iLUVNEPTUNE, “ Blooming Through Chaos / Chromeheart Man”
Carese Saulsberry, the artist professionally known as iLUVNEPTUNE, is reportedly changing his legal first name from "Carese" to "Neptune" in order to fully commit to his artistic career and in preparation for his 9-track upcoming EP, "Chromeheart Man", in addition to a future 14-track album/mixtape “Blooming Through Chaos” set to drop this upcoming Fall. In addition to working on these upcoming projects, Neptune is also the founder of "Arachne", his own rising independent record label which was formally established in June of 2024.
A journey that began with school peers mocking his creative dreams has strengthened Neptune and helped him to evolve into the versatile and strong artist we see today in his recent projects. The Chicago native immersed himself into the rap scene following experiences rapping with friends. These early experimental tracks and raps relied on the Drill aesthetic and the artist admits, "When I started I started out tryna be hard doing drill anyone can tell u how I was struggling to get every line out😭cause I was lying to myself and my raps it was only when I stopped hanging around that and learn who I really was I tap into my true potential." While these initial Drill projects did create a space for Neptune's wide range of full creative expression, they did help him to set a solid foundation in his musical ability that allowed him to flourish at these new stages of his career.
Behind this "hard" facade and persona of his early Drill songs was an introspective poet desperate to verbalize and process his feelings of depression and mental struggles through his lyricism and unique soundscapes. Neptune recalls how adopting the microphone and embracing his calling as an artist has allowed him to escape from the darkness of his reality and flourish through creation. "Nobody understood and it made me feel alone and vulnerable so I adopted the mic and I haven’t looked back since."
All the while, those around him would constantly demean and disregard Neptune's talent and ethics. In a city where hip-hop music reigns supreme, plenty of his youthful peers had their tracks and projects they had dreams of "blowing up" with and took the opportunity to use "disses" of Neptune as a means of promoting their own work. Terms like “I’m better than Carese” echoed through high-school hallways, further fueling and motivating the young artist as he maintained a sense of composure. Neptune's bright spirit even found humor in the situations by saying, "like what I got to do wit your promo lil bruh".
In regards to those who continue to express that same doubt and disregard; he says "people never believed in me and to a point it still feels like it but they have no choice but to feel me because im coming." Fully committed to a lifestyle of autonomy and creativity, Neptune explains that he "don’t work for real since (he's an) artist." With his undivided energy being pumped into his projects, there are plenty of interesting visions and creative ideas shaping the landscape of iLUVNEPTUNE's recent and upcoming drops.
Inspired by local legends like Kanye, lyrical geniuses like J Cole, and underground heroes like Carti, Tana, Jace, & Travis Scott, there is a wide range of aesthetics across his discography, with his two upcoming projects acting as a "yin-yang" of upbeat positivity, contrasting with a more somber and dark project set for a later release.
"Chromeheart Man", acts as the positive "Yang" project, focusing on and inspired by Neptune's "aura" and personal energy is set to release soon on SoundCloud and YouTube. These 9-tracks focus on the artist's "likes" and favorite things such as Chrome-style artwork, especially revolving around the luxury fashion and jewelry brand "Chromeheart". On this project Neptune even explores acting and "being known as" Spider-Man. This fun, bright, and upbeat tape is "not really deep just a whole bunch of likes in a ep form".
"Blooming Through Chaos", acts as the negative "Yin" side of the coin. This tape, set with a 2024 Fall release date, "Is for people who is depressed or feel like they can’t get through whatever drama or situation in their life right now." The concept of "Blooming" stems from a line of text written on one of the artist's favorite hoodies, with the quote acting as motivation for Neptune to "bloom through chaos no matter what it is." He hopes to use the "BTC" tracks to create a sense of motivation and provide an "inspiration to bloom" amongst his listeners. Giving back to his own younger self who could have utilized this project as a testament to strengthen in his past times of need when he felt weak. "If they’re not strong enough hopefully this album gives them a reason to be strong." This project stands as a reminder to both iLUVNEPTUNE and his fans that "no matter what (you're) going through you can bloom through it like a flower, it builds character."
In an exclusive interview with RSO Underground, iLUVNEPTUNE, shares some details on his upcoming legal name change, insight into 2 of his upcoming EP and Album releases, his influences and inspirations growing up as an artist, alongside his message to the world of "You can anything you want to be" and focusing on a reminder that "only in the darkest nights do the brightest stars shine."
RSO Underground Interview with iLUVNEPTUNE
Who are you?
I am Carese Saulsberry (I might actually change my first name to Neptune frfr) better known as iLUVNEPTUNE
Where are you from? (How is the music scene there?)
I’m from Chicago,IL in Chicago there isn’t a lot of major underground artist to look up to and now that I think about it for that matter it’s not a lot of underground artists at all honestly doing what a lot of what underground artist do.
Why did you get into music?
The reason why I got into music because of my homies they was doing that Chicago drill stuff so it kinda just made me wanna get into rapping but when I started I started out tryna be hard doing drill anyone can tell u how I was struggling to get every line out😭cause I was lying to myself and my raps it was only when I stopped hanging around that and learn who I really was I tap into my true potential. I also started music to escape my reality I was going through a depression nobody understood and it made me feel alone and vulnerable so I adopted the mic and I haven’t looked back since.
Who and what inspires you?
It’s a lot of people who inspired me growing it was Kanye west and J Cole but actually getting into the music scene people like I can go on and on honestly but Carti is a real big inspiration for me you can even say tana, and Jace, Travis Scott as well man he’s goated to me.
Do you have any stories of your artistic journey to share?
Back when I was just getting started making music people always told me I wasn’t goin to make it laughed in my face and tried to promote they Shit while dissing me “I’m better than Carese” like what I got to do wit your promo lil bruh
but people never believed in me and to a point it still feels like it but they have no choice but to feel me because im coming.
What song/project are you currently promoting and what is the story behind it?
After a few more singles im dropping my ep “Chromeheart Man” it’s a 9 song ep with a few feats but the main one im dropping is in the fall which is “Blooming Through Chaos” everyone knows about that one it’s slightly an album but a mixtape frfr it has 14 songs with also a few feats the story behind “Chromeheart Man” is because of my aura.
I want to be known as Spider-Man lol it’s weird but I also want to be known for having my chrome kinda cover arts and also I love Chromeheart so I also wanna be known for that it’s not really deep just a whole bunch of likes in a ep form. Blooming Through Chaos however, Is for people who is depressed or feel like they can’t get through whatever drama or situation in their life right now. People need to be motivated that no matter what they’re going through u can bloom through it like a flower it builds character and if they’re not strong enough hopefully this album gives them a reason to be strong.
Also Blooming Through Chaos came about because it’s a line on my hoodieI just gave it intense meaning because it’s so true you have to bloom through chaos no matter what it is.
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
One thing about me people will be surprised about maybe that I’m trying to change my government name to Neptune in real life but other than that I’m actually a vibe in real life but I’m really a introverted which don’t work for real since I’m a artist but yeah I’m a introvert but I know how to be an extrovert.
Where can we find your music and art?
You can find my music on YouTube and SoundCloud I’m about to get United masters or distrokid soon so you’ll find me on all plays REAL SOON promise you that.
What is your message to the world?
A message I wanna tell the world You can anything you want to be Ik that’s cliche but it’s true man as long as your consistent really putting in that work and believe in yourself you’ll make it doing anything you want to do and also remember you only in the darkest nights do the brightest stars shine.
Check out iLUVNEPTUNE Everywhere!