Ever since high school, Levi Brewer — aka Leviticuss — has wanted to make a career out of making music.
The 2010 Selah High graduate and independent music production company owner has been steadily building his brand over the past decade. Now, he is starting to see a return on his investment.
“I have a passion for collaborating and making music, and I’d like to get to the point where I can make this a career,” said Brewer, 28, an inspirational hip-hop artist who is transitioning into country rap. “But for now, I’m still laying the foundation.”
Before the pandemic hit, Brewer had become one of the biggest draws on the local scene. He performed at Chinook Fest in Naches and Downtown Summer Nights in Yakima, and also took third place in the 2018 Yakima AppleJam Battle of the Bands.
After more than a year of waiting out the pandemic, Leviticuss returned to the stage April 29 at The Seasons Performance Hall in Yakima, drawing a sell-out crowd as the headliner. He and his friend Chase Craig — a country singer from the Tri-Cities — performed together and introduced their new song, a collaboration called “Farm We Go.”
“We’re trying to come up with a different sound, and we have been getting excellent feedback so far,” said Brewer, adding that the new single was released online May 1.
The next big gig on the calendar is an Aug. 28 show at The Pastime in Selah, featuring another well-known local artist, Mike Jones. Brewer has previously toured with Jones, who made a name for himself on the Billboard charts about 10 years ago.
“We’re trying to get a bunch of Selah people to show up for that,” he said. “Mike got pretty big a few years back, and a lot of people around here remember how good he is.”
Another local musician Brewer has enjoyed working with over the years is Coaster, a former Selah resident. No matter which direction they have gone, the two high school buddies always help each other out when they can.
“I worked with him on his sound in the recording studio, and he helped me get a number of shows,” Brewer said. “We don’t collaborate on many songs, but it’s good to know someone like Coaster. He’s got a big following and he’s going places.”
When Brewer isn’t performing shows or working his full-time job at Washington Broadband, he is usually making new music in the studio. Years ago, he would DJ 20-30 local events per year, and he continues to do some event announcing gigs like the Pacific Northwest Hill Climb.
But nowadays, creating music is what really stirs his soul.
“I’m trying to shrink back on some of the other jobs so I can put more time into my music,” Brewer said. “And I like where things are headed.”
Learn more about Leviticuss and find Aug. 28 ticket information at leviticuss.com.
Dave Leder • Writer / Editor 