Local hip-hop artist ElBart stopped by Live & Local this week, following the release of his latest EP, “Slide’n on Friday.”
Originally from Caswell County, ElBart (whose stage name is a Simpsons reference, if you’re wondering) has been a constant figure in the Triangle music scene since 2019. He released two full albums last year alone, plus several standalone singles – including one that made 97.9 The Hill’s list of the top 50 local songs of 2025.
“My uncle does music, I used to grow up watching him do it, and then I just had it in me,” he says. “I just (always) had a passion for music.”
But “Slide’n on Friday” – a powerhouse collection of six songs, led by the stellar back-to-back tracks “Chains” and “Knew It” – represents a step forward for ElBart, who collaborated on the EP with a new DJ/producer, Friday Beats.
“I met this new producer and she let me preview some tracks she had, and I caught some vibes instantly,” he says. “They all danced around my vibe and the new sound I was working on…
It hit home because I (had) danced around those type of vibes when I first started making music – but it was hard for me to find those type of beats, so I had to expand (and) build my craft. But she had the vibes that I was looking for a long time ago, so I had to get back in touch with it.”
ElBart stopped by Live & Local this week to chat about “Slide’n on Friday” and play two tracks: “Really Meant” and “Knew It.” Listen:
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