We last interviewed South London’s talented Rap Duo Krept and Konan when we were at the start of our journey as a Magazine in 2013 and the rappers were nominated for their first MOBO Award. Fast forward 4 years and Krept and Konan are multiple award-winning artists signed to Virgin EMI Records that have travelled the world, delivered an album, performed on stage with Drake and have shared the hottest UK rap track of 2016 “Robbery Remix” with Tottenham rapper Abracadabra.
What’s changed about the rappers? Konan answers our first question with an enthusiastic:
“Just new experiences, we’ve kinda been about now man, since the mixtape ‘Young Kings’, we’ve been to what 25 countries, we’ve picked up a lot of culture and experienced a lot of things and when you approach the music now your approach is a bit more different cos your approach is more open to what everyone is listening to and what kinda works and what you’re kinda into now as an artist” we talk with them about growing as artists, something that critics and opinionated UK rap fans misconstrue as “selling out”.
Krept and Konan dropped their mixtape ‘Young Kings’ in 2013 and had an absolute banger of a tune with “Don’t Waste My Time” with the remix featuring NYC Rapper French Montana, however instead of resting on the success of that record or becoming like those one-hit wonders they continued to give us big tunes including “Freak of the Week” featuring Jeremih and then going on to drop their album ‘The Long Way Home’.
We talk about the creative process for making music, the friendly competition still exists between the two friends, and the heavy Carribean influence on new track ‘For Me’, both artists feel strongly that the track represents their heritage and culture as Carribean men.
As well as discussing the advances in their musical style, the new project and changes made to them as artists we wanted to discuss the rappers sponsorship with PUMA and what a deal like that does for an upcoming artist. Krept tells us that after discussing an idea he had for one of the ‘Young Kings’ Video’s, SBTV Founder Jamal Edwards put them in contact with someone from PUMA to source adults and kids trainers.
We chose to talk about the remarkable success and change of fortune that a remix of Abracadabra’s Robbery track had for a teenager from Tottenham, and closed by discussing Drake’s involvement in the UK scene — both rappers defending his impact as genuine rather than opportunistic.
Speaking to the UK rap duo was a big blessing for us ahead of what we are sure is going to be another big moment for UK rap, the release of 7 Days & Nights, the project dropped at Midnight today and the rappers dropped another dope visual from & Days “Ask Flipz” Featuring Stormzy watch the video below and be sure to grab the projects which are available on all major outlets now.
