K-Boss still climbing the success ladder

Chippa Legodimo | Friday January 31, 2014 17:08

CHIPPA LEGODIMO

Staff Writer

ip hop artist Kabelo Motlhatlhedi popularly known as K-Boss once tried to pen down some explicit lyrics but felt bad, ditched the idea and tore the paper into shreds.

'People feel the realness of music and if you do something that does not come from you but is just imported from somewhere it will ultimately show,' K-Boss explains.

No one could fault him then, he was part of a generation that grew at the time when gangster rap from the United States of America was gaining momentum, spreading throughout the world like an airborne disease and lure of trying to be just like them was difficult to parry.

Ghetto boy Tupac Shakur rose to become the biggest seller and the iconic figure of the culture and the music. His death in 1996 created an even bigger furore.

Growing up listening to some of the pioneers of the sound and staying in the US later as an adolescent, K-Boss's musical senses were infused with nothing but hip hop.

'My parents had a hip hop record by one of the pioneers recording bands (Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five) of this music which had a guy called Grand Master Flash and it was fun. It had no explicit content. But when gangster rap rose so many of us just got hooked,' K-Boss told Showbiz.

But while many of those gang rappers' music with its violent connotations, was greatly influenced by the life of the Ghetto, telling stories of the rough life in the streets of Los Angels, K-Boss chose to tell stories in a manner that would not make hip hop an attraction to even the most reserved and religious communities.

'It was sometimes in 2003 when I spent two months trying to write some explicit lyrics but it did not feel right. I am not a vulgar person and that was simply not for me. The first record (by the Furious Five) I listened to had a lot of comedy in it. They were talking of a visit to a neighbour whose chicken tasted like wood,' he said with a shy smile.

Because of his exposure to music K-Boss always felt the urge to write a few verses of his own.

At 11 years a challenge by a friend that he could not even write a few lines motivated him to script his first song.

'He had laughed at my first attempt and that motivated me to prove him wrong in the process it brought my talent to the fore,' he proudly told Showbiz.

In 1995 while at Maru-A- Pula school in Gaborone, young K-Boss left many speechless with his first stage performance, a moment he still cherishes today.

'From that time I was labelled Mrepa and it made me ambitious, it led to more writing and my creativity was unearthed. Watching American group Kris Kross and the fact that they were conquering the world with the hit Jump made me believe,' he said.

The heavily-built musician's first official song was scripted in 2004 after a meeting with Third Mind's Presley Metshe (Prez Beatz).

But before the two men could do anything, American hip-hop Blackman arrived in the country as ambassador for genre to conduct workshops for local musicians.

'I thought, now this is my opportunity to go international. But after that I decided to do my research and came to the conclusion that I had to start here at home. Make no mistake, I want to go global and I know I can but it had to start here,' he explained.

When K-Boss first made a call to his would be producer Prez Beatz, he was made to rap over the phone something that did not bother him because while in the States he was asked to do the same when he tried to make connections.

The musician was overwhelmed by the reception from the stable mates and everybody who listened to his audition.

'Guys like Vee, Gufi and Prez Beatz himself were so jubilant and it felt great,' he recalled. One of his earliest recorded songs was born out of the excent that greeted him at Ramco Records.

His arrival coincided with the launch of another hip-hop musician Kast, as well as the return of Third Mind.

While Ramco's new find was itching to record and release his music, focus was on pushing the two.

'I did not regret the long hold on because the promotion of Kast and Third Mind's Third Coming album benefited my own career. I travelled with them around the country and I was amazed to find one girl singing my whole song one day in Lobatse before the album could even come out,' he said.

He also believes that taking that long before he could debut helped him learn the ropes such that when time came to work on his album, he had played a major role in the production.

With a total of 21 tracks, some felt the album was too loaded but K-Boss disagrees.

'It illustrated my path from beginning to end and everything in there was important to me,' he said.

K-Boss holds his producer Press Beatz in high esteem saying it was a blessing to work with him.

'I wanted to change the way people view hip hop and its player because they would be seen as that group with explicit lyrics, with their own way of dress when in actual fact this can be done by decent people and enjoyed by all,' he said.

This worked, as in 2010 a South African company signed the local lad. But to his disappointment, expectations were not met and he returned home where he started his own record label Heart Beats Sounds. He has already signed 13 locals.

His latest project 'Hip hop is music' was released under this label and marketed oversees where the musician-cum-businessman claims has been well received.

'We have already received offers from some licensing and publishing company in America and we are only tying up loose ends,' he said with a grin.

While outside, hip-hop artists are well off, here the struggle for survival continues.

'I have discovered the structures here are not conducive for taking music as your bread and butter.

Right now I cannot have my double storey house hence I have another job outside music. I am working towards ensuring that it becomes my life,' he said.

'People feel the realness of music and if you do something that does not come from you but is just imported from somewhere it will ultimately show,' K-Boss explains.No one could fault him then, he was part of a generation that grew at the time when gangster rap from the United States of America was gaining momentum, spreading throughout the world like an airborne disease and lure of trying to be just like them was difficult to parry.Ghetto boy Tupac Shakur rose to become the biggest seller and the iconic figure of the culture and the music. His death in 1996 created an even bigger furore.Growing up listening to some of the pioneers of the sound and staying in the US later as an adolescent, K-Boss's musical senses were infused with nothing but hip hop. 'My parents had a hip hop record by one of the pioneers recording bands (Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five) of this music which had a guy called Grand Master Flash and it was fun. It had no explicit content. But when gangster rap rose so many of us just got hooked,' K-Boss told Showbiz.But while many of those gang rappers' music with its violent connotations, was greatly influenced by the life of the Ghetto, telling stories of the rough life in the streets of Los Angels, K-Boss chose to tell stories in a manner that would not make hip hop an attraction to even the most reserved and religious communities.'It was sometimes in 2003 when I spent two months trying to write some explicit lyrics but it did not feel right. I am not a vulgar person and that was simply not for me. The first record (by the Furious Five) I listened to had a lot of comedy in it.

They were talking of a visit to a neighbour whose chicken tasted like wood,' he said with a shy smile.Because of his exposure to music K-Boss always felt the urge to write a few verses of his own.At 11 years a challenge by a friend that he could not even write a few lines motivated him to script his first song.'He had laughed at my first attempt and that motivated me to prove him wrong in the process it brought my talent to the fore,' he proudly told Showbiz.In 1995 while at Maru-A- Pula school in Gaborone, young K-Boss left many speechless with his first stage performance, a moment he still cherishes today.'From that time I was labelled Mrepa and it made me ambitious, it led to more writing and my creativity was unearthed. Watching American group Kris Kross and the fact that they were conquering the world with the hit Jump made me believe,' he said.The heavily-built musician's first official song was scripted in 2004 after a meeting with Third Mind's Presley Metshe (Prez Beatz).But before the two men could do anything, American hip-hop Blackman arrived in the country as ambassador for genre to conduct workshops for local musicians.'I thought, now this is my opportunity to go international.

But after that I decided to do my research and came to the conclusion that I had to start here at home. Make no mistake, I want to go global and I know I can but it had to start here,' he explained.When K-Boss first made a call to his would be producer Prez Beatz, he was made to rap over the phone something that did not bother him because while in the States he was asked to do the same when he tried to make connections.The musician was overwhelmed by the reception from the stable mates and everybody who listened to his audition.'Guys like Vee, Gufi and Prez Beatz himself were so jubilant and it felt great,' he recalled. One of his earliest recorded songs was born out of the excitement that greeted him at Ramco Records.His arrival coincided with the launch of another hip-hop musician Kast, as well as the return of Third Mind.While Ramco's new find was itching to record and release his music, focus was on pushing the two.

While for many a young musician, this could have been discouraging, for K-Boss it was a challenge for him to push even harder. His debut, Bos Man was only released in 2009 amid an ecstatic reception from fans who instantly got hooked on the hit 'Garass pampiri'.'I did not regret the long hold on because the promotion of Kast and Third Mind's Third Coming album benefited my own career. I travelled with them around the country and I was amazed to find one girl singing my whole song one day in Lobatse before the album could even come out,' he said.He also believes that taking that long before he could debut helped him learn the ropes such that when time came to work on his album, he had played a major role in the production.With a total of 21 tracks, some felt the album was too loaded but K-Boss disagrees.'It illustrated my path from beginning to end and everything in there was important to me,' he said.K-Boss holds his producer Press Beatz in high esteem saying it was a blessing to work with him.

K-Boss said his producer understood the importance of making the type of music that will have an instant magnetic attraction to locals and also provide that cross over which would make him appealing to the international audience.'I wanted to change the way people view hip hop and its player because they would be seen as that group with explicit lyrics, with their own way of dress when in actual fact this can be done by decent people and enjoyed by all,' he said.This worked, as in 2010 a South African company signed the local lad. But to his disappointment, expectations were not met and he returned home where he started his own record label Heart Beats Sounds.

He has already signed 13 locals.His latest project 'Hip hop is music' was released under this label and marketed oversees where the musician-cum-businessman claims has been well received.'We have already received offers from some licensing and publishing company in America and we are only tying up loose ends,' he said with a grin.While outside, hip-hop artists are well off, here the struggle for survival continues. 'I have discovered the structures here are not conducive for taking music as your bread and butter. Right now I cannot have my double storey house hence I have another job outside music. I am working towards ensuring that it becomes my life,' he said.