Killa Klump

Killa Klump

WHO?MAG: How did you first get into rhyming?
KILLA KLUMP: I have been doing that since I was eleven or twelve. I got into it from listening to Public Enemy or Run DMC. My pops used to in a band and used to travel a lot, so it was in my blood. I’ve just been doing it since I was young. When I was younger, I got sidetracked a little bit being in and out of a few facilities after being locked up. Finally, when I got out the last time, I really started taking this seriously. I didn’t have a high school diploma so there really weren’t too many choices for me. It was either get in the streets or getting out and really trying to make something pop. I always took steps forward instead of back tracking, so I’m in a good spot right now. It’s paying off.

WHO?MAG: What makes the Killa Klump sound different from other MC’s?
KILLA KLUMP: What makes it different is that I’m from the Bay and when you think of the Bay, you automatically think “hyphy” but I’m not really on that tip. I’m more lyrical, or I at least feel that I am. I just bring what I see and what I have been through before in my life through the speaker. I’m just breaking down what I have seen through my life and giving it back to the world. I’m from the Bay, but I listen to a lot of different peoples so my inspirations are like The Lox, Jay-Z, N.W.A., Tupac, and Big. When I spit my shit, I try to come through real hard so you can hear me lyrically too with punch lines mixed with the reality of life. It’s like all that mixed into one. That’s what makes my sound. I feel like people are really going to want to hear that.

WHO?MAG: What can we expect from your new album “The Foundation”?
KILLA KLUMP: When I did the album, I didn’t sit there and be like “ok, let me get a couple club tracks, let me get a couple street tracks and something for the ladies.” I got beats that really make the hairs on my neck stand up are the ones I kept. I just took it one at a time. Really its just what the beat brings out of me. We have a lot of songs that touches base on everything. I do have the songs for the clubs, I do have the songs for the street, but I don’t want to say this is for the streets because every song is for the streets. Most of the songs I have could be in the club. And I’m spitting and the beats are knocking and it was put together real good. I got Scarface on there as well as Styles P, Jay Wilson, Youngblood, Spliff Star, Allen Anthony, Yukmouth, Lazie Bone. It’s just a thorough album. It’s one of those where you pop it in and you don’t want to skip a single track. You’ll let it just rock.

WHO?MAG: How did you hook up with Styles P for the first single “Go Hard?”
KILLA KLUMP: My boy Reggie Saunders, VP of Rah Records, has a lot of ties with a lot of artists and he thought it would be a good look. The Lox inspire me. I have been a fan of theirs since back in the shiny suit days. So when the opportunity arose I was on it. He let him hear some stuff of mine. He liked it. He came down to LA on some other business. Soon as he was done with the other business I came through and picked him up in my H1 with my dude and took him to the in-house and just knocked that joint out. We was vibing, had that purple, and it was good. That boy Styles is a beast! He made me get on my shit, but it definitely was a good situation.

WHO?MAG: How did you get with Rah Music?
KILLA KLUMP: Al Keys, the CEO of Rah Music, has a catalog and has been putting out those Dope Games 1-4 and the Superhyphy with Keak The Sneak and blew that out the water. He been doing it. I was kind of in a situation with my dude which ended and I was sitting around not doing anything. I met Al before and he had heard some of my music and showed some interest and I was looking at what he was doing. He was really hands-on and had a strong love for his work. When someone has the same passion that you have for something, it’s a beautiful thing. I got at him, we talked, we went into the studio and did a couple of little things and it was a wrap. We had a lot of late nights in the studio or out promoting. It’s lovely.

WHO?MAG: What advice could you give an upcoming artists trying to get into the entertainment industry?
KILLA KLUMP: If you got a dream, just follow that dream and don’t ever stop. There are times I sit back and ask myself, “Man, what am I doing?” I didn’t finish high school, which I definitely want to do in time, but getting in this industry is hard. I’m not even fully in yet and its hard. There are a lot of obstacles and roadblocks that come in the way. You could either let that effect you or you can just step over that and keep rocking and keeping it moving. That’s what I always done. Every time I hit an obstacle, I never took a step back. I just stepped aside and kept riding. If you believe in it and this is your passion, then go hard! Don’t stop. People will talk shit about anybody. If you’re real to yourself and real to the streets, they are going to accept you. Real recognize real. Just do you.

WHO?MAG: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would that be?
KILLA KLUMP: There is a lot of music out there right now that I think is straight garbage! I look around and wonder how this stuff got on, but at the end of the day, it’s a lot of hustle and grinding. They’re material may be half as good, but they’re hustling twice as hard. I wish I didn’t hear all that garbage and that there was more thorough music, but at the end of the day, everybody earned their spot. I wish when I turn on the radio, I would be able to like the stuff that’s on there, but maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m just a picky guy. I like to say that I listen to all kinds of music, but to me, there seems to be a drought lately as far as good music. I’m hoping to provide for some of that when this album drops. Get them back on track.

WHO?MAG: What’s next for Killa Klump?
KILLA KLUMP: Promotion. I’m just trying to be out there. We got a tour we’re going to do. The album comes out July 17th. I got the mixtape coming out with DJ Radio, the new voice of the Bay. I got a new album coming out with Yukmouth coming out “I’m Good”. Got a few other ventures dropping. I’m out there trying to promote this single and this new album.