FEATURE
Kilo M.O.E talks about his craft, sense of style, and much more
Kilo M.O.E talks about his craft, sense of style, and much more
How did you come by your stage name?
Kilo is the name I was given way back in the ’90s during my infamous years in the streets of the midwest capital of KS, Topeka. I wore Figaro Gold Chain with a medallion hanging that said “Kilo” in Diamonds. At the time selling crack was the thing to do and crack money was everywhere. A Kilo of coke was like hitting the lottery and I moved plenty of it.
Over the years it stuck with me and I tagged it on everything and wrote a ton of songs using the name. Through time my attributes simply evolved and through varying degrees and a kilogram starts to mean more than just a brick of coke. Its weight and balance. Its the all in all the greatest of great. The Thrice Great. Tha Grizz what it iz.
When did you discover your love for your craft and what made you realize you wanted to pursue a career in it?
It seems as if in hindsight that this love of the craft has been with me as long as I can remember. I literally grew up with records. They were a part of my everyday life in our household. We knew the latest dances, songs, top 40, and urban. It was a daily conversation. We woke up beating on tables and “dubbing” tapes. We watched all the specials on TV and grabbed the brush and acted like it was a microphone to copy what we saw.
Id says from the age of six I always wanted to pursue a career in entertainment. I grew up in the 80’s so talent shows and break dancing was our thing. All we wanted to do was live as they did on Beat Street. We tagged our notebooks and cardboard. I grew up in a cultural shift and a good portion of that was 4 years in Munich, Germany in the 80’s. It was during that time I was exposed to the Dj’ing and mixtapes that created the urge to do this as a career mostly.
To what or whom do you accredit your sense of style?
The Late 1980’s Coke dealers and Dapper Dan fits. I would lose my mind when I saw a pair of suede pumas with the fat laces. That was hard stuff to come by in the 80’s if you didn’t have any real money. All the young coke dealers had that Gucci print and big Cazel glasses with the sheepskins. I had to have it. This was also around the time we came back stateside from Germany and in Europe style was everything. We had Italian sweatsuits and gold chains. My parents kept my fly and I had no idea what I was wearing. All of this amounted to “B=Boying” and chilling in the “B-boy stance”… This style sticks with me because it feels so right.
It’s the foundation of our culture. ITs the Hip Hop. The style and moves. I must always accredit my style to this because these guys just had an edge to them from hard living. I copied and mimicked all of them by seeing them around the way or on TV. When I became a teenager the Wu-Tang Clan came through with the heavy label tags and designer fits we never seen. Ghostface and Raekwon brought the Style chamber to me and I soaked those degrees up which created a sense of original style that I’ve never turned back from. All of these bing my sense of style to the table on a whole other level everyone has seen but never have seen.
On your current project, how did you come up with the concept?
Fly G’z and Palm Treez is a high concept from my years I spent in South Florida. Five years in total and in year five I opened my record company O.M.G Entertainment, inc. So the years leading up to this were tumultuous, to say the least. A whole lotta drugs (AGAIN), promiscuity, and big shopping trips. We did the most in those times and the album is an audio soundtrack to what exactly it was like. The opener “What a feeling” is me looking back claiming success as I’ve gotten through all of that unscathed. It’s one of those moments in time you realized you did something big and you were able to bring it with you.
On some Indiana Jones shit, you got out the snake pit with the Arc and kept that. I’m all about perspectives and context. I’m sure anyone can take from the project their own Fly G’z and Palm Treez. Its day drinking, drop-offs and pickups, and getting through the Fast slick people that come with a place that is primarily a rich man’s playground. All of my concepts come from personal experiences I attempt to convey a story with characters that are for the most part colorful and grimey. The women are grimey, the men are both colorful and grimey, and everybody is lying and stealing. This the world I painted in Fly G’z.
What are some of your greatest challenges, and what is your greatest attribute when it comes to your work ethic?
Some of my greatest challenges are MOSTLY wrapped around me accepting that people won’t see the vision I put on the canvas exactly like I paint it. Although I’m perspective and context which lends to a great deal of abstract creativity I must accept that people will see things in concrete. If they get nothing out of the rendering I must accept that although I did my best and desired my potential audience to see it the same as I; Their level of understanding and comprehension simply isn’t there yet nor ready. It’s a personal challenge in accepting that.
My greatest attribute to my work ethic is the fact that I play the long game. I realize that all of this is a marathon as opposed to a sprint. I am proactive as opposed to reactive so I move when I’m ready and I’m ready when I move. I leave nothing to guesswork and all data at all times add up and measure in order to manage. I do not measure against what I do not know.
Are you the best at what you do in your opinion?
Of course, I am. I do not measure against what I do not know. Therefore What I do cant be defended, slowed, or matched. I was taught by my grandmother (GOD rest her soul) that you “never let your left hand know what your right hand is doing”. So of course I’m the best. It cant be any other better because I haven’t told anyone what it is I’m doing. In order to win at something, you must master the rules of how its played. No stopping what I’m doing. Tha Grizz what it iz.
What are your plans for the near future?
A company the near game is to hit all sales targets through the fourth quarter which we are roughly 90% of the way there. Our Digital assets hit the goal last month on the publishing side. Our new acquisition this year Weon Radio/Weon Nation has increased our expansion methodology and is already in the black. I’ll take the fourth quarter and continue expansion on my wife’s company the Nettabear Custom fashion line which we cater mostly to the high-end side of fashion and couture fashion.
We are also looking at starting construction perhaps early 1st quarter on our facility in eastern Tennessee which we will host radio, audiovisual services, and warehouse for the fashion side. I have two albums on the table however as of yet due to COVID-19 I am waiting until an appropriate moment to do the marketing and promotion as some places travel is inhibited severely. O.M.G Entertainment is a full-stack multimedia company so our expansion model is in full swing and these are the things you expect to see from me. More work more products more elevation.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank, any shout outs?
Yes, I need to thank Fatcatogc my day 1 partner whose been a very solid addition to what I am currently doing. My sound and my approach have been heavily influenced by him. Slab 7 music group, LLC with Cyco Thah Urchin whose been my engineer now for the last three projects. He’s been a highly valuable asset to me and the company brand.
Mainly I want to thank my Chief Operations Officer in Saint Louis Running Weon Radio/Weon Nation Dj Blacc Widdoh. She’s taken my brand and elevated it to a level its never seen and did that in only six months. She’s great!! Thank all of you. If you don’t see your name here work harder ask for less.
How can fans find you?
My website is www.kilomoemusic.com
Everything KILO M.O.E is there. Albums, press, and pictures.
What suggestions do you have for other artist like yourself?
IF you are looking to make a career in music. Find out how it pays you and do it a lot. More than asking for stuff. Everything costs rather its giving or taking. It all costs. Nothing in this is free. Not even your skills. Build a company and produce something of value so you can solve problems. Otherwise, you create problems for someone like me to come solve and take all the money. Tha Grizz What It Iz.
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