Proud of the city he is from, West Lynn native Luis Angel Pizarro Jr., known by many as Sito or under his artist name $ITO2MUCH, realized at a young age that music was his calling. Fueled by his older brother Marco Collins, whom he looked up to as a mentor, Sito found inspiration in rap music, which led him to fully embrace the genre.
Collins offered tutelage in rapping and music production, and he made Sito more aware of hip-hop and urban culture – not only in music, but also in fashion. Billionaire Boys Club was one of the brands he mentioned, and, coming from the Chief Keef era, another favorite of his was True Religion.
In addition to Collins, TY FLY — Sito’s late uncle — also imparted knowledge about hip-hop. A big part of where he gets his influence from is hearing stories about his uncle. TY FLY was a former member of the Rock Steady Crew: an American breaking and hip-hop group that originated in areas such as the Bronx and Manhattan in the late 1970s. Now, Sito aims to bring the presence of real hip-hop back to the scene as well as mix it with today’s modern day music.
“He’s [Collins] my older brother, so I wanted to be just like him. I watched everything that he did growing up, and I kind of learned from him,” Sito said. “I’ve always been obsessed with music. It’s really the only thing that I’ve ever been good at. I’ve tried to do sports and other things, but I wasn’t really good at those things. I’m sure I’m good at a couple of other things, but music has always been my niche.”
In the early 2000s, Sito observed an increase in music creation and rap among Lynn residents. Consequently, this commenced his own rapping endeavors in 2008. With his brother pushing and motivating him, Sito would start releasing his music on MySpace: a once-beloved social networking platform. Then, in the early 2010s, he founded a rap group named Insane Swag Kids, collaborating with his eldest sister and cousin.
While his musical repertoire reflects an attempt at diversity, his current catalog predominantly aligns with the styles of New York drill, Detroit rap, and Flint rap.
“Lynn is just everything to me, you know. Lynn is a tough place. It could either make you or break you, and it’s definitely done a little bit of both to me. But, I’m still here. I’m still motivated. I’m still fighting. And I still love my city. I’m grateful for the city. I’m grateful for where I come from and what I represent. This is my home no matter how far away I go.”
$ITO2MUCH
Another element Sito values is community engagement. He draws inspiration from seeing his brother and friends, including Vlush and Sinkid, involved in local efforts. Knowing many of the city’s artists, he makes a point to support the music scene, which he says has evolved over time.
Growing up in Lynn, he noticed the city lacked resources like fashion shows and recording studios — amenities more commonly found in places like Somerville, Boston, and Revere. But now, he says those opportunities are starting to return to Lynn.
Reflecting on his younger years, he remembered a time when none of these resources were readily available. But as he grew older, things began to take shape, and opportunities emerged, allowing other artists — including himself — to build something meaningful from them.
Growing up, Sito recalls the Shoe City Classic Tournament as his sole anticipated event. As time passed, more avenues emerged for him to share his abilities. He occasionally performed at open mic nights at the Walnut Street Cafe, which, despite smaller audiences, provided an early platform to showcase his talent. Later, he gained experience freestyling on stage for crowds at the Salem Willows. Sito also expressed how exciting it is to see festivals, art shows, and fashion events on the rise, providing artists like himself with more opportunities to showcase their music.
When it comes to the influences and artists that help shape his sound, Sito’s favorite rapper and biggest inspiration is New Orleans-based rapper Curren$y: an artist he would love to open up for some day amongst others such as Westside Gun, Conway the Machine, and Benny the Butcher.
Growing up in the 2000s, Sito found inspiration and drive in the music of artists like Jadakiss, 50 Cent, T.I., and Lil Wayne. These artists also inspired his appearance. He reminisced about how he would tilt his hat to the side like T.I., wanting to be like Lil Wayne, and even trying out fake magnetic piercings, attempting to wear one on his lip to imitate his older brother.
Further, his current blonde hairstyle is inspired by figures such as Chris Brown, Pharrell Williams, and Dennis Rodman. Michael Jackson held considerable influence, and along with Chris Brown, they both encouraged Sito to demonstrate his dance abilities.
He achieved victory in a contest for DJ Pup Dog at Canobie Lake Park through his exceptional dance skills. While his musical preference primarily leans toward hip-hop and R&B, Sito acknowledges an appreciation for artists such as Nirvana, Motley Crue, and Sublime.
“I have people in my family who come from breakdancing and hip-hop. My dad’s Puerto Rican, so just going to family events and they’re playing on the bongos and being around the salsa and merengue, it’s pretty cool,” Sito said. “I love music, I love sounds, I love frequencies. You know, there’s nothing else that means more to me. It’s just a part of me. I’m always going to hear some type of sound, beat, or song that may inspire me to make music.”
A song people should start with to familiarize themselves with is $ITO2MUCH’s New York drill song called “Sentimental Vibes,” one of his biggest pieces of work. This is the song Sito says he pours his heart into. Every time he plays or performs it, he feels it’s the one that resonates most with people. To him, it reveals a lot about who he is — his mindset, his personality — and offers listeners a glimpse into his personal story.
“I feel like I’ve gotten the best reaction out of that song from people. Every time people listen to it, they love it. They tell me that’s one of their favorite songs. So I always tell people to listen to that,” Sito said.
Sito is gearing up to drop a new Detroit mixtape called “FOREVA 2” and “FOREVA 2: THE DELUXE EDITION” just as summer arrives. He anticipates the project will deliver the perfect summer vibe. Additionally, this past Saturday, he was one of the featured artists at Vlush Fest 7.0 in Connecticut.
His participation in Vlush Fest has been extensive, with prior performances in Salem, Beverly, Lowell, and Providence. Now, Sito plans to perform again at the Bars over Bars: Bentwenter Bars Hiphop Showcase on May 10: a free, 18+ event open to the public at the Bentwater Brewing Co. at 180 Commercial Street in Lynn.
“I feel like my story is of a young kid who’s growing up in a tough city where he just wants to stand out amongst everybody, and he wants to showcase his talent and let people know that he is valued and that he is something, that he worked hard to make something of himself and somebody who cares about his community,” Sito said. “He stands for the people and represents the culture of hip-hop and represents the culture of urban fashion – just being fresh, being fly. To me, that’s what it’s all about. Spread love, spread peace, positivity, and prosperity amongst all. That’s kind of what I live by.”
You can find $ITO2MUCH on Soundcloud, Spotify, Apple Music, and Instagram.
