Hip Hop Spotlight: Interview with K. Burns
What were the most influential artists that put you on a path to record?
My uncle Peaz took me to the studio when I was 12. It’s kind of been on ever since for me. I literally remember my uncle freestyling before the studio and I still don’t know exactly why but I ended up opting out of my little league game that day for the studio session with him. This is 1998 so I’m going back a bit. Funny thing is had I not had a day off from the mound I more than likely would have gone to my baseball game. In hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t go or there would be no me right now. Musically, Biggie always made me want to record music, just knowing the truths in a lot of his lyrics and players in some of his stories made me want to tell my tale since we both from the same neighborhood. When I stumbled across Planet Asia in ’98 that was it for me too. PA reminded me of Nas and it just always made me want to be indie after watching his “Mixtape Monday segment on MTV back then. Things like this though let me know this life is possible.
You’ve appeared on tracks with other up and coming artists. Can you give some insight into how some of those collaborations came about?
Thanks a lot. It’s all a natural thing for me. Any features I put out on my own bodies of work were personally picked and curated by myself. I guess what’s going on now is a lot of bloggers are making a run for A&R positions so they come with “ideas” for artists to do tracks together. Some ideas are cool, some flat out corny and I opted out of those. I’m not truly a fan of going about it that way because I like to build with an artist before we record anything. The good thing is I have met a lot of artists, I would say a few of us have become really solid.
Talk a bit about the BK Hip Hop scene today.
Brooklyn is a planet like I tell people when I’m other places and get asked. So it carries over into the music scene. In my opinion, the underground will never be the same since we lost Sean Price (riP!); Rim, myself and Eddie Kaine keeping that vein pumping though. We the faces that been here that’s getting our light we put the work in for before the underground heads heard of us. For me, KA keeps the bar high. He embodies what a Brooklyn story should be. So all in all right now it reminds me of the old Brooklyn where artists held down their prospective neighborhoods and their neighborhoods galvanized behind them and that’s healthy for the entire Brooklyn. Shit, I truly don’t know how anybody ever overlooked my backyard knowing Kaine, Big, Jay, and Fab are all from here. Aside from the underground scene the town is on fire with Pop Smoke and Fivio, they make this shit fun again for the younger generation and that as a whole adds to the lineage of dope shit Brooklyn always has to offer.
Please discuss the workflow for recording with some of the talented producers you’ve worked with?
I’m blessed to have had all the dope producers that reach out to me. I’m really an introvert so I never came into this arena with the aim to name chase or get production from any of the names you’ve seen me work with to climb the ladder of success. When you have NCL-TM or The Architect reaching out telling you your shit is dope and drop a file on you it naturally makes you want to just get creative. At least that’s the case for me. See the thing is that I’m picky with production. Ecto-84 and Eddie Word are the in-house sound of Team Fame GVNG so it makes me that much more selective. When selecting the soundscapes to a lot of what I create it comes naturally because it’s something that’s very easy when you’re one with the beat. They send them, I listen with an acute ear, and send back some heat. No magic hat tricks just solitude, lots of weed and the beats on repeat and we usually are on to something.
Can you talk about Team Fame Music Group and the movement?
For sure, Team Fame Music Group, LLC is a boutique indie label, Hip Hop collective specializing in pressing and distribution of limited edition physical formats such as cassettes, vinyls and compact discs. Our consortium of creatives includes 318Cha$e (Ruston, LA), Fetty (Bronx), Mak P (West Baltimore), Ecto-84 (South Bend, IN), Eddie Word (Oakland) and myself which make up Team Fame GVNG. Each of us had already had our own brands and labels when we came together. Together we formed a network of true supporters and listeners globally. I love each one of my brothers dearly for believing in the vision set forth. So for them putting their careers in the hands of the company to catapult them to the future only make us all go harder to make our visions all come into fruition. We just really are focused on getting the music to the supporters. With us its always about making great music first and foremost for an organic response. We not into the manufactured success and alliances.
How do you go about booking shows?
I book all my shows and performances directly through myself. Any booking agents or promoters seeing this that would like to work with me would have to hit me directly through my booking email that’s on all my social platforms. Besides that, I truly developed a DIY show/touring model for our company to where we are able to focus on giving our supporters an experience to remember rather than just come out to a typical showcase style show. Finding the proper space in the proper location and market is everything to me. Previous years of booking tours for myself back when it was just 318Cha$e and me on the label taught me how to do this. We took a little bit of time off from the shows to revamp a few things to improve the quality of our shows and tours. Supporters will definitely appreciate the intimacy of where we are going with the 2020 tour and 2nd Fame Fest we lined up. So look out 2020.
You’ve released music on vinyl and cassettes, can you discuss some of the lessons you’ve learned from making physical products in a digital age?
Coming from the mixtape scene, physical products of today isn’t a far cry from what I’m used to. Grant it, tapes and vinyls are a bit more costly than compact discs; I’ve found there is still a population of people out there that still crave a physical piece of history. Maybe it’s the nostalgic value, or maybe timing. Things have slightly changed since my last physical release in 2015-2018. During that time I took time off from releasing physical copies and focused more on fashion and touring to help further the Team Fame GVNG brand. There is no “right” way to put out a physical release from my experiences. If the supporters are rocking with the music, they will support a physical copy. For me personally, every release I drop is tailored to a particular audience meaning that everything isn’t gonna go to Vinyl just because the demand is in. Some tapes I drop are just for a cassette release in mind when I’m crafting them in the Red Room. So from putting out various titles in various formats, I learned various ways to package each one to cater to certain interests. Each release for me is a journey and learning experience.
Where do you draw marketing inspiration from? Is there an artist or brand that you’ve found to really set the bar high in that space? What specifically have you seen that’s been notable to you?
I only study legends. Berry Gordy, Master P, Rap-A-Lot, Wu-Tang, Stones Throw Records…those companies’ missions and independence is where all my inspiration comes from. So let’s set the record straight here and now….this movement we built and how we go about doing what we do isn’t, and I repeat isn’t inspired by anything of today. At Team Fame Music Group, LLC we pride ourselves on staying true to our roots.
Branding is a crucial component in Hip Hop. Can you discuss your approach to developing and differentiating your brand?
Originality. Bottom line. Going out the way to not be like anything that’s out now. Each artist and producer on Team Fame Music Group is particularly selected through my watchful eye. It’s a thing that you just have to have, you know that “it” factor. I had a clear vision of what I was striving to construct. Each one of us has a tailored style. A specific seasoning that we all bring as individuals, mix that together and you got yourself one hell of a stew. One thing that I personally appreciate about The GVNG is that everyone is able to hold their own. What I do is what I do. What Mak P brings to the arena is what he does best. Fetty and 318Cha$e are very reclusive in the sense of releasing music to their tailor-made audience so we all have our own way of how each act is branded.
Describe some of the marketing efforts you’ve been involved in and what have you found most effective to reach new fans? What are the biggest marketing lessons that you’ve learned from those activities?
I learned there is no right or wrong in today’s music game. For me I am at a point where things are clicking, the response is there. I’m a minimalist so less is more. I won’t give my keys to success but what I will say is I never copy and paste myself. Meaning that I keep supporters coming in by never duplicating any move I made. For me, it opens new doors for new listeners, just a bit of game I picked up along the way. No two days are alike so I treat marketing the same way. Some fundamental stuff sticks but it’s time to get out the box in the media world of today. I try different strategies but will always keep it true to who I am as a man and let it carry over into my music, marketing, and promotion.
What’s your biggest takeaway about the music industry you have so far?
Personas. I’m not into that shit and people acting in character. Everything else is smoking mirrors and I’ve had 2 situations with majors I walked away from. So I try to stay away from the persona-based, name chasing shit. I’m a what you see is what you get artist. My name is really K.Burns, what you hear, what you see, is what you get. Love it or hate it.
What do you have in the works next? What are your goals going a few years out?
Me and Mak P “Kane & Lynch [LP]” is the grand finale for the label 2019. Looking forward to sharing that with the world its something we been holding on to for a while now. I want to end this 2019 run I had with my brother, we been wrecking the building lyrically since we stepped into the arena, this one for the die-hard TFMG supporters. 2020 it’s scary for the world now that I’m officially apart of Gold Chain Military. PA done put my mind in an entirely different mode.
Parting words?
Thank the most high for grooming me. Want to thank my entire TFMG Familia: 318Cha$e, Fetty, Mak, Ecto and Eddie for believing in me for real. I want to thank all the GVNGXRZ out there that take their hard-earned dollars and purchase our physical formats. Much love to the listeners as well we see yall support online. Big ups to Sean Munoz that’s my guy. Norm Regular and Con$piracy. My brother Tru P, Widowmakers, The Architect, NCL-TM, Wavy Da Ghawd, Gabdulla Tha Butcha, Hobgoblin, Ralphiie Reese, Don Carrera, Bohemia Lynch, The Standout, Kheyzine, Damn!Dave, Mr. Loud and Chuck Chan. My hometown of course. Eddie Kaine, Rim. Big bros AA Rashid and Planet Asia. SP Da Winner, Nowaah The Flood, Thug Yeezy. The staff at Insomniac, Indigo Phoenix, Shotty, SFHH, UrbanVault, Paka, Calmly…Too many of yall so if I forgot anyone…shit happens. Any artist or creatives reading this, I want to thank you for your time and also tell you never to let up, never stop seeing your vision take form. “Mob Ties” LP out now on all platforms, go get that.
Interview by IZ-REAL
