Kolapo Kako-Are is an engineering student and rapper from South-East London. He recently released Live Life, a track he produced, co-wrote, mixed and mastered on May 15. This week, Kolapo also released a new track Swangin O.A.L featuring Big B.
Introduce yourself.
I am a engineering graduate on the verge of committing to my passion. It has been a very difficult decision to make as I am from an African background and you get very little support and encouragement to follow your dreams.
I have nothing to lose if I chased my dream.
However, the decision came after finishing my masters and I thought to myself that I have nothing to lose if I chased my dream. I felt like I owed it to myself after years of trying to please my parents.
I realised at one point I’ve got to live for myself and make myself happy because I’ll be the one regretting it if I never gave it a go. So here I am today spending most of my time making music, since I finished studying.
Tell us about your latest music.
The latest music is based on situation where most of us find ourselves in these days. Me and E3 were vibing and listening to some unreleased songs. Then I started to play him some unfinished beats as well, then it got to this specific one that we played over and over again till we eventually realise we had made up a for chorus for it.
The next time he came round, we wrote and recorded the verses.
We quickly recorded the chorus and I continued to work on the beat. The next time he came round, we wrote and recorded the verses to the song and we based it off a conversation, where we both agreed with what the other was saying.
The first verse was based on a male’s point of view about the majority of females you meet this days. While, the second verse was from a point of a view of a young lady with desires of the better things in life as everyone would want in life.
What are your musical influences?
My music is heavily influenced by Afrobeats, R’n’B and rap sounds. I like to try and tell stories with my songs, which is a result of the R’n’B and rap. However, I listen to a lot of old music for inspiration and different genre of music. I like the Motown sounds a lot.
What’s it like to work in the music industry where you are?
Well at the moment I am not in the music industry. I am still trying to get some form of recognition to get into the music industry and I believe with hard work it is all possible.
What’s a night out like where you live?
A night out for me is mostly about good vibes and having a good time with friends as I like to laugh a lot. However, I hardly ever go out and most of my nights are spent behind my computer trying to improve my skills.
What song do you listen to: (a) turn up to (b) feel sexy (c) pine over your ex.
I listen to all sorts of music depending on my mood. I might be feeling inspirational, so I’ll listen to Wale, J. Cole or Sam Cooke’s change is gonna come. If I’m feeling vibey, I could listen to Ja Rule who has really influenced my sounds and I listen to him a lot.
I like real stuff that comes from the heart.
If I’m in a good mood I could listen to some Afrobeats (Kiss Daniel, Praiz, Falz e.t.c). But I do like to listen to a lot of R’n’B, I like real stuff that comes from the heart and R’n’B provides it.
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