did with Epik High, ‘Map the Soul’ [worldwide version]. The song itself is actually pretty deep, we talk about nature, the depth of love, and spirituality but the way Epik High constructed it, even with the strong beats of Hip-Hop, it has a certain mass appeal to it. So when we performed that song, you would look in the audience and everybody would know the words and be singing it with you. That was really crazy.
Mom&I : You recently made an official music video for ‘In all the Wrong Places’ which is part of your debut album. What took you so long? K: I know. First of all, back then, I didn’t have any money to make it and it was such an important track to me that, if I made it back then, it would have been amateur hour. Some people asked me why I made it now. Marketing wise or business wise it’s not a typical move to release a music video 7 years later but it’s an important track to me. I’ve always wanted to do music with visuals; when I make music, I see a visual as well and I like the artistic aspect of making music outside of audio. With this one, I wanted to make it a little more abstract so that people can come up with their own conclusions.
Mom&I : You’ve toured all over the world and, I’m sure the hip- hop scenes from place to place are very different. Which one were you most impressed with? K: Definitely Japan. It was around 2005 when I was touring and I remember going into a club and it felt as if I walked back in time to the Bay in the mid-late 90s. The type of music they had was very different from what I was currently experiencing at the time, more underground, should I say, and the crowd was amazing. In the Bay area, when you have an underground spot, it’s mostly guys but here, the whole place was packed and about 80% of them were women, all dancing and feeling it. I remember being blown away.
Mom&I : What’s the biggest difference you see in hip-hop in Korea and the US? K: I have a lot of respect for Korean hip-hop. Obviously Korean hip- hop isn’t as evolved as the American, so you see less styles; I’d say only about 4 to 5 styles covered. But there’s always new music and videos they’re putting out and I feel like Koreans are very good with aesthetics and the visual aspects of things. Fashion is pretty cool too.
Mom&I : As one of the few Asians in the American hip-hop scene, do you see more of an Asian influence in the near future? K: I definitely do. I’ve already seen it come this far in the past 6 years or so, I’m sure it’s only going to get crazier. I remember talking to some of the Korean hip-hop artists like Dynamic Duo, asked them what they thought about the scene out here [in the US], and they
said they don’t see many Koreans. It might have been like that at one point but I think it’s changing a lot and I hear new artists coming out all the time.
Mom&I : Tell us how you got to perform with Stevie Wonder. K: His assistant emailed us one morning and it was from an AOL address, so I thought ‘okay, this must be a spam’ (laugh) but when I read through the email it all sounded pretty legit. We made the call, turns out Stevie Wonder heard one of my songs on YouTube and he wanted me to perform in his concert. A lot of thoughts were going through my mind because it’s unheard of to get a call from someone so legendary. They called me the day before his concert and also wanted me to do collaborate with him on stage. At the end that didn’t work out but just being able to perform at his concert was amazing enough. Maybe we’ll get to do something together in the future.
Mom&I : You’ve also performed with Korean artists such as Epik High, Simon D, and Dynamic Duo. Tell us a little bit about that experience. K: It was amazing. Just seeing how much of a fan base they have in the US was mind-blowing. Epik High sold out their shows an hour or two after tickets were on sale in each city. Dumbfoundead joined and Far East Movement opened; it was right before FM blew up and when Dumbfoundead really launched his career, so it was a defining tour for a lot of us.
Mom&I : Is there any advice you want to give to aspiring hip- hop artists who want to be where you are? K: To become a true musician or a more respected artist, you can’t just listen to hip-hop or just one niche or style. You need the broad array of influences. Back when I was growing up, people used to just stick to one genre but now kids listen to all different types of music and that’s what we should all do.
Kero One is not your typical Hip-Hop artist. He looks like the boy next door with his down-to-earth personality and a childlike smile, yet when it comes to music, he’s all passion. Even after all the major tours and collaborations with remarkable artists, he still strives to express his true colors and to communicate with his fans. In the end, it’s not about the fame or success. The much talented rapper says his ultimate aspiration as an artist is to enjoy doing what he loves and to wake up every morning and not think of it all as work.
글 Mom&I English Reporter Tina Kong
Bachelor of Science in Business, Indiana University Kelley School of Business Marketing Associate at Korea International Trade Association, NY Branch
August 2013 LIVING & CULTURE 59
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