Aloe Blacc and 2ŁØT’s new single, “Immortal,” was inspired by the ancient philosophical concept of “memento mori”—a Latin phrase meaning “Remember you must die.”
But the theme of the song isn’t what you think.
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“‘Immortal’ is a song about choosing courage over fear—not just for yourself, but for the people and causes that matter most to you,” says Chas Koch, 2ŁØT’s guitarist and co-producer. “As a band, 2ŁØT believes music can be a tool for healing and change, and this song asks listeners to face the hard questions: What’s holding you back? What would you do if you truly lived like time was limited?”
Writing the track, he says, gave the band a chance to push past their personal beliefs and speak to something much bigger. Having someone like Blacc sing on it, “brought even more heart and weight to that mission.”
“From a lyrical standpoint, it’s one of the strongest songs I’ve been a part of writing,” says Blacc. “This line—‘when I tumble over, the broken pieces fit together better in the end’—reminds me of the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken pieces are mended with gold. The broken parts of us, when they’re healed, become the strongest parts of us.”
Based in Wichita, Kansas, 2ŁØT is known for combining elements of hip-hop, soul, jazz, funk, rock, and electronic into what they describe as electronic jam music. The five-piece band—with members Rudy Love Jr. (vocals-keys), Omar Jawar (drums), Sage Judd (keys), Robert Trusko (bass), and Koch—was founded on the idea of advocating for social change, focusing on overcoming addiction, supporting youth, and criminal justice. With every performance and new song, they are on a mission to activate and inspire audiences through their music and commitment to making a difference.
2ŁØT has released a string of singles, including “Never Knew You (featuring Michael Kang of the String Cheese Incident), “Arrow of Time,” and “Call For Me,” along with their 2024 debut album, Entropy.
The band’s name, like its debut album, draws from the second law of thermodynamics, the idea that in any isolated system, the total entropy (a measure of disorder) will always increase over time. 2ŁØT, as the group’s name is written, is meant to symbolize the members’ collective goal of resisting entropy and inspiring goodness in people.
Where Entropy explored how to make peace with chaos, “Immortal” is a call to action to transcend it.
Blacc’s music is equally inspiring. The Southern California artist is globally recognized for his anthems “Wake Me Up,” with Avicii, “The Man,” and “I Need A Dollar.” Like 2ŁØT, advocacy is a driving force in his career and personal life. He’s actively involved in Malaria No More, a nonprofit with a mission to end malaria worldwide.
In February, Blacc released his sixth album, Stand Together, a project meant to inspire collaboration and positive change.
Now, together with 2ŁØT, Blacc continues to inspire with “Immortal.”
“Working on “Immortal” with 2ŁØT was a lot of fun,” he says. “It took me back to my days in the studio with Avicii—experimenting with different genres, blending styles, and evolving the track from an acoustic demo or early version into something powerful. I’m really proud of how this song turned out.”
Blacc and 2ŁØT will reunite to perform “Immortal” live at the Somewhere Festival & Conference in Wichita—one of the most socially-conscious festivals in the country. The event will feature Deadmau5, Flying Lotus, Suki Waterhouse, and others, as well as immersive tech, interactive art installations, and a community-driven conference.
“We’ll be performing ‘Immortal’ together at Somewhere Festival, which is really the perfect setting—because that space was created for artists and fans who believe music should mean something and move something,” says Koch.
The Somewhere Festival was founded by Koch through his organization, Movement Musick, and is co-presented by Midtopia, both Wichita-based music nonprofits. Its purpose is to be a vehicle for meaning, connection, and social change by offering real-world opportunities for impact.
Love, Jr., perhaps sums up best the intention of 2ŁØT’s and Blacc’s collaboration.
“The world feels heavy right now, and this song is a reminder that you still get to choose how you show up,” says Love, Jr. “Aloe helped us shape it into something that could reach beyond our scene and connect with anyone looking for hope, resilience, or direction. It’s not about pretending death doesn’t exist—it’s about living like your life can actually make a difference.”
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