When I discover new Music or Artists, I tend to buy a few of their albums from their immediate past. I study them like a reporter should. In the case of K-Rino I am still trying to pick his catalog every chance I get. He’s released over 30 albums and projects and plans to only increase production! If you need a sample check out ‘Grand Deception’ on YouTube. By the end of viwing it you’ll be just as intrigued as I am about this Emcee. Let’s find out all we can about one of Hip Hop’s Best, most of you never heard about.
‘Makin Enemies’, why did you come up with this title?
Well because of the time that we’re living in and at that time when I was coming up with that concept it was just so many things going on, that are still going on in terms of social injustices for so called minorities. My mentality was that okay well if they’re already presenting themselves to be enemies to us under the disguise of Law Enforcement. Under the disguise of Judges and people who are supposed to be morally inline. Then I’m gonna go ahead and be preemptive in my mind frame and make an enemy and let them know that I see right through them and attack them from the beginning. That’s what I did on that project.
Do you have any singles for the album?
Singles? Nah I’m really not a “Single” guy. I kind of just drop the whole album at one time and I allow the people to determine what songs that they favor the most. Once I put it out, it’s put out as a whole. The best searched songs that may stand out that I like but me being an underground Artist I don’t receive “Radio Play” anyway, as far as mainstream radio. I get a lot of love from Internet Stations and things of that nature but even on the Internet Stations those guys play the songs that they like the most and I don’t have a problem of which either one they choose.
Do you have any plans to make any videos from this album?
Yeah actually I do, maybe not ‘Makin Enemies’. Cause I’m working on a project now where I’m going to drop 7 albums at one time by the end of the year. I’m gonna release a lot of videos from those projects coming up towards the end of the year rolling into next year. I may go back and do something off of ‘Makin Enemies’, do some videos. Got a song called ‘Sensitive Male’, I may do something with that. Any visuals I do I want to make sure that it’s something that’s gonna capture people’s attention. The concept of a song has to capture people’s attention in order for me to be interested in doing a video to it.
I noticed you haven’t had a new video in a few years.
I’m kind of lazy when it comes to videos. Just being honest with you. Sometimes I just don’t feel like making a video. But then I have fans who put together visual depictions on YouTube for songs that I do. And I’m pretty entertained by some of the stuff that the fans do. But I am gonna get more active in terms of getting out there putting some videos together because I know people want to see certain songs brought to life in that form.
Well especially for somebody like yourself who is so original with your music, you’ll paint a picture we’ve never seen.
That’s the goal. That’s always the mission is to try to take audio and turn it visual within the mind of the listener. It’s easy to do it when you’re watching a movie. It’s easy to do it if you’re looking at a video or a TV Show. I’m thankful for the gift of being able to speak words that people can actually see, the words. That’s the goal. Not necessarily just storytelling songs, but just any topic you want to make sure people can go into a place in their mind and actually picture what you saying.
Well you said one thing, and I will have to just tell you this. You are absolutely one of the Best storytelling Emcee’s I’ve ever heard.
Thank You man. I think that storytelling is a lost art in Rap and in Hip Hop you don’t see it as much as you used to. Back in the days every Rapper was rooted in some kind of storytelling. They always had a song or two where they told stories and I think over the years they kind of just faded out. And the Rappers these days don’t really place much emphasis on that aspect of writing but it’s something that just me coming up in that era, thankfully I was able to fall in love with that. And I still do, you just try to take it to different levels, use your imagination. I would love to see more Rappers get into storytelling because it’s an exercise of your imagination. Being able to sit down and create a story. Even if you’re speaking on something that’s not fictional, it can be a true story just to be able to lay it out. But when I go into my Sci Fi mode I’m just spittin’ some stuff that comes out of my mind it’s true exercise of imagination.
I have to admit, I’ve listened to thousands of Emcees and Rappers in my life. I have to admit K-Rino you’re probably in the Top 5 Emcees of All Time just because of your skills and the fact of what you say in your rhymes is so true that’s why most of the Industry misses you. They don’t catch you on their Radar purposefully because you speak too much truth.
Well first of all I appreciate that compliment. My theory on that always has been that there’s so many great Rappers, so many great Artists that have come along in the History of the game. For me to be mentioned anywhere I’m thankful and grateful to whoever mentions me if it’s in the Top 200, you know I’m thankful. To put me that high up I appreciate that. It’s a goal you strive for, to be the best that you can be. Not necessarily to place yourself as the #1 guy, but I believe that part takes care of itself if you maximize within your own self.
You mentioned you’re releasing 7 albums at one time later this/next year. Is this all through yourself or is there some other entity you are working with?
Nah man this is all me. Everything that I’ve done pretty much the last 15-16 years has been all me. At the beginning me and my Dad were working it together. Since then he pulled out of the Music Industry and left me to do my thing. That’s how I been going ever since. I’m not opposed to any assistance that comes along and I do have people in my circle that work with me and help me, that make up my team. But I’m a one man operation for the most part. It’s been cool for me up until this point. I always been a “do for self” type of guy and I’m glad to be able to have the freedom to put out the kind of music I choose to put out. Without anyone monitoring me or telling me I can’t say this, or can’t say that! I’m able to do and say exactly what I want to do.
I notice you don’t do a lot of collaborations on your music, why is that?
In the beginning I did. There’s no scientific reason behind why I don’t know. The only reason why I don’t now is because I’ve reached a level to where I work so fast and so efficient that I don’t like waiting on nobody. If I have to sit around and wait for these guys to come to the studio or to send their verses in, I don’t have time to do that. I’m just gone do my thing, put it out myself you know? It’s never nothing personal, it’s just a fact that if I do reach out and say “hey man, let’s put this down” and I got a deadline and you’re not respecting that deadline then I’m moving forward. Which I would expect the Artist to do the same with me if I was taking too long. That’s really the only reason. But on this particular project I’m dropping with the 7 albums I’m a call a lot of guys out to work with me because that’s a whole lot of music that I’m not interested in trying to do all that myself. I want to mix it up and bring some versatility to the projects. Let people hear some different voices other than mine. Singers, Rappers, all that. So you’ll see a few features, not a lot but you will see some features on this project.
Check out any one of K-Rino’s 30 releases available on iTunes. Or go to www.southparkcoalition.net to get a physical copy of his music. If you still haven’t listened to K-Rino, now’s your chance, what are you waiting for?