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Private location Jam session - British Columbia -- From Time. (R.I.P. Randy 'Tupaco' Ponzio)
The Chemical Brothers perform for a sold-out show at the Rocky Mountaineer Train Station. Vancouver, B.C. 2010.
With the release of his brand new track "Supernovas" taking over the music charts in 2020, I decided to take it back well over a decade (2006) to when i first met the artist known as K-OS. He is undoubtedly one of Canada’s better-known Hip-Hop/Soul artists, who is constantly on a mission to guide music towards what it should be: Original. Before one his sold out performances K-OS took a few minutes to share with me his thoughts about music, love and life.
Full Name: Kheaven Terrence Brereton Date of Birth: Feb 20, 1972 Birthplace: Saint Michael’s Hospital (Toronto, Ontario). Profession: “I’m a soul man, that happens to make music” How would you explain your music to anyone who has never heard it before? A musical schizophrenic. A fan of all types of music, who listens to all types of music at all times of the day. All your albums have kept that originality that you are known for, but each album you put out has definitely evolved from the previous one. Can you tell us what you think the difference is between your albums, Joyful Rebellion and Atlantis: Hymns for Disco, how have you evolved? Just a guy who wants to have more fun, and instead of taking the issues of the world seriously to heart everyday and every moment of his life, still taking those issues to heart and having fun with the life I have been given, and using music to have fun and address those issues in a more subversive poetic way then to talk about how fucked up shit is. There is something to be said for that also, but I think that subversive text in art and poetry is deeper, where someone will look at it and say there is no message because it’s not overt, sometimes it’s more poignant when it’s more covert. And this album reeks of undertones of everything I’ve ever talked about but in a more relaxed way, I think, in my opinion. Love has played a major part in many of your songs. On the subject of love, relationships and past experiences, how much of your experiences with love do you let influence your music and why? I mean on this record it’s a major influence, mostly because on my first record I had a girlfriend of three years, and we broke up right before the album was finished, and I’ve only really started to get over it on this record, which is seven years later, so this is the first time in my life that I’m actually open to not perceiving my life as someone who’s a broken hearted person, or a victim, not necessarily that I even knew that but I think sometimes we walk around with ideas of ourselves that we don’t know, and now on this record I was fully confronted because when I started making music I was happier to address those issues, like 'The Rain' or 'Sunday Morning', to see that “Hey! I‘ve been walking around thinking of myself in that way when I don’t even want to be that person anymore.” Love has started the evolution, which was the first record, and it’s bringing to an end a section where I don’t look at myself anymore as a person whose heart was broken but instead as someone who is set free to have many other experiences in life. Being form the east coast of Canada and having connections to the west coast as well would you agree that having a connection to two different Canadian lifestyles makes you that much more knowledgeable when it comes to making your type of music? Yes! it’s amazing (Canada), Ask any musician who ends up representing their nation wether It’s Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Maestro–Fresh Wes... those guys travel the country. I spent time in Nova Scotia, I spent time in Montreal, I think I get a clearer viewpoint of what Canada is all about, by hanging out in different places in Canada, because Canadians are the same generally on the surface, but every place has it’s own accent. So yeah the fact that my band lives in Vancouver and there are mountains here and it’s very natural here, people aren’t stressed, no worries. In Toronto you need to know what’s the latest in the magazines, what song is out. I usually come out and sing a song like Crucial (Which was made out here), or Crabbuckkit, which was made in T-dot. It just depends ya know? Fans are wondering what you been up to when not touring. Are you currently working on new material or any other new projects? At this point I am just enjoying this record, cause there was a lot of labour put into it and record companies have a certain amount of cycle for a record, cause they have a certain amount of money to spend on a record, so basically when your favourite artist moves onto another record, sometimes, I shouldn’t even make that generalization, but a lot of times the reason artists move on and start making another record it is because their budget is depleted and they can open up a new budget and start making a new record; (laughs) and I am pretty much at that point, especially because the way the music industry works today, but I am not really using that as a key this time to go make a record. Now I’m not working on another record until this is completely out of my system, and I feel like I’m just getting started, because there are so many songs on this album that can be released I can perform live or would like to make videos for. When I make the next record It’s hopefully going to be over the span of a longer time and without any preconceived idea of anything I’m gonna do. What’s the difference between performing in a place like Vancouver, as opposed to cities like Montreal or Toronto? In Vancouver people have the image of being people who smoke more weed, and are much more free. That alone affects how we perform and there is also a deep paranoia that accompanies smoking weed, so it’s that type of vibe. In Toronto they have seen everything, they’ve seen the circus, they stare, they watch. Just because a Toronto crowd is not moving, it doesn’t mean they’re not feeling you, it means they’re checking you out, everything from your fashion to your style, to how you're moving on stage. In Montreal it’s pretty much the type of audience that if you stop singing a song they might just continue singing the song and clapping their hands, until you have to change what your doing to what they are doing, cause they are so into it they start dancing singing and being so celebratory that you got to be like “I guess I should go with them then.” (laughs) They lead the way they ain’t at all afraid to get with something new, if you wanna play a new song they’d be down to hear it, they are about forward thinking art wise. Anything you’d like to tell your Vancouver fans? Umm I’m cool man, I love Vancouver, I am glad it’s not raining, but let’s not speak yet. I did two sold out shows here a while back, but now my life is a whole lot different. I didn’t really get to enjoy it at first, and I been walking back here now and realizing I didn’t realize what things looked like, I was so in a frenzy that I didn’t stop to see any of the writing on the wall, and now my mind is much more clear so now I’m like “WOW!” it’s cool to come back with people still knowing of my music and who are still excited about hearing it. But the hype has all evaporated into admiration and respect, hopefully now I can be a bit calmer about how I approach it. So that’s the best part about coming back is playing here; it is a place I will keep visiting for as long as I play music. WALE performs at Fortune Sound Club in Vancouver, B.C. 2010.
An Interview with Karmaloop's CEO & Founder Greg Selkoe (conducted in 2008).
In these days and times there are very few companies that truly personify street couture and all that it should represent. Fashion is changing daily, and throughout the years of changes this company has been able to step up to the plate and pitch fresh new product, sometimes even before it’s available to the general public. The company has grown from clothing into a way of life, providing other clothing companies with a blueprint to follow. The Company is Karmaloop and the man behind it is CEO & founder Mr. Greg Selkoe. There’s a lot in a name, so why the name Karmaloop? When we started the site I had no idea what to call it. My boy Adrian O’Conner did the original design. Adrian has a degree in sacred geometry; you are probably saying ‘what the hell is that?’ Well, it is the study of ancient symbols and religious symbols like Celtic designs. The first design of the site was based on the Buddhist symbol of Karma, and it looks like volleyball, a looping shape, so bam the name Karmaloop was born out of that. The site looked awesome but we scrapped that design soon after because it wasn’t practical but the name stayed. Do you think where you grew up (Jamaica Plain, MA) had an immediate influence on your wanting to create Karmaloop? Was there maybe a lack of streetwear culture, or fashion where you grew up? JP (Jamaica Plain) definitely had an influence! It ranges from projects to very suburban looking areas, but it is all part of the City of Boston. Even though I grew up in the more expensive section I hung out all over the place, not just in JP, but all over Boston. I considered myself a city kid and got into Hip-Hop, graffiti, and break-dancing, while most white kids were still listening to Heavy Metal. I remember riding the L train on the Orange line (the L is gone now) and hearing ill mixes on boomboxes. The first rap record I ever bought was the LP of Curtis Blow - 'The Breaks'. When I bought it I couldn’t see over the counter cause I was so small. There were plenty of people with ill style around that 'hood, JP is an amazing neighbourhood. Donna Summers, Michael Bivens from New Edition/BBD, and Joey Macintyre from New Kids are all from Jamaica Plain. In my experience there, I came across all types of cultures and had many different influences so I have always been excited by cultural movements, particularly ones from urban environments; I'm not just talking about Hip-Hop culture but also Hardcore, Skate, and Artistic movements. In your first ten years of business, what is the most important thing that you’ve learned? Don’t ever quit. Don’t listen to the doubters. Get up everyday and get better and if your idea is a good one then it will work out if you stick with it. Also, don’t get too emotional, you’ll make bad decisions. Lastly, have fun. Is the company exactly what you envisioned it to be when working away late nights in your parents’ basement? In a way yes. I was always shooting for something that would be the top of the market that would grow past just clothing into a cultural brand. Can you tell us in what direction the future of streetwear is headed towards? Streetwear is getting cleaner and tighter. It is being influenced by high fashion and definitely getting less 'bright'. With what you’ve learned in the past from Rollins College & Harvard University, how much of it has lent itself to creating what is now the largest online streetwear retailer in the world? I didn’t learn anything at Rollins College, maybe it has changed but when I went there it was mostly a school for rejects from other schools. Kids who were drunks and couldn’t cut it at a real College went there and I have to say at that time that pretty much summed me up. I have a public policy degree from Harvard, where i focused my studies on Urban Planning. My interest in buildings, the built environment, and many aspects of cities all blurs together with the kind of business I run now. Even though I was running Karmaloop at the time I learned a lot at the Kennedy School from amazing teachers like Richard Clark and David Gergen. I also took a bunch of business related courses. I learned basic accounting, economics, statistics, negotiation tactics, and great critical thinking skills. I have to hand it to Harvard for letting me in. They have been making a real effort to get people who have different kinds of smarts and weigh heavily other accomplishments besides just grades. If a school just takes people who get the best grades they miss a lot of talented creative people, and just get nerds. I only applied because they told me they would not consider my grades in college (because that would have been a non-starter) and they kept their word. Even though people love to diss Harvard, including me sometimes, there is a reason why it’s Harvard, they innovate and lead and although I sure as hell dressed different than everyone else in my classes, I enjoyed it. Some day, maybe in ten years, I will go back to Urban Planning. What clothing brands excite/inspire you? I am not going to talk about any of the brands we sell because, well that just isn’t diplomatic. If a brand is on the site, it is a brand I am excited about. Brands I like in general and think are inspiring are Gucci, Ferragamo, and Tom Ford. They are just making it happen: craftsmanship and style. All these dudes know what they are doing. On the topic of clothing, what do you think is missing from streetwear fashion in 07-08? What would you or your peers like to see? First off, there are not enough solid women’s streetwear brands. 'Married to the Mob' and 'Made Me' are putting it down correctly but there are just not that many out there and the Women’s streetwear consumer is hungry to get more. I also think that some more of the Men’s brands should develop women’s lines. On the Men’s side: more cut and sew, more crews. Everyone is "T-shirts, T-shirts, T-shirts." We were really feeling the cardigan thing but it didn’t really get picked up by the consumer. More button down long sleeves that are not flannel. With the explosion of companies of all kinds (not only clothing) collaborating with one another, which collaborations in the past year have impressed you the most? I am all for collabs, it helps push style forward by combining two individual styles to bring out a third. I mean it is a little 'out of control' but still keeps things/brands interesting. I was feeling the Mighty Healthy x Logitec Speakers. Undft had some ill collabs. The Absurd x Good Foot (GDFT) Varsity Jacket which we sell on Karmaloop was fire. Plus the re-release of the WeSC x Adidas Crayfish Party sneaker, DC x SSUR project, Karmaloop x Major Threat hoody, and the Crooks and Castles x Know1edge watch. Karmaloop is going to be focusing a lot of energy on collabs this year and special make-up watch for our Reebok x SSUR x Karmaloop sneaker dropping late spring. What are some of your Fashion faux pas, or trends you think are dying out? All over print hoodies pretty much dead, weapons prints, loud designs. I am seeing more muted colours & sleeker designs. Future plans for Karmaloop, what should heads look out for? Well, we will keep developing Karmaloop TV; The response to this has been amazing. For those who haven’t heard, KarmaloopTV is the first on-line channel dedicated to global streetwear culture, we launched in November. We have Clinton Spark’s, Moonshine formally of the Beatnuts, and Travis from Gym Class Heroes all doing segments for us. We have interviewed more than half of our brands with people like Shepard Fairey and Hector from Triko. We also have interviews with Lupe Fiasco, Bun B, and Russell Simmons. There are over 50 interviews that are all original content. Plus we just did a thing with the show 'The Wire' and worked with them to develop original content about the show that would be shown on Karmaloop TV. |
TALES FROM THE TRIPAround the globe with Jamal Steeles. Archives
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