KAY-L: FRESH AND CLEAN
In case you don't know - Kay L is not your average rapper, the young dude is definitely breaking bounds and taking the rap game to a whole new level. Presently, his songs “Razz Butter Boy” and “Oloja Selling” and video are sitting enviably on some of the most credible music countdowns in Nigeria including Nigezie Top 9 videos.
Kay-L, full names Olasunkanmi Ademola Pedro met HipHop and rap music through a friend called Lanre Rajifuja in secondary school. Back then, they would make beats on their desks and mess with words and rhymes to entertain their classmates. This became a continuous act and everybody looked forward to the next show. After secondary school, he sustained ties with Lanre and formed a group called B'Raw in 1998. The group broke naturally, when they gained admission to different universities. However, this did not push Kay-L away from the love he had nursed for rap music and HipHop.
Before writing his first song titled “Be Lo Se Nlo Le”, Kay-L mimed along with rappers like Nas, DMX, Raj, 2Pac and Notorious B.I.G. However, the pressure of running in and out of class in search of a record deal made the game tedious for him and dropping out of school was not an option. He eventually completed his varsity education (Lagos State University) with a BSc. in Economics. He went further to develop his flair for graphics and video editing - his second love till date.
In 2008, he decided to hit the studio again but this time as a grown lyricist and a matured wordsmith. He had stayed underground, breeding his art, and observing the industry as it evolved; “I have seen rappers come and go….some are still here, new ones have come and I know others are yet to come. Bottom-line is that I am now matured and I understand what is obtainable and what is not, so long as HipHop is concerned in Nigeria,” he said.
According to Kay-L, “I am not afraid of any rapper on the scene right now, but I respect the likes of Modenine and M.I for their brilliance and vocal prowess. They are my favourite in the world right now”. However when asked what he has that will make him significant in an industry where we have so many rappers like Dagrin, Iceprince, Ruggedman, OD, Terry Tha Rapman,Pherowshuz, Naeto C and so on, he responds - “The sky is big enough for every bird to fly but I'll rather leave rap aficionados to listen and tell”.
No doubt, his singles articulate his versatility and creativity; he delivers in English, pidgin, vernacular and local slang. “I get inspired by life, I listen to all kinds of music including Rock and Soul but I tap a lot from HipHop music from anywhere including Nigeria.
His debut album has already registered collaborations with M.I, Ex-O, X-Souljah, da Heiness, Matayas and Chinel but he is still looking forward to trade rhymes with Dagrin and Modenine; “I have had talks with them but they have been very busy with their own projects but I won't let that slow me down” he said.
Kay-L aspires to “steal' other rappers fans within and across the shores of Nigeria and the attention he has been getting from music lovers, radio and TV definitely makes this a possibility beyond reasonable doubt.
It may interest you to know that Kay-L is a conscious and moral rapper but some fans believe he is a gospel rapper because he does not curse or use vulgar lines. “Actually, I used to be KL, meaning KHRISTLIKE but I had to change it to KAY-L, the 'Razz Butter Boy' to relate with everybody, regardless of the religion or social status”, he concluded.
Story by James Silas