West Coast rapper, Kahlil Amani, is putting his city on the map as he makes him name known for his amazing music, visuals and writing style. His passion and enthusiasm never goes unnoticed in his music and makes sure his story is told and illustrated in his listeners mind as he feeds us his vocals. Kahlil can be spotted on the East and West coast where he is constantly finding new inspiration and creativity for his next projects. Definitely want to make sure you keep up with this artist because he is for sure a diamond in the rough.
How did you get your start with making music?
I got my start back in middle school where I first started learning how to freestyle at lunch and that was a huge thing for me back then because I would try to battle people and stuff like that. That's where I've really learned the art of being able to put together a rhyme. Fast forward to sophomore year of high school I started to record my music and I put out my first song and literally from there I haven't stopped creating music since.
Explain how your hometown has influenced your music?
It has influenced my music greatly! Where I live is very diverse in the sense of, I'm surrounded by different environments and vibes so it really just helps me have a very diverse and polarizing story. Ladera Heights is a place that's super nice but if you go five minutes East you're in the 60's (streets) and to have this contrast it gives me a broader stroke in just the things that I have experienced and just how I see the world, my hometown has overall helped me to be a well-rounded individual.
Do you produce your own music or play any instruments?
I first started out on the drums and I started playing them when I was about 7 or 8 years old. I picked it up again in middle school and high school but after that I started to just really focus on my music. I used to produce a lot of my music in the beginning but it started to get too hectic just because of the fact of having to do the beats and having to write all of the lyrics as well so I felt I was better at the writing aspect of it all and that is what I focused on the most after that.
Which famous musician do you admire the most and why?
My top three as of right now would be Frank Ocean, Andre 3000 and Kurt Cobain. They all truly inspire me and I love their style of writing and how they tell stories through their music. I find them all to be very unique especially when it comes to how differently they view the world compared to most people.
Do you hope to get signed to a record label in the future or would you rather take the independent route?
I would be down to get signed if the deal is right, I think the way the industry is going now it's changing so fast as far as streaming and stuff so you don't really need a label and you can do all of it independently especially with the help of social media. But yes, I definitely wouldn't mind being signed if the opportunity presented itself.
What are some typical mistakes that people make when trying to pursue a career in music?
The biggest one is not being yourself and trying to follow a wave, especially when it comes to trying to follow a sound or flow, I really think that can hinder somebody and their own creativity. It's best for someone to find their own sound and to just be honest because to be able to tell your own story through your music is super important and unique.
How do you get people to take you seriously as a musician?
For me, doing shows is really important and putting out music on a regular basis also gets people to take me seriously about what I do. In our society people have very short attention spans so I think that if you don't have something out all the time it can be very easy for people to forget about you especially if you're an upcoming artist.
What's some advice that you would give someone interested in getting into the music business?
Definitely be yourself and don't be afraid to try new things or fail because that helps to build character and it helps to show you what works and what doesn't work. The best way for a person to grow and evolve is to expand on new/different things (music-wise) and that can also help someone know if this is something they really want to pursue or not.
Twitter: @KahlilAmani
Instagram: @KahlilAmani
YouTube: Kahlil Amani Videos
SoundCloud: Kahlil Amani Music
