had a certain amount of time to get as much done as possible. So, I would wake up in the morning, make his lunch and take him to school. As soon as I’d get back, I’d make sure I dedicated three hours to making music, every day for the whole year.”
On Thursday night in San Francisco, in front of his most loyal fanbase, June not only played hits off his most recent albums, he also played tracks that helped build the foundation for his organic rise today. From “30 Day Run” to “Always Want More,” fans in attendance experienced some of their favorite June songs from the last five years performed live.
True to his “organic” and healthy brand, June took the stage riding a high-end bicycle, with organic orange trees front and center, and a white picket fence in the background. During the performance fans also got a chance to see 40 years of San Francisco rap history take place, as June and Black C, from RBL Posse, performed their songs “Organic Work” and the show closer “Meet Me in Frisco.”
June himself has said he’s not chasing fame, and instead hopes to achieve legendary status staying true to his Hunters Point roots. With a collaborative project with legendary producer The Alchemist in the works, he’s on track to do just that.