The Killing Joke (Houston, TX) – Q&A Interview
Tell us a little about yourselves. Where you are from? How long have you been making Hip Hop?
Kasper Kills – We are “The Killing Joke”, an experimental hip hop group from Houston TX. I am Kasper Kills, the main producer and backing vocalist for TKJ. I have been making music since 2003 when I started my first band. I do most of the production and engineering for our music. I also trade verses on “The Homunculus”. We have been making music together under different artist names (with NP Productions) since late 2005. We do 95% of all the work in house, meaning either Mange or myself does just about everything. Music production, mixing, artwork, photography, promotion, etc.
The Lion Mange – Hmmm….Responding to this kind of feels like a Craigslist Ad. Ha-ha. Mange. 6’2′. 250# 6-7″ DDF uncut and thick. Hahahaha. All of that shit is true though….and you can find it in Houston, Ladiesssss.
I’ve been writing since I was a little fat kid with poems. Finally after enough ridicule, Plus a healthy dose of Cockiness and Confidence, I turned them into rhymes and voila! I is here! So I’d say for about 11 years now. Been recording for 9.
What influences you in making Hip Hop?
The Lion Mange – I’d have to say the life around me and shifting thought processes, you know. Just that shit that’s all around. I do a lot of little social experiments and have a general utter disgust for everything and all, but there’s Love in there too. Haha. I have tons of musical influences, but that’s too long for me to get into. I ramble soooooo…..
Kasper Kills – To me, Hip Hop is a thriving art form that we both thoroughly enjoy and love making. We are artists and we have a message to be heard. Music is a fun and enjoyable way to convey it.
Describe your music, and what separates you from other MCs?
The Lion Mange – Our shit is different. I know it is. It’s the first thing I’m still 100% proud of even months after we recorded it. Again, “…utter disgust for everything and all…”, goes especially for my own shit, but this, this is a movement, jarred emotion in RAW form, and I truly feel it deserves your attention. We only want to promote thought, and I know this Album does that. That’s what separates us. We make this art 100% by our own hands for the sole purpose of HOPING that you’ll listen, and give it all some thought. Plus our shit knocks hard! H-Town Thunderous Bass!!
Kasper Kills – Mange’s spit is unlike anyone else I have ever heard. Shit is straight raw and I love that. Our music is such a mashup of many styles and genres (Hip Hop, EDM, Rock/Metal) that we have yet to find anything close to what we make. In fact, we are still having issues labeling our music with a genre. Are we Hip Hop? Are we Hardcore Hip Hop? Are we Trip Hop? I don’t really know. What I do know is that in this industry it isn’t enough to be good. You have to be great, but also you have to be different. We are a departure from traditional hip hop yes, but we still have the spirit deep in our music.
Who have you collaborated with? Who would you like to collab with in the near future?
Kasper Kills – So far, we have worked with Derek Prophet, another great Houston artist. We are always open to work with likeminded people.
The Lion Mange – We’ve done collabs with friends and stuff in the past, but nobody instantly recognizable. We’d love to collab with anybody who understands what we’re about. No collab will ever come from us just for the Name or the Feature to plaster all over our work to lure you in. I don’t care who it is. We’d love to work with anybody who would love to work with us basically.
Your definition of “Underground Hip Hop”?
Kasper Kills – Underground Hip Hop to me is a scene of music that is propagated by indie artists like ourselves. There are tons of artists trying to break through the best way they know how. As for us, we are making art to share with the world, and we only hope it finds the eyes and ears needed to be appreciated.
The Lion Mange – To be true with what you do and never shake your confidence when you present it. Even if you’re up there in a skirt. OWN THAT SKIRT!! Underground Hip-Hop is meant to lead and change current paradigms. SO EVERYONE QUIT FUCKING AROUND AND START PUTTING YOUR HEART INTO IT!!
Production wise, who are your influences? Who does your production? And who would you like to work with?
The Lion Mange – I was raised on Psychopathic and Strange so that’s where my angles tend to be most influenced by. That and this nigga sitting next to me. I still make music with my mouth for Christ’s sake. This motherfucker plays instruments!! Hahaha. He makes the whole thing spin and that’s a constant influence to me. As for who I’d like to work with, I have tons of people in mind, but it feels weird droppin’ names.
Kasper Kills – I literally listen to every genre of music out there. From classical to death metal, I can appreciate the art and look for the artists intentions within all music. Art in general and music more specifically is about human emotion and thought. I wouldn’t say that we are trying to pull from any group of artists as much as we are trying to pull from ALL of them. But if I were to speak to only my hip hop influences, they range from really old school NWA, 2Pac and Public Enemy to newer artists like Tech N9ne and Krizz Kaliko. We will continue to produce our own music, but are open to collaborate with producers and DJs that understand what we are about.
Any current or future projects you are promoting?
The Lion Mange – “Tales from the Homunculi” obviously. Go download it right now for FREE at http://www.suffercation.com/. Plus you can see how handsome we are. haha. We’re shooting a few music videos right now that we should have available for everyone in the not too distant. Plus we’ve started pre-production on our new mixtape. Some lifted beats, some originals, some remixes, yadda yadda, but that shit will be totally FREE too!! So be looking for it this year before our LP drops sometime in 2015.
Can you give us a brief description of the creative process of “Tales from the Homunculi EP”? Also/ what was the idea or concept description about your Album Art Cover.
Kasper Kills – It’s the first in a long line of concept albums that we will be producing. “Tales” is just the introduction.
The Lion Mange – It’s a weird one. It started as something completely different and ended up with what it is now. I think that’s true with a lot of artists. To tell you any more would be spilling secrets. Lots of blood and wishes are involved. (Is he joking?) The album cover, as well as the album itself, is the definition of The Killing Joke. A calming presentation meant to make you feel interested and safe, only to have your mind ripped open by The Gnashing Maw when you’ve come to close.
Where can we find your music and info?
The Lion Mange – Uuuum……in places. This motherfucker here knows all the specifics. He’s good with that and I admittedly am shitty.
Kasper Kills – First place to check if you want up to date info is our official website http://www.suffercation.com/. There you can download the “Tales from the Homunculi” E.P. for FREE, Join our mailing list for news and giveaways. Other than that I would say make sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter as we are very active on both of those sites. If people just want to check out the music before downloading check out our Soundcloud and Reverbnation profiles.
Twitter.com/KillingJokeTX (@KillingJokeTX)
Facebook.com/TheKillingJokeTX
Soundcloud.com/TheKillingJoke
Reverbnation.com/TheKillingJoke
Any shout outs?
Kasper Kills – I want to give a big shout out to my homie Derek Prophet (@DKINGP) and Stephanie Nicole. Big Thanks to our fans, without you this is meaningless.
