FIVE: How are they doing now? KK: They’ re great. TG: They’ re awesome.
FIVE: Who are your musical influences and what about them appeals to you?
TG: Hm. That’ s a good one. Well, as far as musical influences goes, I’ ll throw Michael Jackson out there first and foremost because, I mean, a majority of the nation grew up on him.
KK: As far as hip-hop goes, A Tribe Called Quest would definitely be a big influence. As well as Outkast. TG: Yeah, hands down. Outkast. Who else? KK: Old Lupe Fiasco. TG: Personally, artistically Kanye West. Man, it’ s really hard to narrow it down.
FIVE: It doesn’ t have to strictly be music, it could be anything. TG: Sports. As far as I go. KK: For me, my main musical inspiration is whatever is going on. Like, the“ Sunset” track was in response to my grandpa passing away.
FIVE: What about“ Let’ s Roll?”
KK:“ Let’ s Roll” was just cool. It was just fun. That was actually the first I ever put out.
FIVE:“ 11:59.” KK: I was just speaking about what I felt. Life, the government, everything. That’ s just what I think about. As random as that is.
FIVE: It’ s no secret that you examine big issues in your music and it seems to be quite universal as you have fans in other locales. What does that mean to you as an artist, especially with your background and upbringing?
KK: The response we get for what we do is incredible. To me, it means everything. I think my favorite part is when people say that what we do inspires them to do what they want to do. Whether it be music or dance or art or school. Which, to me, is the most important thing.
TG: Effecting people’ s lives. Making a difference on anybody’ s life is always awesome. Even if it’ s only with a three to four minute video.
FIVE: You’ re quite young yet your music is very mature and thoughtful. How do you come to approach such topics?
KK: I kind of feel like with everything, like my mom’ s breast cancer, I had to mature kind of early to deal with that.
TG: I feel like as far as all of us goes, we’ re kind of mature for our ages. It feels like what we do isn’ t something you would expect from anybody our age.
FIVE: You are in a very good spot as far as college and music is concerned. Where do you see things going in the next few years with both?
KK: I’ m a sophomore right now, so maybe I’ ll get to graduate in the next two years or so with my degree in biology and then depending what happens with this music, which we’ re going to keep doing regardless, we’ ll go from there. But I definitely want to get my degree no matter what.
College classes have slowed down music production but Kodak and Grier will no doubt remain relentless with their craft. This duo has proved they have the chops to be a rock solid entity in local music and possess a lot of promise in continuing to deliver thoughtful and fun music.
To hold fans and music lovers over, Kid Kodak has his album“ That One Kid” available for download, as well as a mixtape with fellow artist Murphy D entitled“ Suburbia” on his website www. kidkodakmusic. com
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