James Klynn
I first heard of James Klynn fairly recently, when I discovered French singer Maleiva Kem (thank you, Bandcamp recommendations). Both artists are part of a collective called Freedom Hall, that is getting more and more exposure, deservedly so. What I really appreciated straight away with James Klynn, was his writing skills, as well as the themes he chose to touch upon on his different projects. A proud Brooklyn native and resident (hence his artist name), he is providing listeners with some food for thought and encourages them to reflect on political and social issues, all the while insisting on the importance of spreading those messages in a creative way. The following interview is a way to get familiar with him and discover his take on the aforementioned topics and more.
Continue Reading After The Jump…
First of all, for people who are not familiar with you and your music, could you introduce yourself and tell us about your journey so far?
Most definitely, my name is James Klynn I’m an Emcee from Brooklyn(!!!!!!!!!!!) and I’ve been creating for about six years now but only for two years seriously. For me personally it was about learning the craft of writing and the history of Hip Hop, you have to know the history of the things you choose to take part in or else you could end up doing more bad than anything.
Lyricism is a very important part of your craft and is a way to express your thoughts and feelings. How did you discover your writing skills and is it one of the best ways for you to reach people?
Well I started writing because of an English project I had to do in High School, we were told to write four poems about our lives. I wrote six and handed them in, the next day my teacher pulled me to the side and asked me about the poems and how long I had been writing poetry. I told her that I don’t write poetry at all, I mean I have for other school projects but I wouldn’t say that I was a poet. She looked passed me at the rest of the class and said “Please… Please keep writing”. I came home from school and called my older bother and told him about it and he asked me to read him the poems, I did and he also said “Keep writing”. So I did, I instantly loved it! Now don’t laugh but I felt like a kid being able to be as wild as I wanted without anyone yelling at me to stop, it was great! After a few months of writing poetry and letting my brother hear it, he asked me “Have you ever thought about rhyming?” I said no and he said “You should probably give it a try”. So… I did, and I loved it more than just writing poetry! The first couple months, years even, were really frustrating because I didn’t know what kind of “Rapper” I wanted to be which made me quickly realize that I didn’t really know who I was, period!
As far as it being one of the best ways to reach people, I would have to say indeed. People respond to music because it hits the soul, now let’s throw some lyrics over that music and it becomes a form of education! I’ve learned so much about different cultures, political issues, love, and of course how to cook crack. Music is like a lecture from a professor, when I rhyme for people if I’m on stage or on a couch they’re sucked in. It also helped me to be more expressive when I’m not rhyming.
You insist on the need to give listeners food for thought while showcasing heartfelt lyrics. Do you think it’s important to involve the listeners in the creative process and make them reflect on your music?
I think it’s important to have heartfelt lyrics. I think it’s important to create music that can be enjoyable as well as educational for the soul and the mind. As a fan, the best part of watching an artist I admire is when they express their creative process, what was going on in the heart, the mind and of course their life at the time. IT’S THE BEST PART!! To be able to hear the story behind something you already LOVE without knowing the reason and process behind it is amazing, it makes you appreciate it more. So, is it important? Most def! It takes that level of appreciation to another level, now you can enjoy this art for your own reasons and you can enjoy it through the eyes who created it.
Something that is quite important in your music is its political undertones, which turns it into more than mere self-expression. Do you consider art as one of the most efficient ways to spread messages about society and the state of the world?
I’m a fan before anything else…. I’m a fan of the 1960’s, we watch countless documentaries on the 60’s. If you look at the 60’s everybody’s music had political OVERTONES and that was due to people form all over the world not being happy with what the politicians who were representing them were doing. If you open your eyes and look around, everybody is in pain and a lot of it has to do with the systems that we are forced to live in. We get one choice of systems and that’s just in the U.S. that’s not a choice! That’s called slavery. In the 60’s all those artists at Woodstock were asked to perform because of the messages they were conveying about society. As an artist, if you have people wanting to listen to what you’re saying or playing or painting why not put the spotlight on things that aren’t being put in the proper light they deserve? Now you see a rise of artists speaking up and bringing that light to the needed issues again today and I’m sure there will be another Woodstock or something like it and I want to be asked to perform at one of those types of festivals! haha… You have to use your talents to spread the message you want people to hear, why not, it’s easier that way and more enjoyable for you.
One of your projects is entitled Imagination Industry and I find its concept very interesting. It is quite rare nowadays that people are encouraged to use their imagination and seek for their inner child but also challenged about their preconceived ideas. Could you tell us more about this project and how it came to life?
“Imagination Industry” is a very important project for me personally because it was my first project with all original music and concepts, it was my essentially my first album, which is crazy to me(haha) but it was. On top of that, I put that project together with my brothers (Spudd Brown & Mahewa Wazuri) who happen to be great producers. At the time we were watching nothing but movies about the 60’s and I personally was upset that I wasn’t there (hahaha). It looks like it was such a liberating period of time! So we decided to put together something that would, like you said, encourage imagination and creation but at the same time we wanted people to use their imagination to imagine things that we try so hard to not to imagine, like dealing with relationships that are over, drug addicts in your family, whats taking place in the Middle East right now, the thoughts in your own mind and of course death. I got the name “Imagination Industry” from an O.G. by the name of Yasiin Bey formally known as Mos Def (!!) that’s my favorite emcee. He’s outta this world! I learn something from him every time I play him which is almost everyday.
You are interested in numerous genres of music, which is quite obvious when listening to what you create. How did you develop such a vast knowledge and varied taste in music and is it important for you to share it with the listeners?
My older brother is the whole reason I listen to so many different genres of music, he’s into everything, dude is like Wikipedia with a goatee. I remember when we were growing up he used to create playlists for us to sleep to. I just finished adding new music to my bedtime playlist, and it has all kinds of music! When I first started to rhyme he sent me like 3 CDs will all kinds of stuff on it with a ton of DVDs full of artist interviews and concerts, me and all my friends still watch and listen to them to this day. Music hits the soul. Your background, class or situation growing up shouldn’t have anything to do with the music you enjoy! MUSIC IS MUSIC! If it’s dope then I love it and that comes out in my music because we are products of what we expose ourselves to! I don’t live in a box so people won’t be able to put what I create in a box due to what I’m influenced by, which is the whole universe.
You are part of a collective of artists called Freedom Hall, which encourages free creation and pushing towards similar goals and dreams. Could you tell us more about the collective, how you got in touch with its members and what you have in store for us?
Well, Freedom Hall is something I’ve wanted to do for a longtime. I just wanted to surround myself with people that were as passionate about their gifts as I am with mine. We support, promote, share thoughts and help out in any way needed in each other’s solo works. We come together to create full collective projects and inside of our creative circle we have different sub-groups that work the same way. It’s a never ending circle of support and inspiration. I completely stole the idea from the Justus League, which legendary duo Little Brother is a part of, but in the past year Freedom Hall has grown into a family. We’re always together and if not in the physical then always in the spirit. I just wanted to be a part of a team full of people that bring things to the table that I may not be able to offer, that way we can also learn from one another. Each one teach one. It’s still growing.
We have a lot of projects that we planned for in this next year and just observing the way we work, I’m sure there’ll be at least 3 or 4 that aren’t planned that’ll come out of our late night sessions. On February 14th we’re releasing a collective project called “Electric Forest” which is about…. Well, I don’t want to give the story away but it’s a reply to our sister Maleiva Kem who made an EP about a relationships but from the female perspective. So, we decided to re-create it from the male’s view and EVERYBODY has a part on this album, even she does.
I have a solo project called “The Avatar” which is based off the cartoon and movie ‘The Last Airbender’, which we will be releasing on March 7th. You guys are going to be introduced to some new talented individuals who are part of the FH family this year, I can’t wait for the world to hear what I wake up and go to sleep hearing every night, I’m super excited! FH is a family and we are going to keep getting busy.
Anything else you would like to add?
PEACE!
I just want everybody to be free, but first we have to understand that no one but ourselves can give us freedom.
Thank you for this opportunity, it is very much appreciated!
Freedom Hall!!
DOWNLOAD JAMES KLYNN’S MUSIC ON BANDCAMP
James Klynn: Facebook • Twitter
Freedom Hall: Website • Facebook • Bandcamp
Carminelitta
The Author
