Ayleo Bowles as a Baby Young Ayo and Teo

The internet volition plow anything into a meme. Notwithstanding in contempo years, challenges — mimicking the latest dance craze — have go just as prevalent. It's a social media trend that Ayleo and Mateo Bowles (Ayo & Teo) know all too well. The Ann Arbor, Mich. brothers built a rabid online following by posting videos of themselves dancing to the hottest new songs and inviting fans to practise their best takes.

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Ayo & Teo

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At present, Ayo & Teo have made their Hot 100 debut with the rail "Rolex" (it sits loftier at No. 32). The brothers spoke with Billboard about their dance roots, the inspiration backside the hit and to explain the deal with their ever-present masks.

What inspired you to write a song near expensive watches?

Ayo: We went to the mall and saw Rolexes in unlike colors and faces. I sent pictures to our director, and he texted, "Become out of the store now." But nosotros really wanted them!

Teo: After that, I was like, "Bro, we have to make a song about a Rolex." I recorded "Rollie Rollie Rollie with a dab of ranch" on an Auto-Tune app, and then nosotros went to the studio and figured it all out.

How much has the "Rolex ­challenge" dance craze helped the vocal?

Ayo: We know social media. If you have a song and turn it into a challenge, a lot of kids will desire to compete. I feel similar mainstream rappers are starting to choice up and understand that social media culture.

What'southward the bargain with the masks y'all two are always seen wearing?

Ayo: Nosotros started off as dancers in music videos for Conductor's "No Limit" and Chris Brown's "Party." When we were dancing without the masks, we got comments like, "Y'all facial expressions are funny." Then when I saw a model wearing a Bathing Ape mask on Instagram, I ordered two. It was perfect timing.

Exercise you lot accept formal grooming in dance or did yous teach yourself?

Ayo: Nosotros watched so many people growing up — Usher, Kida, Skitzo, Matt Chad — and all of the quondam-schoolhouse and new dance movies like Breakin' and Pace Upwardly. Then nosotros simply taught ourselves with a lot of practicing.

Teo, y'all started The Reverse — the idea of doing dance moves in reverse. Is it difficult to do a dance sequence backwards?

Teo: I could do almost any dance move in reverse, but to other people it'south real difficult. I made The Reverse way earlier we blew up, our first time e'er doing a promo, dancing to somebody's song. I retrieve we got paid like $40 to dance to this dude's vocal. I did the Nae Nae and just reversed information technology, like, "Bro, this is gonna look cold on camera." Nobody caught on until I did it to Lil Yachty'south song "I Night." That's when information technology blew up.

And then you recorded "In Contrary" every bit a theme song for the dance last year.

Ayo: Yeah, that was with Jazze [Pha]. We met him in the studio and instantly started vibing. He knew that nosotros were large dancers on the internet, so he asked united states, "Would y'all similar to do music? Information technology don't injure to effort." At the fourth dimension, "Broccoli" by Lil Yachty and D.R.A.Chiliad. was pop. He had the crush playing and switched it up right in front end of us. He was like, 'Nosotros gotta make an official Reverse song.' He gave us confidence to record.

What's it like being in school while your career is taking off?

Teo: I do online school. I had to go out of public school because I'd get stalked and distracted. People were request for pictures — I'd say no considering I'm in school, and then get in problem because they'd be crying.

Ayo: It was my get-go twelvemonth in college. I knew going to college at that time wasn't the motility. I was like, we need to keep doing these videos. My dad didn't understand the social media stuff at outset, but now he does.

Practise you have a dream collaboration?

Ayo: Probably the Migos. We've been into the Migos for so long, they're crazy. Nosotros were at the Lil Yachty "Minnesota" shoot and they were in that location. We didn't meet them, but they knew who nosotros were. They kept looking just they were so decorated with shooting, so nosotros didn't get a risk to say what's up.

At present that you got the Rolex, how does it feel?

Teo: I'grand looking at it right now.

Ayo: lt feels real good.

What's adjacent for you two?

Ayo: We have to come up hard with the music now, cause "Rolex" is a big vocal. Nosotros don't wanna stay with that one-hit wonder title. Nosotros wanna keep coming, follow in the footsteps of Rae Sremmurd.

This article originally appeared in the April 29 issue of Billboard.

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Source: https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/ayo-teo-hot-100-rolex-watches-masks-social-media-7767811/

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