Fall 15' is here

With the season changing it only seems right that we would take a minute to revisit KM and see what he has in store for the fall. Perfect timing and right on cue KM has arrived with his “Fall Flow”. The Fall flow is the continued grind and focus with new music, features and audio fragments that are sure to please your ears as the leaves fall from the trees and Fall 2015 officially kicks off. Recently KM has enjoyed the early success of his new hit single Ace Ventura (which is available on SoundCloud) and hit the stage at local venues in Charlotte, NC to perform the spit fire ode to a Jim Carrey cult classic.

Last week we learned that KM was once a member of a 3 headed monster of a group titled GBS. As with most groups the tenure was short-lived but it did create a spark that has caused KM to pursue his musical passion. We also learned about the obstacles KM has faced early on his journey to hip hop stardom.

Being an indie-hip-hop artist in a city not particularly keen on hip hop music has more than its fair share of obstacles along the way. Some of the biggest hurdles that KM has encountered thus far are reliability and efficient yet effective way to market the music. Reliability is a big factor—being an upcoming artist in a relatively big city people are quick to want to work together. The problem is that when it is time to really put time in and go to work they’re nowhere to be found and coincidentally won’t return text/phone calls.  Over time KM has learned to only use this foolery as fuel and add it to his inspiration when song writing. The other huge obstacle ALL new artist must face is marketing. Recently KM along with help and insight from his team have tried guerilla marketing. Guerrilla Marketing is an advertising strategy that focuses on low-cost unconventional marketing tactics that yield maximum results. Twitter blast, unique hashtag sayings and frequent recorded performances linked to personalized site have been the game plan for KM thus far. He has recently garnered more attention from local artist and fans and has built key relationships with some of Charlotte’s prominent musical figures.

This week we will delve into some of KM’s biggest hits thus far and also pick his brain on perfect song collaboration. We also see what KM is currently listening too and get a sneak peak into his future projects for the Fall. Fall 15 is here, the #SteadyWork continues . . . .

What do you feel is your biggest hit so far and why?

To date KM’s biggest hit is Don’t Leave Ft Anna Barnett. The song is about the love, life, depression and so much more. It is a remix of Ane Bruns- Don’t leave, I wrote my own verses for the song.  The song deals with the heartbreak I went through in life and also talks about the depression and how I coped with moving on. Relationships are a slippery slope, I can definitely say that there have been some low points and heartbreak in my lifetime, sometimes it ends smoothly other times it has been a pure sh*t show.  The song took me back to a dark place in my life but was good for me to express my true feelings since there was no closure. The mistakes we both made.

If you could work with any artist, producer and vocalist on ONE track who would it be and why ?

I would work with Explosions in the sky. They produced a great amount of music for the movie “Friday Night Lights”. Their instrumentals take on so many emotions. Being a former Athlete the music they made for that movie encompassed what so many people go through. I feel we could make some great music.  Sports and music go hand in hand but their music hits aspects beyond that.

Most rappers and hip hop artist have lots of tattoos why don't you?

A lot of my friends have sleeves or body art work that I appreciate from a distance but I personally do not have any ink. For one I don’t like needles and I don’t know of anything I want placed permanently on my body. I like tattoos and think some people have extraordinary ones. Just cause you are a hip hop artist does not mean you have to have a tattoo.

What's currently in your ear buds or on your iTunes?

My music taste is all over the place and you can definitely tell by my latest tracks. Lately I have been listening to JCole and Kendrick Lamar on the hip hop front, also Death Cab for Cutie, Sparta and Kings of Leon.  

What's the next track you're working on?

Connections, connecting and more networking!!!!  I just finished up three tracks, so I’m going to spend the next month working on collaborations with other Charlotte Artist. I have some tricks up my sleeve you will just have to stay tuned, I’m working on a partnership with a music app here in Charlotte, once it finalizes it will be MEGA, until then I’m forever grinding, it’s steady work over this way.

Week 2 The spark that really got me going . . .

Last week was our first blog post and an up close and personal look into KM’s upbringing. We learned that KM was actually born in Germany and raised by parents who were both in the military. KM is the youngest of 5 and started rapping after a few college freestyles got a good response. Initially he was hesitant to pursue his passion but then he realized he had a message to deliver and he has been grinding ever since.

                  This week we take a look at previous projects KM has put out, any obstacles he has faced thus far and also see what he has in the pipeline for the upcoming weeks. KM hasn’t always been a solo artist. In last week’s blog I discussed how I met KM and also the first time I ever heard him rap. What I did not mention was that after I heard a few of his infamous “kitchen freestyles” I asked if he had ever put out any recorded music. Linking up with one of his younger roommates who I played pick-up basketball with almost every day I learned that KM was actually in a rap group. The group, GBS (Gym Ball S*x circa 09’) was appropriately titled as that was the routine for most college kids who never had total freedomand had the college party scene popping. Unfortunately like most college rap groups’ this was a short lived fame that could’ve been bigger than life. One big factor I realize now is that social media was a resource but it wasn’t prevalent as it is today. Outside of Facebook and Myspace there was no real way for GBS to market and find new fans. I can only imagine if Instagram, Periscope, SnapChat, Twitter and Vine were around what kind of damage GBS would have done. Ironically the group disbanded but remained VERY close, 2/3 of the group (KM included ) still pursue their rap dreams to this day. GBS is now just a fond memory but this was a spark early on in KM rap career….

What are some previous projects you have put out?

GBS was more a group of friends than serious group. We drank together, hooped together, and partied with the same chicks. It was a hazy time in my life but we had some good raw music. We never officially released a project, but just know if we did it would’ve shocked the world haha It may come one day, I mean after Dr. Dre Detox of course haha .The first mixtape I dropped was Overdue. Working on that mixtape was probably the worst thing ever. People kept backing out of collaborations. I was using a studio that was not helping to me to become a better artist. It was more like working with a yes man. It almost made me want to quit doing music. A took a break for a few months after that. One day I just started writing again and decided to give it another try. My Improvements was made from that bad experience and the reviews I received from friends. Instead of trying to work with a bunch of artist I just focused on the quality and put out a 3 -5 songs w/ collaborations so the rest would be all me.

What kind of response did you get initially when you told people you wanted to rap?

I never told people I wanted to rap, I just started and when people asked I said I did music. When you say rap most people get a negative image in their mind. All rappers aren’t illiterate, tatted up and dead beat Dads who make it rain at strip clubs- for that reason KM doesn’t instantly tell people hey “I’m a rapper”. Instead he releases the music and if people ask what type it is he then tells them he’s into hip hop.

What has been the biggest obstacle in your journey thus far?

The biggest obstacle is marketing my music.  There are hella rappers out there. And all these rappers are trying to make it, but in order to make it you have to be discovered. With the eruption of social media unfortunately there isn’t a handbook on how to properly market rap projects. There are no rules or correct paths; it’s all trial and error.

Who would be your celebrity crush and why ?

KM is more than rap; this blog is here to get the reader to know him as a person too. What makes him tick, and also aspects of his life outside the studio. KM said he has always had a thing for Alessandra Ambrosia & Marisa Miller. I can only guess that his spring 2015 song “Hey Pretty Lady” was partly inspired by this brunette bombshell. And as for Marisa, it must be the last name that draws him to this beauty.

What’s next?

 I always try to write a few songs per week. I just dropped a new track, available on Souncloud called Ace Ventura. The track features one of KM’s friend WyFi, it is an ode to the cult classic film starring Jim Carrey and relays the message that you can do what you want to do how you want to do it. Break the mold, since the season has changed KM has called this his #FallFlow. In the week’s he is focusing on working with new producers and reaching out to new fans and performing at new venues in North Carolina, The #SteadyWork continues . . .

The journey begins: Week One-Meet the Artist:

I have had the pleasure of knowing Kori Miller aka KM for roughly five years. Ever since I have known him he has been admittedly stubborn, yet diligent, reliable and consistently focused. Linking with KM in grad school for an MBA program, might I add what rapper out there has an MBA? Not an on-line degree but a full fledge MBA from an accredited University. We initially clicked because honestly we were the only blacks in the program and we also like to party.  Our classmates were over the whole undergrad style of raging and “partying” and would spend their weekends quietly with their friends or studying in preparation for the upcoming week. We would rage nightly and also on weekends and also shared the same circle of friends since he comes from a sports background. What I did not pick up on initially was KM’s love for music.  When we first met back in the summer of 2010 I recall being invited to pregame. At that point in our young lives we were still penny pinching and pregaming consisted of fifths of Burnette’s vodka, Natural Light Beer kegs off brand 3 Liter sodas from the local Food Lion and a scripted mass text to 50+ girls. In the midst of partying and trying to impress whatever girls attended the weekly pregame I found KM in the kitchen with one of his roommate’s freestyling over some Drake (So Far Gone had just dropped) that was blasting through the speakers in the living room.  Being more concerned with the girls at the party than the commotion in the kitchen it caught my eye but didn’t warrant my attention. Week by week would pass and one Thursday in the fall of 2010 as I went to the kitchen for a shot of some nasty flavored Burnette I noticed KM was at it yet again. He was moving swiftly delivering punch lines and spitting bars off the top of the dome. As I stopped to listen I noticed a small huddle around him as he dropped bar after bar gaining more and more attention from the party goers, that’s when it dawned on, me. KM isn’t just rapping over Drake beats every Friday at the pregames; he is passionate about this and I would soon learn his message:  We will be sitting down with KM once a week to pick his brain and truly understand him as person, see what projects he is working on learn more about his journey thus far. Without any further ado let’s officially meet the rapper:

Who is he?

Kori Miller stage name KM. Also known as or referred to as: K Musiq, Kori D, Kori M or King Miller 

 Where is he from?

The son of proud hard working parents who served in the military KM was born on Germany soil but raised in VA calling Fredericksburg home. Often times in KM’s early tracks he shouts out his neighborhood the “Burg” as he affectionately calls it. As KM puts it “The Burg is a small town where country meets city “.

What type of upbringing did you have?

Military Brat rather military and brat would describe the type of upbringing KM had growing up. Raised by parents who served in the military and the youngest of 5 KM learned at a young age that he would have to fight to get his way and that nothing in life is given. Being the youngest KM had little to no say so in any decisions that were made growing up, as a result KM learned from the mistakes of his older siblings.  Imagine a kid who was always deemed too little, too short and too small to excel in the sports world. Also being the youngest of family of 7, KM’s musical passion stems from his upbringing of consistently being looked over, counted out and even forgotten at times.  As an adult Km has learned to put his mess of a past into a message that tells fans you too can live your dream and to do things your way. Knowing KM first hand he has never been one follow any trend, crowd or fad. He is a man of his word and will stick firm to his beliefs, for that reason alone he is a dope ORIGINAL MC.

What made you want to rap?

The first time I ever partied with KM I noticed a completely different person from our Economics class. In class most of our interaction focused on the law supply and demand, the theory of opportunity cost and in depth look at the cost-benefit analysis of various projects.  I have known KM for years and never once took his raps serious until I saw the energy, efforts and money he was pouring into his career. That’s when I absolutely had to know- what made you want to rap. In short KM stated, “I have no clue. I freestyled once and some people said it was good. From there I wanted to see how good I could get. After that I battled a time period where all music I was making honestly wasn’t that good, even I wouldn’t let people listen too.  I slowly began to realize I actually had something to say an something people needed to hear.

Who are some of your biggest musical/nonmusical influences?

Musical influences: Bone Thugs N Harmony, Oasis, Incubus, Kings of Leon, Drake, J Cole

Nonmusical Influence: Peyton Manning, Parents, and anyone who goes the entrepreneur route

It is evident in his beat selection that KM is a fan of rock groups like Taking back Sunday, Oasis and 21 Pilots, it’s even more clear in his unique often perfectly pronounced rhymes that KM is a fan of J Cole, Drake and Kendrick. If one was to categorize his sound I would simply state; think small town where country meets city- add in one part Sugar Ray, one part Kendrick Lamar, a scoop of J Cole, hint of Dave Matthews band, sprinkle in some Lupe and topped off with some soulful Goodie Mob. It’s unique perfectly blended sound that definitely catches your ear.

What’s up next for KM?

I’ve got to build a bigger buzz in Charlotte. I’m hitting the streets this 4th Quarter. I’m scheduling performances at literally every bar, club and pub that has open mic. I will release dates once I get this set up. I’m also working on producing more content. I have a plan to release new song each month and just build my connections and build my fan base from the ground up.  The motto that I’m focusing on is #SteadyWork. I may not have it all together but if I keep plugging away I’m bound to make it #Steady Work is what we doing over here!