Who is Josh Latin? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Nick Name: Boots

Girlfriend: Rose McGowan

Also Known As: Jordan Asher Cruz

Singers Lyricists & Songwriters

U.S. State: Florida

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Career & Fame

Although Josh Latin is a household name for hip-hop lovers and people working in the music industry now, he had humble beginnings. In his teenage years, he was homeless for years and even had to live in his Chevrolet Gladiator car. His troubled beginning is still often reflected in his lyrics like “Maybe the weight of the world pulled him down / Maybe, it was the chaos we endure / Trying to find ourselves a purpose”.

His life changed for the better once he sought his refuge in music. Even though unsuccessful, Josh Latin was the lead singer in bands like Blonds, Stonefox, Young Circles, and Blond Fuzz. The time spent struggling served as a driving force for the talented artist. In 2013, he had a chance encounter with someone which resulted in him signing a contract with Jay-Z’s entertainment company in association with Sony Music Entertainment, ‘Roc Nation’. He has strongly refused to share any details about this meeting, which only added to his mystery.

Josh kept tight-lipped about working with Beyoncé and went on to produce, write, and contribute more than 80 percent of Beyoncé’s self-titled fifth album. He was not only the writer and producer of singles like ‘Haunted’ and ‘Drunk in Love ft. Jay-Z’, but also provided background vocals and instrumentals, in ‘Jealous’ and ‘Superpower ft. Frank Ocean’.

‘Haunted’ which was initially entitled ‘I’m On To You’ was his most personal song and Beyoncé immediately identified with the struggles reflected in the lyrics. The album was a massive hit and Josh, under the name Boots, started getting recognized as one of the best upcoming artists and music producers of recent times. Beyonce herself gave a resounding affirmation by saying that Josh was an innovator and she was proud to work with him.

Following the massive success of the album, questions began to arise about the identity of the mysterious Boots. While he or anyone associated with him refused to reveal anything, inquisitive Beyoncé fans found out about his time with bands and his past. But even then, most of his origin story remains unknown. This has helped build his mystique which goes well with the kind of dark, often cynical, rooted-in-life music, he creates.

Josh Latin followed up on all of this success with the release of his first mix-tape entitled ‘WinterSpringSummerFall’, in 2014. It all started with Beyoncé sharing a link of Boot’s original composition ‘Dust’ with him singing lead vocals on February 13, 2014. In the next few months, he released singles like ‘Howl’, ‘Autumn (Lude I)’ featuring Kelela, and ‘Ride Ride Ride’ featuring Sia. 2014 continued being a huge year for Josh Latin, as he scored the trailer for the blockbuster ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ with a slowed-down rendition of ‘Crazy In Love’ sung by Beyoncé.

Josh Latin’s meteoric rise continued in 2015, with the release of his first extended play, a 30 minute short film entitled ‘Motorcycle Jesus’. The film featured five original songs, including ‘Mercy’ and ‘I Run Roulette’. In August 2015, Josh Latin released his first solo debut album entitled ‘AQUΛRIA’ or ‘Aquaria’. The critically acclaimed album featured vocal and music by Boots in songs like ‘C.U.R.E’ and ‘Aquaria’. ‘Bombs Away’ became the biggest hit of the album. He has also released his second EP, ‘Dark Daze’ in 2018 featuring Run The Jewels, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Cristin Milloti.

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Personal Life

Josh Latin or Jordan Asher Cruz hails from Broward, Florida. Nothing is known about his place of birth, as he prefers it that way. Josh Latins has been dating Rose McGowan since 2016. The couple made it official on Instagram on November 2, 2016, when Rose posted a topless photo with him with the title ‘My merman @boots #latinfire’.

Josh Latin Biography