Hiphop is vulnerable
The Ambition London Edition #3
The Ambition – London Edition
Even in 2022, and despite the success of artists like J. Cole or Logic, when some hear the word Hiphop, they immediately think of brand safety, gangster rap and violent language. Yet, the story to be told through Hiphop is one of overcoming hurdles, of confronting one’s own fears. Whoever supports artists in telling these stories and painting these pictures becomes a positive part of the culture.
“If I wasn’t prepared to consistently face my fears within music, I should probably just stop making it”
A key artist that embodies the vulnerable, genre-bending aspect of Hiphop like no other is Kojey Radical. The artist is dubbed the renaissance man of UK rap for good reason. With a multidisciplinary approach, he embodies the millions of facets that Hiphop culture unites. His newly released record “Reasons to Smile” merges poetry, storytelling and rap with lyrics that deserve a second, even a third listen to fully grasp their substance and depth.
Wary of popular stereotypes, he weaves brutal honesty and vulnerability into a culture that, to this day, is attributed with prejudgement from outside beholders, and sometimes, the industry itself. What these people misunderstand is the power of the culture, and the core principles that Hiphop has shaped. Hanna Linnéa Mödder has spoken to the artist about what Hiphop is to him, his perception of the commercial music industry, and why vulnerability is key to the culture.
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