Big K.R.I.T.’s graduation to the limelight hasn’t come without the industry testing his resolve. The Meridian, Miss., rapper’s three mixtapes flex the might of a man possessed, but also delve into the skepticism and insecurities of someone who didn’t have an easy road to his accolades.
On “Dreamin’,” from this year’s Return of 4eva mixtape, K.R.I.T. laments, “I ain’t rapping about dope, nor did I sell it. I guess the story of a country boy just ain’t compelling.” On “Children of the World” he seems at his wit’s end saying, “I dropped out of school, pops, cause college ain’t free/Plus college ain’t me, sitting in the class/Questions rushing in my brain but I’m too proud to ask.”
It’s his hunger and honesty that won over fans and his classic Southern production that led T.I., The Roots and others to reach out for K.R.I.T.’s beats and guest spots. As fans wait for release of his Def Jam debut, Live from the Underground, Big K.R.I.T. brings his style to Amos’ Southend on Nov. 16 as part of the Smoker’s Club Tour with Method Man and Curren$y.
In the 18 months since an earlier mixtape, K.R.I.T. Wuz Here, catapulted him into the hip-hop strata, fans have seen more than a fly-by-night rapper/producer combo: he’s arguably the most compelling voice to come out of the region in a generation.
It’s genuine music that’s Southern, unashamed and much more timeless than songs dressed just right for radio consumption and reeking the desperation of artists just trying to be heard. Think Chris Brown or Wiz Khalifa.
K.R.I.T., born Justin Scott in 1986, grew up watching from afar as every pocket of the South cycled acts into the mainstream. In the meantime, his home state could only point to David Banner. K.R.I.T., short for “King Remembered In Time,” is part of the first generation to have been legitimately reared on an entire catalog of widespread and well-defined Southern hip-hop.
He filtered out the best parts of the crunk and snap eras that owned the airwaves during his coming-of-age and grabbed musical cues from the sounds of UGK, Outkast and 8-Ball & MJG.
What K.R.I.T. exposes in his music is a young man torn. There’s hunger, hopes and dreams on tracks like “Viktorious,” from K.R.I.T. Wuz Here. He vents, “I ain’t got no animosity towards these niggas coming out now… I want to see a nigga get money, but you can’t tell me Mississippi had a run. Not like Texas, not like Florida. Not like Memphis, not like Louisiana, not like Atlanta. Hell, Alabama did they thing, come on shawty! It all boils down to we got something to say, ya feel me?” He also tackles political commentary (“2000 & Beyond”) and taking his prayers to the Lord (“The Vent,” “I Gotta Stay” and “Voices”).
Partner his words with the swagger of a neighborhood dope boy and Pimp C’s suave sensibilities, set it to the tune of K.R.I.T.’s own polished production — which pays homage to the raw-but-classic records he grew up on — and you have some interesting ingredients.
However, a couple of things changed after K.R.I.T. signed his deal more than a year ago, most notably his demand. While he still collaborates with lesser-known acts like North Carolina’s Rapsody — and even took time to shoot his “Can’t Be All” video in Charlotte — K.R.I.T. has been thrust into the role of go-to artist, adding verses to a who’s who of what’s hot right now.
Even his production has been tailored. Gone are the days of sampling whatever’s dope and releasing songs worry-free. “It’s cool to sample anything you want when it’s free. Retail? They’re not having that,” he said, explaining the issues he’s had with clearing his album in a recent interview with The Smoking Section.
Usually pushing back an album is a kiss of death but, for K.R.I.T., it’s allowed his name to grow and permeate into more circles of hip-hop. And for every new fan, you can point to a collection of collaborations and videos that led them there.
It’s been more than 15 years since Andre 3000 defiantly declared “the South had something to say,” as he and Big Boi got booed by a biased New York audience at the 1995 Source Awards after winning Best New Rap Group. Since then, the South went from a collection of one-hit wonders — such as “Party Like a Rock Star” and “Swag Surfin” — to total dominance of the scene. In K.R.I.T., you find the region putting its best foot forward.
It’s not just gangsta shit or dance records but a flex of lyrical might many doubted the South had. Few have been able to put it all together, but there’s a brighter future in the generation it may be creating. The shout-outs from big names are cool, the content is even better — and what’s even sweeter, there’s still room on the bandwagon. The timing feels right to, as K.R.I.T. would say, “refrain from being lame.”
This article appears in Nov 8-14, 2011.
