Robert Dinkins
A&E Editor
“Excitement, realization and impressed are [some of] the emotions I have when I write,” Kevante Weakley ’18 said. “Lit lit liiiiiittttt, take it slow and exhaustion are the emotions I have when I perform.”
Anyone would be shocked to hear the young Cleveland rapper known as K.O. (a name he inherited from his older brother, Kevin) describe exhaustion as one of his foremost emotions on stage, but he later clarified with a smile.
“I’m tired on the stage because I have asthma, but I try to get the crowd hype by jumping up and down.” Allow me to introduce you to Kevante Weakley, an aspiring musical talent on our very own campus.
He started writing in the fourth grade after the unexpected death of his cousin, Ashton. “I soon met this kid in a grade higher than me named Greg,” Kevante said. “He told me that I can always write to portray how I really feel. I started off with poems, and soon Greg and I realized I had the talent to actually rap.”
Not only can Kevante write, but he can also produce. “Some of my influences are Tyler the Creator, Kanye West and Kid Cudi,” Kevante said, “I like the way Tyler thinks, especially the way he approaches music, the organics of it all. Kanye West taught me that it’s ok to be smart and creative. Kid Cudi in his recent album Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven, is currently inspiring me right now along with his other past work. Also my friend, Orlando Carabello, inspires me by constantly pushing me.”
Kevante started performing some of his talents for a small group of people at first. “My cousins and I had a group called True Ballers,” he said. “I wasn’t writing my own verses at the time so my cousin, Kevin, would write a verse for me. We would then all practice and even choreographed dance moves and perform it in front of our aunts. It was fun.”
What became a small part of his life soon took hold when he realized that he was actually good at writing. He soon started performing poetry, especially at open mic events. However, poetry was always less about performance and more about having fun.
“Sometimes in class I would draw a doodle on the side of my paper,” he said, “Then I would write a poem about it. Sometimes I just feel like writing a haiku so that’s what I would do.” Poetry took a seat on the back burner once Kevante started to focus more on his rap career.
Kevante has a music group called NuKon Music that includes himself and friends Tim Tate and Orlando Caraballo. Together they produced his first album, AIOGB, along with producers Northern Haven and Launch Kontrol. AIOGB stands for And It’s Only Getting Better.
The album really shows the best of the talented young producers and also their writing skills which is a major strength. My favorite song from the album is “LMBTO,” which stands for Let Me Be The One, where Kevante’s friend Tim Tate describes wanting to be a partner’s everything in a relationship.
It was also the first song that Kevante composed and helped produce. “I was at my brother’s house, Tim Tate, playing the song LMBTO,” Kevante said, “he heard it and asked if he could sing over it which he did”.
Kevante attributes his work ethic to his mother. He was constantly giving shout outs to her in the interview. “I have to give thanks to my Mom for her ‘Mama Hustle,” he said. “Like even right now, I am still waking up early even though I don’t have to. Back when I was in school, I would wake up early to go to school early so she could be at work early. It was something I never really realized until now, and I’m grateful for her support and her love.”
Wrapping up the interview, I asked Kevante what he hopes to give people through his music. “I want people to learn what I learned through negative things, by listening to what I say,” he said.
Listening to his music though, one could definitely hear more than just sadness. It also offers hope for getting through difficult times by keeping your head up. Kevante has also released a music video for his song “Don’t Sleep” that he himself directed.
You can find Weakley’s work on YouTube and listen to his music, including his album AIOGB, on SoundCloud at theyounggodko.