Exclusive | Kolo Talks the Creation of His Video Mixtape Series "Free Basement"
“I always tell people the cornerstone of my music is versatility. I want to do all styles of rap music and do each style well.”
By: Omar Cook
This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is Nigerian-American rapper, Kolo! Kolo was born in Nigeria and now calls Georgia his home. With three EP's under his belt, multiple singles, and a dope video mixtape series call “Free Basement”, this artist is definitely putting his versatility on display and is making his presence known.
As soon as you turn on his music, you become hooked by his smooth delivery and conscious lyrics. Kolo represents the type of artist that was the reasoning for starting the “Who’s Hot?” interview series as an under the radar dope lyricist. Kolo is more than a rapper but also a scholar having graduated from Mercer University with a degree in Biology in 2016 and his masters from the University of Georgia in 2018. This artist has a message in every song and just about every song is a must listen. Don’t sleep on this artist!
Kolo - You Made Me (Official Video)
We talked with Kolo in an exclusive interview, check it out below!
How long have you been making music and how did you get started?
Kolo: I’ve been making music seriously for about 3 and a half years. I started making beats in undergrad out of curiosity, but it was just a simple hobby that I would do once in a while. It wasn’t until I did a cypher in grad school in 2016 that I really fell in love with it and I have been dedicated ever since.
Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?
Kolo: I would say I have a lot of influences over the years. My favorite rapper is definitely J. Cole. Obviously a huge inspiration because of his authenticity and his innate ability to be able to identify with everyone no matter their background. Drake is another rapper who I’m a huge fan of. His versatility and vulnerability are both really impressive. 50 Cent is another one. He’s the first rapper that I seriously was a diehard fan of. His ability to use melody as well as maintain a hard edge is something that appealed heavy to me and made me fall in love with the genre. Outside of rap, Mariah Carey is one of my favorites ever. The Emancipation of Mimi is an album I still play to this day. Also, Michael Jackson was the first artist I ever knew. My parents played him around the house ever since I was young and the more I grow up, the more I appreciate his forward-thinking ideas and the magic that he just had within him.
What artists would you like to collaborate with and why?
Kolo: I would love to collaborate with the inspirations I mentioned. Besides them, there’s a lot for sure, but off top one would definitely be Justin Bieber. I’m a fan of pop music and he definitely makes R&B as well so I would love to collaborate even if it means just writing for him. Been a fan since Journals so it only feels right. Another one would be Akon. He was one of the most impactful artists during my childhood. His ability to tell stories through melodies really inspires me so collaborating with him is definitely on my bucket list. Would also like to collaborate with Lil Uzi because I really like doing melody driven stuff that can take me out of my comfort zone. Benny the Butcher would be another one definitely because I have a lot of respect for his pen.
What do you feel is your best song/project ever released and why?
Kolo: That’s a tough one. Out of all the three projects I have out, it would be between New Beginnings and Purest Release, which are both good for different reasons so I can’t really pick. Song wise I would have to go with “Trae Young” just because it’s one of the most recent songs I’ve put out and I definitely feel like my recent material is better than my prior work.
What projects can we look forward to in the near future?
Kolo: I have a lot in store this year. I have a few singles coming out in the first half of the year just to set the tone and show my range. I’ll be continuing my Free Basement video mixtape series that I do on Instagram and YouTube. The series is a mixture of original songs and freestyles that’s really been helping me build momentum. Most importantly, I plan to put out my debut album by the end of the year. Incredibly excited because I finally feel like the quality is at the perfect level to properly display what I’m capable of.
Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg - Still D.R.E. (Freestyle) (Free Basement 33) | Kolo
How do you generate new ideas for your music?
Kolo: It’s pretty organic. I either make beats and that inspires me to write something or I have a topic/message in mind then I make the beat to match it. I mostly just let things ruminate and just stir in my mind in terms of when I’m creating a project. It becomes about fitting puzzle pieces together because with an EP/album you’re trying to creating a unified experience. Free Basement is really the purest form of creation though. I just pick beats I like and rap freely and I believe that has really sharpened my pen.
What motivates you and how do you define success?
Kolo: The feeling of creation is probably my biggest motivator in terms of the music. The euphoric feeling and the joy of creation is undoubtedly the most addicting thing for me personally. In life my biggest motivation is probably my family. They inspire me to be as great as I possibly can be. Success to me is excellence. It’s doing your purpose at the highest level. And in that sense, I’m out to be as successful as possible. I want to make the best music I can and nothing less.
How do you describe your music to people and what separates you from other artists in your genre?
Kolo: I usually don’t spend too much time describing the music. If I can I’ll just play it to get the feedback I need. But when I do describe it, I always tell people the cornerstone of my music is versatility. I want to do all styles of rap music and do each style well. And I believe the range that I provide is what will differentiate me from a lot of artists in the current landscape.
Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?
Kolo: A little bit. Not to say that your music should be formulaic or it should be generic. If you go into music creation with some sort of equation/formula, you’ll end up with a very bland product in my opinion. But obviously, there are things you need to keep in mind in terms of commercial success if that’s what you want. Your music needs to feel universal if you want to appeal to the masses. You need strategy to reach people and gain exposure. But through it all, it’s important to maintain your identity and make what you want to make.
Who is your greatest inspiration?
Kolo: My parents. Incredible people who have done everything to make me who I am, and will be the reason for any future success I may have.
In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?
Kolo: Very tough question. I think those are two very different questions. Obviously Kanye and Wayne are kind of the forefathers of most of the current rappers but I wouldn’t count them as being the most influential right now. Honestly, I’d have to go with someone like Young Thug simply because I feel like he has the most rappers that have imitated his style. In terms of success in a commercial sense, it would obviously be Drake. He’s been dominating the landscape for a decade and some change now.
Drake ft. Future - Desires (Freestyle) (Free Basement 32)
Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?
Kolo: Definitely hunger. Especially with the Free Basement stuff. I’m just hungry right now. Really feel like I got a lot to prove and I’m excited to do just that.
What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?
Kolo: Obviously simple stuff like TV, hanging out with friends, money, are all sacrifices that I’ve made. If you want a dream to come true, sacrifices must be made. There’s no way around it.
What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?
Kolo: The most exciting part is probably the writing. Probably because its what I’m the best at and once I’ve written something great I feel like the hard part is over. In terms of the most discouraging thing, it would definitely be engineering/mixing. I hope I can get better at it some day but its definitely the thing I’m the worst at in terms of music creation, which is why I have Matt Heath engineer my official releases.
Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?
Kolo: I see myself 4 albums in, with a profitable music career that I can live off of. By the end of decade, I believe I would have proven to myself that I can be one of the best to ever do it.
What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?
Kolo: Stop over-caring about what other people think. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be self aware, but it’s important to be high in self-belief even if you look delusional to others. It’s a long, lonely journey and if you don’t believe it, nobody will.
Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?
Kolo: Yeah. Please press play.
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