Q&A With Rising Canadian Rapper Killa Con
Hey Killa Con! Dope project you dropped with Nobody from Namibia! Please tell us how long have you been making music? Most importantly, how did you come up with your rap name?
I started rapping when I was 16 after I heard Killer Mike’s verse on Outkast’s ‘The Whole World’. I got into producing beats when I was in 2nd year of University, studying business. I was spending all my time making music, so I decided to move to Australia and do a music degree instead. I’m 35 now, so I’ve been making music for nearly 20 years. I’m a believer that you shouldn’t pick your own nickname, so I came by my rap name naturally. My name is Connor, and my friends started calling me Killa Con or Killa for short as a reference to Killa Cam (Cam’ron) and my ability to ‘kill’ freestyle sessions at parties.
NOBODY is 23 and has been making music for 12 years now. His name NOBODY from NAMIBIA is a reference to the De La Soul album, ‘And the Anonymous Nobody…’ and his home country, Namibia. It is emblematic of his humility as a person, and an artist and derives from his goal of spreading peace and love from the land of contrast and beauty, Namibia.
What separates you from all the other rappers in your city and nationwide?
There isn’t really a scene in Guelph, being that we are so close to Toronto, and most rappers in Canada are trying to be Drake by employing new rap + R’N’B vibes. I grew up obsessed with Wu-Tang, and take a more classic, boom bap approach. As an old white guy, I tend to stay away from ubiquitous mainstream hip hop references, preferring to focus on politics, philosophy and autobiographical topics like my struggles with mental health issues, and drug/alcohol abuse.
African culture is severely underrated and unheralded on a global scale. NOBODY is evidence that there is a wide range of musicians making all types of hip hop across Africa. His production style conjures images of nostalgia and Afrofuturism simultaneously, and he creates soundscapes that sound at once familiar and in-tune with a deep form of self-expression unique to him. To me, his beats are a fresh take on 90’s NYC golden era hip hop.
How are you coping with this whole Covid 19 situation? Has it delayed any new music production by any chance?
Honestly, not having to commute into Toronto every day for work has given me so much free time to focus on writing and recording. I usually just hoard music for years rather than releasing anything, but Covid has allowed me to take the time to put out projects like this one with NOBODY. We originally started working together back in 2018, but it took quarantine for me to set aside enough time to put the thought into everything that goes into releasing a project – like album art, beat selection, mixing, videos, promotional opportunities etc. Since NOBODY and I have never met in person because he lives in Namibia, social distancing didn’t really change anything. We shared beats, gave notes on mixing, and coordinated recording sessions all remotely. Honestly, the project probably wouldn’t have happened without Covid 19.
Tell us about your Hip Hop and/or music influences?
KC- In terms of production I’m heavily influenced by RZA and El-P, but also like to add elements of folk, blues and acoustic guitar, which is something I would attribute to listening to a lot of Buck 65 and Bob Dylan. In terms of rapping, my favorite MCs are MF Doom, Black Thought, Killer Mike and Aesop Rock. I also love ODB (I have a tattoo of him on my forearm) though I wouldn’t claim him as an influence because there is no father to his style, and he’s impossible to imitate.
NOBODY from NAMIBIA- “Damn, there are so many, man. There are African artists like Jackson Kaujeua and Shikololo (Namibia), Fela Kuti (Nigeria), Spikiri, ProKid and Skwatta Kamp (South Africa). And then in terms of American hip hop artists there’s Black Thought, Pete Rock, Jay Electronica, De La Soul, Slum Village, J Dilla, and then obviously the Wu Tang Clan – RZA for his production, and Meth, Raekwon, GZA and Ghost for their lyrics and flow. But the list goes on…
What motivated you guys to collaborate with each other? Also, will you guys be working on future projects?
I randomly commented on one of NOBODY’s beats on Instagram back in 2018, and he graciously offered to let me rap on it. This eventually became, ‘The History of White Privilege’ which set the tone for our whole EP. We started exchanging beats back and forth, and when I’d recorded on three of NOBODY’s beats, I got him to spit on my beat, ‘Guvna’, so that we could put out a project collaboratively where we both had an opportunity to showcase our rapping and production abilities. I used NOBODY’s beats as a sonic basis for the songs on the project I produced, and he provided overall guidance in terms of mixing, editing, and direction of the project. I love NOBODY’s beats, and I am able to explore different songwriting techniques when I work with a producer rather than writing my own beats, so I’d definitely like to work with him again. When he announced the project on his socials, he said it was the ‘first of many’ so I think I can safely say we’ll be collaborating again. I think he’s a pretty dope rapper too, so I’d love to let him spread his wings on that side, and allow him to tell his story of growing up in Namibia. We created a little bit of that contrast on, Guvna, but I definitely think there’s more to explore.
Please breakdown the creative process of your new self titled EP “Killa Con X Nobody from Namibia“. And tell us a little about the album cover concept!
I wanted to speak out about the injustices being faced by Black people around the world, but wanted to do so from a place of trying to educate my white peers. To me, this isn’t just an American issue. I have friends who’ve experienced racism in Canada, and NOBODY’s perspective on race, living in Namibia, a country formerly colonized by Germany, is an important one as well. I see acquaintances on social media comment all the time about how ‘white privilege is a myth’ and folks try to downplay the systemic racism faced by Black people in Canada, but it’s just as bad as the United States in a lot of ways. If we want to see real change, white people need to stand up and do the right thing, and speaking out about my experiences with police from a place of privilege is a way I can do that without trying to speak to something I haven’t personally experienced as a white man. I also wanted to support Black artists that I know personally, which is why it was important to me to collaborate with NOBODY from NAMIBIA, and to finance the project so that he can get some exposure for his beats.
I commissioned Jamiacan-born, Toronto based tattoo artist Anwar Cushnie aka Kush Tatts to create the album artwork. Through the process he told me about the racism he faces as a Black tattoo artist working in Canada. His artwork pulls references from the lyrics of the project, and the BLM movement more generally. He did an amazing job, in my opinion. The thought that he put into highlighting specific lyrics with little subtle references hidden throughout the art, is incredible. I still look at it and notice things I didn’t previously. I have a line that says, ‘they will pay for your soul, at a quarter a click, that’s the internet’s toll’ and he drew a coin slot being fed beside a computer, which I think is a super powerful image. I also commissioned Alia Logan who is a multi-talented artist to do the lyric video for the single, ‘Guvna’. She’s spoken to me about the racism she has faced living in Canada, and I wanted to support her while also putting out what I feel is a dope looking video.
Your honest opinion, out of all the songs on the project, which is the one song you feel stands out the most!?
Personally I like ‘The History of White Privilege’ the best because I love NOBODY from NAMIBIA’s beat, and feel like it set the tone for the whole project. That said, I’ve been told by a couple people that ‘Precious’ is the stand-out track. It’s definitely the most personal. Lyrically, I did my best to speak candidly about my experiences dealing with police as a white man, which is very different from what I’ve heard from my Black friends about dealing with the police. This is despite the fact that I am 6’7, heavily tattooed, and look the part of someone who could be perceived to be threatening if my skin was a different tone.
We have to ask, with all this social discourse and revolt, protesting and rioting, exposed police brutality toward blacks and BLM, how do you feel about this? We would love your perspective on the climate we are living in right now.
I think we all have a responsibility to speak out and do better. I tried my hardest with this project to add to the conversation without trying to center myself. My goal was to be an ally and educate white people, but I’m definitely not telling Black people anything they don’t already know. I was trying to make the message palatable to an audience that might not hear it from anywhere else. I try to do the same thing in my personal life. It shouldn’t be the responsibility of Black people to explain racism to ignorant white people. This should be our responsibility as white folks. Unfortunately, many white people aren’t close enough with Black people to have discussions about race, or to hear directly about how they are treated by police, and by general society. There is a lack of understanding, and a lack of empathy and compassion results from this. We all need to do better to change that.
Here it is! Our most popular question! What is your definition of “underground hip hop”?
I am nowhere near an expert on the topic, but in my understanding underground hip hop is about making music that is authentic to oneself and isn’t designed for mass consumption. It’s not about trying to appeal to everyone, or creating something that you know will be commercially successful. It’s about being free to explore self expression without having to factor mainstream popularity or monetary success into the equation.
Where can people find you on the web? Drop all the vital links.
The album link is HERE
killa con’s IG is HERE
NOBODY from NAMIBIA’s IG is HERE
killa con’s FB is HERE
killa con’s YouTube is HERE
Album artist Kush Tatts’ IG is HERE
Lyric video creator Alia Logan’s IG is HERE
