K- Real
With a family history that saw his granddaddy best friends with Joe Jackson, his mother a dancer for the King of Soul, James Brown, it is hardly surprising that K Real should opt to take a walk down the same paths his folks have followed.
The California native has battled with various hurdles in his hopes of becoming a recognized MC. Now with all the negativity behind him, K Real is ready to introduce himself to the masses.
Talking to FemaleFirst.co.uk about the lessons he has learned and what it is that has helped him to stay focused on his mission, K Real is ready for you to get familiar.
What has been the driving force of you succeeding in the music business?
I never gave up on my dream no matter how hard things got. I started with a bunch of people in Los Angeles, The Bay Area & Queens, and NY. I am one of the only ones still going.
Hailing from the West Coast how influential has the west coast sound been on you?
Since, Tupac died the west coast has never been the same. It’s a hard road coming from the west because everyone from the venues to record labels is afraid that will kick off some serious shit if they do business with us. My roles behind the scenes as a businessman allowed me to play chess with these people and still succeed.
No Doubt, that Cali has had something to do with my sound before I first saw N.W.A’s music video “Always into Something”. Cali was the first to say whatever, whenever, however, to whomever. Plus all the old skool soul & funk had a lot to do with my music. I grew up in the golden age of rap when Crenshaw was still the ‘Shaw. Kids in the hood just had fun all day even though we were labeled as bad seeds.
As I got older and older I started learning about Geronimo Pratt and other people who were pretty down out in Cali. The riots, gang violence, police all later influenced my music politically. For a while the west coast controlled the game.
Now your Mother was a dancer for James Brown, has she guided you in anyway to the drama that comes along with being a part of the entertainment world?
My mother was kinda a hypocrite when it came to entertainment. She took me to see Janet Jackson backstage as a kid. She took me to see all the OG’s in concert from Motown whenever she could. She also enrolled me in my first music classes. She was the one who first gave me game on the music business and how to hustle. But, then when I got serious she back up and was like “My baby ain’t gonna be no damn rapper!”
When I first got home from Jail Thump Records offered me a contract moms would not even talk to dude about it. Now since I have become more and more established my moms a little proud of my hustle. She still is not down with the crazy stuff I have to go through.
Your grandfather was one of the best friends of Joe Jackson, how important was he in helping the Jackson family become the iconic group they are today?
Well, My grandfather was a key player in from the beginning. My family will say he was the original manager. The Jackson's just say he was working with Joe. Either way he drove the Jackson 5 too and from there first gigs when they were unknown. He travelled with them on tour until he died.
Some will dispute what I am saying but the proof is in the pudding. Some of the drama that sparked off after he died was allegedly from him taking money “off top”.
He was presented with a diamond Plaque by RIAA for the last record he worked on them with the album “Destiny”.
With so many personal experiences, how easy is it for you to write and are all your tracks written with your own experiences in mind or do you write from those of others too?
I can write songs in 15 minutes chorus, melody, verses and edit. That’s on a good day. Last summer I wrote over 50 songs we just started to record them recently. I write about my own experiences and those around me. I only write fiction to get a message out but that’s rare. Almost everything I write is real life.
If there was a point in the history of music you would like to revert to, what time would that be and why?
1998, for Hip-Hop that was the best year. Either that year or 1995-96; it’s hard to decide either way the best rap came from those eras.
You have recently signed a ringtone deal, how important is it for artists to venture into other ways of marketing such as ringtones, music placements for TV etc today?
Revenue streams keep getting cutoff and money has to come from somewhere. I’m a hustler I am going to get money from every room and every situation I can. I don’t even care if its not rap money.
Money is money American green or some multicolor Euros. The only way to get cash like that is to diversify it will give you a more stable career. In the end you’re only investing in yourself.