Up and coming rapper Jaylin Anderson, also known as K.O.K.E, has broken down barriers to show the world he is someone worth noticing. Growing up on the West Side of Detroit, Anderson got into the rap game at a young age, battling friends and neighbors. His first single, “ICGAF” (I Can’t Give A Fuck), was released on his 18th birthday. This launched a potential career he’s been preparing for his entire life.
I had the opportunity to interview K.O.K.E after watching the music video for his newest single, titled “2017.” I was blown away by the talent of this 19-year-old. In Detroit, many people try to get a start for themselves. In Anderson’s case, I see him having a bright future in the music industry.
Check out this interview and learn more about him along with his music video!
Tell me a little bit about you and how you got started. Are you signed to a record label?
"The whole story of how I started rapping is kinda funny. The first [thing] I ever wrote was about cheeseburgers when I was 10. As I got older and started taking it more seriously, I saw how much love I was getting off of my real lyrics. I grew up on the West Side of Detroit and me and my people used to have little rap battles on the block and eventually, I became known for it. It really started getting serious when I graduated high school and started thinking about what I wanted to do with my life and that's how K.O.K.E got started. K.O.K.E is my rap name and it stands for "Keep On Killin' Em." In other words, it's my own motivation to keep killing everything I do. And am I signed to a label? No, but I am part of a group with my bro Perriion called the SchemeTeam."
What are you passionate about? How do you get started writing and do you write all your own music?
"My biggest passion is to keep going until I get recognized as one of the rap legends like 2pac, Biggie, Eminem and all the others. When I write, it doesn't even feel like I'm writing, it just happens. I find the perfect beat and I mean it has to be perfect! Not too slow, not too fast, it's gotta fit me. I turn off all of the lights and let the beat play and get in my zone, that's how it happens. It doesn't feel like I wrote anything. It feels like I'm getting things off of my chest. I do write all of my music. The only thing I don't write is the beat. I do produce a little bit though and I [have] a few friends that do too."
Your first single was "ICGAF". What was the reaction to that?
"ICGAF was like the attention catcher for everybody. I dropped it on my 18th birthday. People liked it for the most part, but it didn't get noticed until I put out a video for it. After that, it seemed like everybody loved it. It got over 2,000 views and is still getting views to this day."
How is the reaction from your release of "2017" different?
"The reaction to 2017 is actually way different. When I dropped "ICGAF", it was like 'Oh I didn't know he rapped,' or 'Oh, this is a hot song'. When 2017 came out, the reaction so far has been, 'This is the song that's going to get you out here'. It's only been out for a week and has 400 views and 1,000 views on Facebook. That's a blessing. So far, people love the song. I just hope I can push it so the world can hear it."
I see you plan on touring. Can you give me any details on that?
"Yeah, I plan on touring. It's not in full effect yet and I don't even know where I'm going exactly, but I know it's happening. I'm putting up money for it and I am bringing some other artists with me. My plan is to travel around the Midwest starting with Lansing and keep going city after city. I plan on starting it in the spring and keep it going until the end of the summer. I've always wanted to go on tour and I finally have the chance to do it, so I'm taking the opportunity."
What makes you unique compared to other musicians our age?
"Compared to other artists, at least artists in my city, I've been told I sound different from most of the local artists. In Detroit, everybody sounds the same, uses the same beats, and say the same lyrics in the same flow. I wanted to be different and bring a style that I felt like a lot of local artists are kind of scared to do. Everybody stays in their comfort zone and I felt like I wouldn't be putting out my best if I did what everybody else [is] doing. Compared to major artists, I guess I'm more lyrical, more open to say what I want and in a clever way."
How do you plan to excel in the industry?
"To be honest, I don't really know. I know that if I keep doing whatever it is I'm doing, I will make it."
Who are your musical influences?
"My musical influences, oh man, [there's] a whole lot of them. I guess the person that made me want to start rapping was Eminem. But it's the newer artists that give me the drive to do better and sometimes I might take their style of rapping and add my own twist to it depending on the type of song I'm making. Like I look at G Herbo, Chief Keef, Dex Osama, and Lil Snupe when I'm looking for something hype or hard. When I'm looking for something deep, I look at Kendrick, J. Cole, Joey Badass, and they make me want to be a better lyricist, wordplay wise."
There are obviously setbacks to anything. What keeps you moving forward?
"Knowing when to take your [loss] and say 'I didn't do it now but I'ma do it next time'. One thing I learned about the music industry, especially the rap game, is that you can never underestimate yourself. You are competing with millions of other artists to be in the spotlight, so you have to make stuff happen, even when it seems like you can't do it. I caught Ubers to a couple of shows because I couldn't get a ride. I emailed over 100 radio stations and even if I get one reply out of 100 emails, I still made something happen. When you [make] music or anything at all, you can never look at the negative. You gotta take the L and think about how you can make it happen the next time."
When can we expect more music from you?
"I have a lot of saved up music I plan on dropping as the year progresses. Expect a new video every couple of months."
