Q&A With Rising Hip Hop Duo Kinfolk Kollab
Whats Up Kinfolk Kollab!! We really enjoyed your guys latest self titled mixtape !! One of our main contributors BOOM reviewed it and gave it 8/10!! We understand that this is your guys first collab project? An if so, what made you guys decide to start making music together!
K.A.T.O.: well personally when kinfolk Kollab was established, beforehand I was thinkin one day in my room long n hard.. and I realized me and Jamel both are striving for the same goal, and our styles complimented each other and he’s like Family to me and at that time he also had a studio, one day I called him on the phone and told him about the name kinfolk Kollab, n the idea to form together and he was like hell yea let’s do it he instantly fucked wit it n he thought the name was catchy too! We have great adoration for each other
Jamel Deon: Yes sir, it is our first collab project. As far as us beginning to collaborate, ima take it back to the very first time we did a record. I asked him to hop on two records of mine on my mixtape “The Pen Prodigy 2” and we started consistently collaborating ever since. A lot of people felt our styles complimented one another and we just rolled with it. As far as Kinfolk Kollab starting, it was just like he said, he reached out to me and told me about the idea. Once I heard the name, I knew it was something I wanted to jump on board with. I felt it had great potential to be something and I wanted to be apart of that.
What area codes do you all represent!? Any local music influences!?
K.A.T.O.: well you see Kinfolk Kollab is kinda like this one nation thing, to me it’s not really about where u from, it’s about how u come, but so far we represent the 702, the D, and the entire west side and coast, I love California that’s like my second home the cities, the air, the women, the freeway the 110, roscoes, just everything plus most of my family on my moms side from out there and family from my dads side from the Midwest/east, this is wat happens when west coast Gs and east coast Gs mate we are the embodiment, and as far as local influences, shit I guess u can say our peers they are the local influence we influence each other the energy reciprocates off one another we all our different in our own way everyone has a story, it’s like a friendly competition, but once I group or person breath they best believe we all gone break through.
Jamel Deon: We come from out of Las Vegas, the 702. However, like K.A.T.O. Said, Kinfolk Kollab is more of a one nation thing and that is what we view it as every time we say the name. I guess you can say that’s the part of the brand. Regardless of where you from, if you roll how we roll and you all about learning to be better by the day while also having fun with your people, you Kinfolk Kollab. As far as local influences, I wouldn’t say they’re influences, but there are plenty artists out in Vegas I fuck with heavy. I like Dizzy Wright, Pooh Pistols, JerrytheBlack, James West, Donnie Kennz, Spectro Da King, the list goes on. Plenty of talent out here that people don’t know about.
Tell us about the underground Hip Hop scene out there where you guys are from!?
K.A.T.O.: Every local out here has a possibility of knowin someone you may know especially in the hip hop category out here, and trust me we all hungry and after that one thing, success; and to get known, and I feel as though Jamel and I really wanna put the city on the map it’s more than just gettin known, just like New York has 5 boroughs, we have boroughs or districts out here too, the EastSide, the Westside, Northtown, Henderson, summerlin, the strip, and Downtown. Vegas is a melting pot of different and eccentric artist out here this is a city of diversity Kuz everyone from everywhere, but at the same time there’s ppl like Jamel and I who knows the ends and outs of the city who are natives here born n raised, our Hometown. Thas the difference.
Jamel Deon: Aww man, when I tell you there is so much talent out here, I’m not even joking. I feel Vegas gets overlooked when it comes to the hip hop scene. I feel if we got the same exposure as other places, we could really give the industry a run for their money and blow some muthafuckas out the water. Niggas out here really spitting and I’m not saying that just because. You gotta be there and know people to know what I’m talking about.
Let’s face it, social media since 2015 has grown tremendously, especially IG!!! Tell us how is your IG grind looking, and how have you been able to keep up with the high demand on social media?
K.A.T.O.: It has grown yes and I remember only havin the most, 200 maybe 300 followers now it has grown to 890 followers, real followers, ppl I usually meet along the way, or strangers checkin out my music or even ppl who have mutual friends with me. Every social media I felt had its reign, and now I feel as though Instagram has takin the lead, because ppl love images they love to see other people’s lives thru a magnifying glass even if it’s a picture wit words or a short snippet video Long videos or goin live on camera, so when u combine that wit music. It’s like peanut butter and jelly, it goes hand in hand wit one another fans have to see the face behind the music then they want to see the story behind the face, itz the Nostalgic feelin it makes u feel ever more closer to that artist. The more catchy and consistent material u drop on there, the more curiosity and interest your fans/ followers take to you. It’s the anticipation of good and new music the fan wants which increases your fan base also being honest with your fans and interacting can catapult your following.
Jamel Deon: Man, you ain’t lying. Social media been growing by the day. But my IG grind been growing slowly but surely. Especially with trying to work on more marketing and branding, it has been getting up there. I’m not huge on social media but I do my best to keep up with certain trends through some homies of mine and catching wind of it randomly. I’m only 21 but I swear I be feeling like I’m in my 40s or 50s when it come to new social media trends sometimes, haha. Sometimes I can’t keep up but I try.
Please breakdown the creative process to your self-titled mixtape! Is that you guys on the cover?
K.A.T.O.: Yes that is us on the cover ! We used some pictures from professional photos we took individually, conjoined them together by using connections certain individuals in that field of profession to cultivate art in such a way as this mixtape cover, the concept of the tape was to show u are lyrical prowess and storytelling to deliver the message with substance as well as having passion and circumstances that people can relate too to thrive out in our songs, yet have that catchiness to it, I like to say think as if u were the listener, if u were in there shoes, how would you like to hear the music or have the music perceived
Jamel Deon: So, about the cover, K.A.T.O.’s picture was done professionally through dude he knew and mine was taken off my phone when I was out on the strip one night, aha. As far as the creative process, we were mainly focused on trying to showcase our lyrical ability on mostly original beats but also aiming for a light, carefree mood. It was some trial and error we went through as well considering it is our first project together and we didn’t know exactly what our sound was as a duo yet. Whatever ideas we had at the time, we rolled with it, experimented, and made do with what we had.
How often do you guys perform live?? Any indie DIY tours in the works?
K.A.T.O.: One day we would like to go on tour and travel, but right now the focus is gettin our music out there and heard locally my boy gettin his following up in Arizona and I’m gettin mine in Cali, and as far as shows go we do shows and venues locally in joints in Vegas and Arizona and right now I did a couple live performances already in downtown Vegas and down by the strip but I plan on branchin out California eventually solely on the music industry fan base that’s already there to begin with.
Jamel Deon: We actually haven’t performed live together yet! We have performed before on a solo tip but not as a group. I’m currently staying in Arizona right now and he’s out in Las Vegas still. In the near future as we progress, we do plan to get some live shows in together. It’s never too late
How do you feel about the whole XAN & LEAN trend these kids nowadays are on!!!..LOL??? Be honest, do you use some of that stuff??..LOL
K.A.T.O.: Lol thas funny it was this one time I tried lean but it was weak I didn’t feel anything plus I thought it was stupid, I got mad and went back to sippin some Amsterdam I rather fuck wit weed and drank all day, fuck all that, to me I feel like that shit slows u down mentally and physically, but to be Honest too much of anything can hinder you, and to me this whole drug trend is stupid in rap we went from talkin about how drugs can destroy our families and homies and that the government put crack in our hoods to glorifying it in music as this fad, it just don’t make no sense anymore the new generation don’t understand the boundaries of certain things and this is one of them, people die from those drugs hell all the shit take is one time, it’s just absurd to me. I wanna say two each his own but then I don’t wanna brush it off neither, health is wealth fuck all that other shit people shouldn’t let things easily influence them.
Jamel Deon: Man, I have no comment on that when it comes to that shit lol. It’s starting to get too out of hand to me and I choose to stay out of it. For me, I’d rather stick to just weed and some liquor every once in a while. That’s good enough for me.
What you got cooking next? Anything special for 2018!!??
K.A.T.O.: Yes !! My boy just dropped his breather and I have a long awaited solo mixtape the fans been waitin on before we even started Kinfolk Kollab. You see Jamel was already ahead of me in his music catalogue due to studio access, I’ve always had music written in my books and phone but never knew the right ppl to aid me to get where I am now until I met him and Rocky, Jamel had connections and knew ppl. I used to freestyle at school but never really took the rappin thing serious until after High school, but my closest friends always told me to keep goin with it your so talented u should really take it serious lol just being a bug in my ear but it was only because they saw potential so one day I finally decided, and it was on from then on.
Jamel Deon: Man, as of right now, we actually just shot the video for “Where You From” which will be dropping really soon. I also been pushing out my solo single called “The Breather” as well. & then K.A.T.O. Is working on his debut solo project right now which should be out soon. So we just working simultaneously on both our solo careers and for the duo. Just learning as we go and strategizing.
Our most popular question, what is your definition of “Underground Hip Hop”?
K.A.T.O.: Underground hip hop are the locals, the real people, the independent artists, we are the personification of true hip hop!
Jamel Deon: My definition is hip hop that is unapologetic, raw, and uncut! Hip hop that really connects to the people and embodies the culture as a whole.
Where can fans find your music? Drop all links!!
Jamel Deon: You can find all our links at the bottom right here. Check all that out and let us know what yall think.
K.A.T.O.: Ah man yea so far on SoundCloud, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter once this mixtape is done ima have that on Spotify, you can find our Kinfolk Kollab mixtape on Spotify as well.
Any Shout Outs??
K.A.T.O.: Shout to Prince D and TNB, Dope music, my boy Briel, my boy junior tryna get down wit the music too I see ya boy, my boi Donnie Kennz thas my dawg, my boi Cleetus the cat thas my road dawg, Quran, Spectro, Juju, my homies right there, the kuzzin Malcolm keep doin yo thang mane, my family, I wanna say FreeTru Freesox my cousin in the pound right now, and everybody that has supported us along the way I can’t remember everybody name at the moment but don’t feel left out, everyone we met along the way our friends and family had brought us here shout to everyone that I missed thank you for continued support, support the real don’t support the fake !
Jamel Deon: Man, shout out to the whole North Las Vegas, especially the main ones that have been down with me since the beginning. They all know who they are. Also, a major salute to those in Arizona that have been showing me love ever since I been out with. One love to my family and those who represent hip hop to the fullest. Much love and blessings to you all.
