INTERVIEW: J. Kas — Music Musings & Such

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Pishi Modaressi

J. Kas

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I have been shooting the breeze with J. Kas…

as he tells me about his new single, Vogue. The talented Rap artist talks about the scene in the U.K. and whether modern Rap here can compete; which new artists we need to throw ourselves behind – he tells me about his influences and favourite artists.

J. Kas looks forward to gigs and plans; whether there are ambitions left to fulfil this year; what advice he would give to musicians coming through; a few albums that mean the most to him – J. Kas ends the interview with a cool song!

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Hi, J Kas. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi, guys; thanks for hosting us. I truly appreciate your time and support. It’s been a blessed week. The weather has been kind to us and life is good.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

My name is J. Kas. I’m a rapper and songwriter from the Steel City of Sheffield, U.K.

Vogue is your new single. What is it all about?

Vogue is about doing things in style and having fun with it.

It seems like the video was fun to shoot. What was the experience like?

The video was an adventure. It was filmed on location in the beautiful city of Lisbon, Portugal. It’s an amazing city. The weather is beautiful; it’s a city that exudes creativity and energy and the people are welcoming and friendly. It was the perfect backdrop to capture the Mantra-produced beat.

Might we see more material from you later in the year?

We may put out another four-five projects, if not more, before the close of the year.

Is there an artist or moment that compelled you to get into music? Did you grow up around a lot of good music?

I’ve always had an interest in music from an early age. Me and my sister would create dance routines and have singing competitions against each other just to past time. Also, growing up in a household where the music selection was wide, I would listen to likes of Whitney Houston, Bob Marley; Michael Jackson, Madonna; Sting, Jodeci, Beres Hammond; Phil Collins, Foreigner and Annie Lennox are just a few to mention (as the list is endless).

I wouldn’t say there was a specific moment: I think I was already in it.

The U.K. Rap scene is busy, but few are in the mainstream. Do you think Rap is a hard genre to integrate into the mainstream? What do you think of the genre right now?

U.K. Rap is widely popular around the world and continues to grow, so I guess it’s mainstream. New and existing artists are pushing creative boundaries and I see international artists looking for that U.K. collaboration - and this adds value to the genre.

You have received a lot of praise from various sources. Is it encouraging knowing people are reacting to your music?

Yeah. The likes of Charlie Sloth and DJ Ace of BBC Radio 1Xtra; Huw Stephens of BBC Radio 1; Tom Robinson of BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Introducing Sheffield presenter Christian Carlisle. It’s good to know that they enjoy my music and feel that it’s good enough to play and talk about it on their respected platforms.

Can we see you tour this year? What gigs do you have coming along?

In July, we start the Dreamlife Summer Jamz tour in Porto, Portugal for twelve days. It will feature Portuguese rapper Duplo of Rockit Music and singer Carolina Ferriera - who I met during filming for my forthcoming music video, Blueberry Schwag. There is Tramlines music festival, Sheffield on 21st July and Elevate Young Minds festival in September.

J. Kas RED by Jodie Blackburn (38) (1).jpg

PHOTO CREDIT: Jodie Blackburn

Do you have any ambitions to fulfil before the end of the year?

I’d like to collaborate with more artists, whether they are from the U.K. or abroad. Also; I want to put myself in as many places as possible so people are continuously bringing me up in conversation.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Headlining the Elevate Young Minds (Lisbon, 2017). That performance was different. The whole place was on fire - and the energy between myself and the crowd was crazy. It was one of those moments when you find yourself in a totally different space that is unexplainable.

J. Kas Dreamlife Tour By Pishi Modaressi (3).jpeg

PHOTO CREDIT: Pishi Modaressi

Which three albums mean the most to you, would you say?

Tupac Shakur - All Eyez on Me

Jay-Z – The Blueprint

Mary J. Blige – Share My World

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Be consistent - because consistency is a major key.

IN THIS PHOTO: Cellar Door Moon Crow

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

A few Sheffield artists’ I recommend are Inna Vibe, Ruell (who features on my tracks Cali Dreaming and Snapchat); Cellar Door Moon Crow and Audio Phaze.

IN THIS PHOTO: Audio Phaze

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I enjoy going to the gym. I go walking. I watch a lot of films and T.V. shows. To name a few, I’m currently watching Krypton which is about Superman’s grandfather. I watch Lost in Space, Star Trek: Discovery; Stranger Things, Luke Cage; Jessica Jones, Runaways; Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. I’m sure you can tell I’m a big Marvel fan…

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Lady Leshurr – OMW