Latin Threat Brings a New American Flavor to Hip Hop

Omaha, Nebraska recording artist Latin Threat (aka Joshua Bates) is a definite artist to watch.  This MidWest Latino (Mexican American) brings a fresh flavor to hip hop since his style is a sprinkling of influences from the East Coast (like Big Pun, Fat Joe, Fabolous), West Coast (like B Real, Kid Frost) and South (Baby Bash, Chingo Bling) that he rolls up into his own style he termed “struggle music.”  His lyrics are a testament to his life experiences and definitely communicate the grind that the MidWest hustle has required this single father of 5 to push through.

Identifying a strong musical influence as early as 6 years of age, hip hop greats like EPMD, Eric B and Rakim, and Tribe Called Quest left their imprint on the young Threat.  Add the rough reality of gangs, drugs, and jail with an early stay in juvenile detention followed by 5 years of federal prison, and you’ve got the perfect mixture for “struggle music” to make its debut. “I had a notepad with me everywhere while I was inside.  It became my voice to feelings and experiences I had never talked about much less wrote about. It became the way I could communicate my truth.  I grew up in a Black neighborhood despite being Mexican.  I saw us all as one,  then when I went to prison things were different.  I understood the politics but it didn’t change my point of view.  We were all one people strugglin in this life.  It gave me even more to write about.”

After his release his music spoke to the fierce and raw life of a Midwest Hustler catching the ears of many.  Releases like 2011’s Dat New Block, 2013’s Have Mercy and 2014’s Early Morning Long Nights cemented his rise and garnered notice from publications like XXL magazine, Midwest Hustler’s magazine, Yo Raps magazine and multitudes of blogs.  Always humble and respectful of other artists, Threat has had the great fortune to work with power artists like Young Buck, Yo Gotti, Nipsey Hussle, Berner, Tuki Carter, Snow Tha Product, Glasses Malone and others to name a few.  His growing recognition supported his first headlining tour in 2014 throughout the Southwest making a great impact on his growing fanbase.

He has a new single “CERTIFIED” scheduled to release May 22, 2015 as well as an upcoming EP  “ALL ON ME” scheduled for Fall 2015.  Keep your eyes on this MidWest artist’s campaign at festivals and shows around the country.  Follow him on Twitter (@LatinThreat) or FaceBook (facebook.com/LatinThreat).  Listen to Latin Threat on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/latin-threat/id474115298