King MC is an indie rapper on a mission. Beyond the creation of memorable verses and heartfelt lyrics, this musician makes it his goal to facilitate the transformation of lives. King MC identifies himself with the Christian faith and writes songs inspired by his real-life experiences of following the teachings of Christ. However, he sets himself apart from the genre of “Christian” music in that he chooses to be very raw and honest about the realities of his own experience, whether that means mentioning God in every verse or expounding upon his love of superheroes. Fans of King MC come from surprisingly diverse walks of life, and represent all different ages, ethnicities, backgrounds, and even religions. All too often people will walk into a King MC show intending to turn a deaf ear because they see King MC through his race, religion, or genre, but by the end of the night they always seem to be persuaded by the music itself!
King MC began rapping at the age of sixteen with his best friend, another rapper by the name of Phuze. Over the years, the two artists grew in their craft, and to this day they still work together frequently to produce beats or rap collaborations. King MC’s music was primarily only shared with his extended network of friends and family for several years. But he had an experience at a concert in 2002 that changed his life and inspired the launch of his music on a wider scale. Rebecca St. James, a popular Christian singer, was performing in King MC’s hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. King MC attended with several friends, and he left that night with St. James’ words ringing in his ears. She had said, “If there is anyone here who has been holding on to their talents as their own, I want to encourage you to give them back to God and watch to see how He wants to use them.” Those words impacted him deeply. Although he had dedicated his life to Christ several years before, he knew that his music was one arena in which he hadn’t wanted God to tread. Now he realized that God’s plans for his music might be much greater than any he’d had for himself. He suddenly knew that he could end up on the smallest label ever, but if God wanted his music to be heard around the world, it would be. Very quickly, plans began coming together for the release of an independent Christian album whose production King MC dedicated entirely to God. Shut Up the Devil was released independently through the internet, and immediately it reached such far-flung places as Denmark and Germany. These were places King MC had never been or even dreamed of going, but God was making a way for his music to get there.
That was the beginning of what has become a lifelong passion. Since the release of that first album, King MC has made a name for himself as one of the most hardworking, talented, and driven rappers on the local scene. Fellow artists often joke that he’s got a new album out every month, and they’re not too far from the truth. He literally never stops writing, always coming up with new lines while in the car or at his day job. He knows the value of an audience of any size, but that does not mean he has ever given up on his dream of “making it big.” He makes the most of every opportunity that comes his way, and a few of them have turned out to be pretty amazing. From co-writing a song with his favorite singer Jimmy Needham (due out sometime this year) to recording a professional-quality album with a record label out of Oklahoma, he has gotten to do so many things that his sixteen-year-old self would have envied. God knew what He was asking way back in the very beginning, back in 2002. He wanted to take a good dream and make it even better.
So, what is King MC up to these days? His latest project is a collection of singles that will be released one at a time. This way, fans will have more immediate access to the music as it becomes ready for release. This collection definitely has a flavor all its own, as King MC is never content to retrace his own footsteps musically. Included in the collection will be the collaboration with Jimmy Needham, a handful of deeply-felt original songs born out of King MC’s real personal experiences over the past year, and a brand-new hip-hop cover of the radio hit “I Knew You Were Trouble.” The cover, which will be the first single for this collection, is a very unique and original approach to the whole idea of a cover. The beat and many of the song’s original vocals are borrowed for familiarity and to create a stage upon which to build a rap song. Within that framework, King MC crafted his own lyrics and tempo to fill out the verses with his own hip-hop style. The overall product leaves a very unique and positive impression on the hearer.
If you would like to get to know King MC better, find him on Facebook, Reverbnation, and MySpace. There you will find much of his past music and information on upcoming projects and shows. Thank you for taking the time here to read and get to know him a little bit better!
King MC began rapping at the age of sixteen with his best friend, another rapper by the name of Phuze. Over the years, the two artists grew in their craft, and to this day they still work together frequently to produce beats or rap collaborations. King MC’s music was primarily only shared with his extended network of friends and family for several years. But he had an experience at a concert in 2002 that changed his life and inspired the launch of his music on a wider scale. Rebecca St. James, a popular Christian singer, was performing in King MC’s hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. King MC attended with several friends, and he left that night with St. James’ words ringing in his ears. She had said, “If there is anyone here who has been holding on to their talents as their own, I want to encourage you to give them back to God and watch to see how He wants to use them.” Those words impacted him deeply. Although he had dedicated his life to Christ several years before, he knew that his music was one arena in which he hadn’t wanted God to tread. Now he realized that God’s plans for his music might be much greater than any he’d had for himself. He suddenly knew that he could end up on the smallest label ever, but if God wanted his music to be heard around the world, it would be. Very quickly, plans began coming together for the release of an independent Christian album whose production King MC dedicated entirely to God. Shut Up the Devil was released independently through the internet, and immediately it reached such far-flung places as Denmark and Germany. These were places King MC had never been or even dreamed of going, but God was making a way for his music to get there.
That was the beginning of what has become a lifelong passion. Since the release of that first album, King MC has made a name for himself as one of the most hardworking, talented, and driven rappers on the local scene. Fellow artists often joke that he’s got a new album out every month, and they’re not too far from the truth. He literally never stops writing, always coming up with new lines while in the car or at his day job. He knows the value of an audience of any size, but that does not mean he has ever given up on his dream of “making it big.” He makes the most of every opportunity that comes his way, and a few of them have turned out to be pretty amazing. From co-writing a song with his favorite singer Jimmy Needham (due out sometime this year) to recording a professional-quality album with a record label out of Oklahoma, he has gotten to do so many things that his sixteen-year-old self would have envied. God knew what He was asking way back in the very beginning, back in 2002. He wanted to take a good dream and make it even better.
So, what is King MC up to these days? His latest project is a collection of singles that will be released one at a time. This way, fans will have more immediate access to the music as it becomes ready for release. This collection definitely has a flavor all its own, as King MC is never content to retrace his own footsteps musically. Included in the collection will be the collaboration with Jimmy Needham, a handful of deeply-felt original songs born out of King MC’s real personal experiences over the past year, and a brand-new hip-hop cover of the radio hit “I Knew You Were Trouble.” The cover, which will be the first single for this collection, is a very unique and original approach to the whole idea of a cover. The beat and many of the song’s original vocals are borrowed for familiarity and to create a stage upon which to build a rap song. Within that framework, King MC crafted his own lyrics and tempo to fill out the verses with his own hip-hop style. The overall product leaves a very unique and positive impression on the hearer.
If you would like to get to know King MC better, find him on Facebook, Reverbnation, and MySpace. There you will find much of his past music and information on upcoming projects and shows. Thank you for taking the time here to read and get to know him a little bit better!
