He may be the hottest thing right now. With a hot single that gets everyone going and an album to go with, KP Illest, is definitely on everyone’s radar.
KP Illest chats to us about how he got into music as well as how he got signed to one of the biggest music labels in the country.
Who is KP Illest?
Eish, this is already a police type question to which I shall plead. Nikanora Kamaaizemi Hoveka which is of Herero origin because my dad is one. The rest is really history you know, is it necessary to point out that I’m a half-creed? Yeah I’m half Kenyan.
Talk to us about you love for music?
Wow, that’s now another love hate relationship so the real question here is, how much time do you have? It runs in my family, everyone can play an instrument and sing except me, I can’t sing to save my life but I can tell stories and when I listened to enough rap music to channel my inner comedian into story telling I became a rapper. I love making music man, it’s my escape really from everything whether it was circumstances back then or problems right now, I can be in the studio for hours even days sometimes (kinda helps that I have my own studio, but yeah, you get what I’m saying). Even though sometimes it causes a whole lot of sleep deprivation and exhaustion it’s become a part of who I am it’s special to me.
I choose it over everything else!
When did you know this was what you wanted to do?
To be absolutely honest from the first day I got into the studio and got a chance to record, from that day I knew this is something I want to do, I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to do it but I was and still am sure this is for me!
How long were you “trying” till you got noticed?
Hahahaha well quite a while but I still feel like that point hasn’t come yet or at least not fully because I know there are a bunch of people that have yet to be touched by the boy you know so I think the answer to that is that I’m still trying and I will be trying for as long as my career allows that, hopefully it will keep me hungry enough to keep getting better.
How much work had you released before signing with Mshasho?
Uhm, four mixtapes, one EP and half an album which equates to 71 songs.
Talk to us about how that happened? Getting signed by one of the country’s biggest music labels?
You mean the country’s biggest music label (mischievous emoji). It all happened after I put the verse on Young T’s Levels song, after that Mshasho resident producer Morgan the Syndicate showed The Dogg more of the stuff that I had worked on with him and that I guess impressed The Dogg and he called me up to sign the contracts right after he shot his Shuukifa Kwii video, it was actually at that video shoot that we finalized what would be in the contracts.
What do you think about our industry right now? What do you appreciate? What would you take away?
Though it’s small, it’s growing, there is a revolution of young creatives in the art industry who are challenging the status quo. I appreciate the size of it surprisingly because it is much easier to capture the people. They are all so tight knit, all you need to sell them is a good product, first touch with Namibians is very important. I would take away the corruption but at the end I guess that’s fairly impossible, corruption lives in the heart of men so it will forever be in our industry.
What, in your opinion, is lacking from our artists, government/ institutes, when it comes to performing arts?
Investment and a readiness to invest. Those with the money are a bit scared to invest in something that doesn’t seem to be bringing in money NOW. While those who are in the industry don’t really take their craft seriously enough to take the risk of making a major investment and not getting it back in excess.
What’s your favourite thing about what you do?
Hands down meeting people that like my music and are excited to see me because of who I am and what I do. That and people feeling like you made them proud even when you feel you aren’t doing the most, when they let you know that, to them, you are doing the most. PURE BLISS
What do you want people to get from your music?
Inspiration and a temporary escape from whatever you have going on, in that time we communicate and share a moment even if it’s just from one song.
How has the reception of “Price of Ambition” been?
10 times better than what I thought it would ever be, the fact that people are still discovering it now and responding positively is positively uplifting. Makes me want to drop another album right now, in fact…
What is the price of ambition?
Exactly 14 Bulls, 7 additional cows, 13-19 goats depending on their weight and 22 chickens regardless of whether or not they have been exposed to any form of non terrestrial radiation. Oh also time, money, sleep, friends, relationships, validation, acceptance, being lonely, frustration and a whole lot of heartache.
Talk to us about Illest Recording studios? What’s the game plan for that?
It currently facilitates 3 recording artists free of charge by night but during the day it’s a commercial recording and production studio. We specialize in radio, TV adverts and campaign production, regular voice overs, audio production, recording mixing and mastering of music etc.
Other than music, what do you get up to on a daily?
Well I have recently developed a bad habit of lying to myself that I am going to get back in the gym but really that isn’t happening. I do woodwork I enjoy building and I also record and produce a lot of other people other than myself.
Whose craft do you admire most? Local and internationally?
Cj the Connect, the dude is an inspiration through his life and his podcasts, he is also my best friend, but more so an inspiration man.
Internationally definitely Kwesta I admire his realness and his strength in his roots.
Plans for the KP Illest brand? What can we look forward to?
I feel like I should release a new album this year, the energy is right, you know! Also I am starting to take fashion a lot more seriously as well as building a brand beyond the music, I have a few ideas that will hopefully come to life which will show the plans ARE MATERIALIZING.
Quick Fun Qs
COLLABOS
Kanye or Drake?
Drake but make Kanye Produce it
Nasty C or Shehkinah
Nasty C definitely but ask Shekinah to come to the studio
Rihanna or Nick Minaj
Rihanna
Whose closet would you raid?
– 2008 Lil Wayne
If you had to pick one person in the world to be the lead in your music video, who would it be?
Nangula Nanyemba, she’s dope, she’s beautiful and she resonates good energy, and I like her telephone booth pictures they are dope.
Who do you like to have coffee with?
Alone, I’m actually a really loner type.
Favourite Namibian Brand?
Ingo Shanyenge
You are making a remix of Okay Okay, who is on it?
Sally Boss Madam, Nasty C, Tate Buti and Dj Maphorisa
Musical icon ever lived?
Bob Marley
Follow KP Illest on Instagram to see what he gets up to.
