By Jamilah King
Bay Area DJ Kero One likes to say that he got his Seoul from Korea. Regardless of its origins, his talents as a producer, DJ, and MC are creating a big buzz in hip-hop. He's collaborated with Grand Puba, Aloe Blacc, and Ohmega Watts. His smooth sound takes hip-hop back to its roots while also moving it forward. Tonight, March 11, Kero One performs at 111 Minna Gallery; he also has a monthly at Madrone Lounge.
He sat down to talk about his music, and more.
SFBG: You're from the Bay. Where in the Bay did you grow up?
Kero One: I grew up in the Santa Clara area, and moved to the city about three years ago to get more serious about my music career.
SFBG: When did you fall in love with music?
KO: I remember being really little and staying up into the wee hours of the night to listen to the radio and stations like KMEL. My mom would come in and try to get me to go to bed, then I'd get right back up and turn the radio on and listen to stuff like Boogie Down Productions, and all the stuff that was big in the late '80s.
SFBG: Who are your musical and personal influences?
KO: I definitely listened to a lot of early pioneers of hip-hop, which kind of evolved into me researching the all different kinds of music, everything from jazz, funk, Japanese hip-hop, electric funk. As a producer, I'm always looking for different things to sample, so I like to take influences from every genre. A lot of times, there's a major line of thinking that's particular to each genre, so I like to get ideas from that and let it take me in a different direction.
Personally, I'm influenced by life. Pretty much all my lyrics are based off of real life experiences, and I get pretty personal in my music. So it's out there – from the regular to the spiritual.
SFBG: You got your break in Japan. What was that experience like?
KO: So I released a 12-inch in 2005. I didn't have a label backing me, so I put it out by myself, with the help of friends. Somehow a DJ in Japan got a hold of it and played it in a club. He got a lot of responses from it, and one was from a distributor. The distributor contacted me and wanted 2,000 copies and, at the time since I wasn't used to the business side of things, it was pretty crazy. But we got it together and eventually Jazzy Stores came to me with interest in launching a tour. We far we've toured Japan three times. It's been a tremendous blessing.
SFBG: What's your most memorable experience from those trips?
KO: My DJ, who I've known for years, is a vegetarian, and I had never seen him eat meat. Wherever we went, we always had to try to accommodate his diet, Last time we went to Japan, he just said, "Screw it," and we ended up eating at all these burger and beef barbecue places. It was cool because I think it represents the attitude of both traveling and just being in Japan: there's no holding back. You always go full force, whether it's fashion or food.
In terms of music, traveling the countryside is always a highlight of the trip. We always get plenty of love in the cities, but it's a different vibe in the countryside because people have a different mentality. They're a little more humble and appreciative because they may not get to see hip-hop very often. The energy is just dope.
SFBG: What are you working on now?
KO: I'm working on my next album, which is almost done. I'm always working on a few projects on my label, Plugfam. I'm executive producer for two albums right now, making sure the content is in line with the label's vision. I'm also still DJing, of course.
SFBG: What's been the biggest challenge in your career so far?
KO: Breaking through and getting people to notice you is always a big challenge. Especially nowadays, since it's so easy for anyone to put their music on the Internet. You're a small fish in a big pond, so it takes time to learn how the business works.
It's also important to be persistent and maintain your drive. After I put out my first 12-inch, I had to really stay on my game so people wouldn't forget about me. Music is my full-time job, so I work crazy hours, really late at night, so I just have to set my own pace and remain productive.
SFBG: If you were trapped on another planet for two hours with two artists for, say, a month and had to make an album, who would the two artists be and what would your album sound like?
KO: I think it would have to be Kanye and Amy Winehouse. They're both really unique in an individual sense, plus it would be a really crazy experience. We'd probably make some insane music.
SFBG: If you could work with any artist who's no longer living, who would it be and why?
KO: Definitely James Brown. He's one of the most important artists ever - I mean, he's influenced hip-hop and modern music so much and he doesn't get credited as much as he should. I recently watched a clip of him performing from '68 and was blown away by how much he was ahead of his time. He had so much energy and was so rebellious. Plus almost every one of his songs as been sampled at least five times.
KERO ONE
With Nicolay and Kay
Fri/11, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., $10-$15
111 Minna Gallery
111 Minna, SF
(415) 974-1719
Also every fourth Saturday, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., $5
Madrone Lounge
500 Divisadero, SF
(415) 241-0202
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