KK Still Killing The Game

When you think of the top lyricists in Namibia, KK’s name is one that undoubtably pops up. With a discography that stretches over a period of 10 years (and counting), the rap star has maintained an unbeatable status in music, and his recent hit ‘Khâimâ’ featuring Tswazis is testament to that.

Thanks to the hit song, he has been nominated in the best single and best video categories at the Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) this year. The Weekender caught up with the star on his latest projects, including venturing into the wonderful world of film.

Fans of the ‘Katutura Kid’ hitmaker have every reason to celebrate: KK’s got a new album coming on 21 September, and he promises it’s a versatile, well-thought-out project which represents his growth. “I’ve been working on the album for about a year and six months. I wanted to make sure that I’m doing this right.”

The new album will feature live elements, unexpected collaborations and the KK we all know and love, but with a twist. “I’m excited,” he says. “I’ve got a lot of melodic and Afro sounds. I’m trying to create a hip-hop and Afrobeat sound. It might not catch on now, but I think people will love it later on.”

While not a fan of trap songs, KK says delving into the genre was simply ‘a phase’ and believes it’s important to stay in touch with your music. “Production-wise, I had Prolifik, BrownKlaxic, Pedro, Murphy Cubic, Israeli producer Jonas, Kbeats and DJ KBoz. I’m involved in a lot of it, but I wanted other sounds as well.”

The new album features Damara Dik Ding, Rose, Tswazis, Vaughn Ahrens, Showtime, Slickartie, Osbourne and I Am King.

KK’s acting career started in 2015 when the Desert Films Production team called him up to be a part of a series called ‘Dreamers’. “I was nervous. I never did drama and never thought about acting before that point. I remember the audition; it was two to three minutes and I had to kiss a girl.”

Nailing it, season one was officially a go. The series is expected to launch later this year. ‘Dreamers’ follows the everyday lives of various characters who battle with issues like teenage pregnancy, etc.

Then another door unexpectedly opened.

“Around September/October last year, I was called to be in the movie ‘Hairareb’. They had me do a couple of stuff and in January, we began filming within two weeks. I’m the villain and the whole story is about me and my girl. It wasn’t that hard tapping into my dark side, I watched some of my favourite movies like ‘Batman: Dark Knight’ and looked at Joker to work on my facial expressions.” The film’s red carpet premiere takes place on Friday, 30 August, at Grove Mall and on Saturday, 31 August, at Maerua Mall.

Adding that he has been exposed to “a lot of talent” in the film industry, KK says it’s important to support it financially. The same can be said for music. “Back then, it was a completely different thing. People supported. In terms of quality, people know what they want. Namibians are very picky. We’ve grown, although there’s still a lot lacking.”

Music may be in his blood, but we might soon see KK behind the cameras, creating his very own films.