It’s hard to ignore Atlanta’s growing contemporary art and music scene. Now more than ever, it seems like artists are springing up like daisies, but there are a select few that standout from the rest. Meet Zip K: an educated, talented young rapper with up-to-minute beats and an exploding media presence.
Most of us wonder what will happen after college and what we’ll do with our college degrees. Self-empowering music professionals like Zip are exactly the inspirations we need to look toward the future and follow our dreams. People that chase their goals regardless of the outcome and dive into their dreams fearlessly. In a face-to-face interview, I was able to dissect a little of what lies beneath the surface of an aspiring music artist:
Name: Zip K
Year: 2015 Graduate
Social Media: @iamzipk
Her Campus: What are some of your inspirations?
Zip K: “My inspirations are life situations and scenarios. I usually get inspired by going somewhere I haven’t been before or seeing something that I haven’t seen. It takes me to a whole other world and I can really dig deep creatively. I’m really inspired by the day-to-day highs and lows. The good and bad.”
HC: Why did you decide to become a music professional and what got you started?
Zip K: “Honestly, I would do it whether I got paid for it or not. I would write whether I could make a career out of it or not. One thing that I wanted to do is have a career where I love to do what I do. I think too many people go to 9 to 5 jobs to pay the bills, which I can understand, but me personally, I have to be doing something every day that I love. To really be good and successful at it, I have to put my best foot forward and music is it.”
HC: What has been an important experience for you?
Zip K: “I always think the best experiences are the negative ones because you learn so much from them. For one, having expectations that aren’t always met, like with my last project before 404Error, was very under whelming as far as reception. We put a lot of time, effort and energy into our projects but we didn’t get the most out of what we invested. It was a letdown but it was good experience for me and it made me comeback with this one harder. It made me take my time and I learned from it.”
HC: What do you like to listen to?
Zip K: “Well I do hip hop but I don’t really listen to a lot of hip hop while I’m writing music. My pops raised me up on jazz. I played the saxophone for a little while, so I dig smooth jazz and experimental sounds. I like old school R&B. I’m a stickler on originality and because I’m such a fan of music if I listen to somebody I could be potentially influenced. I don’t want that so I just listen to a lot of instrumentals while I’m creating.”
HC: Who do you aspire to be as successful as?
Zip K: “I’d have to say, I see myself as a Jay-Z. That’s the most upper echelon that comes to mind when you think of somebody that’s put in the time musically but has also branded himself on the business side. I have a really entrepreneur-like mind. I can see talent in people, ideas, and creativity in fashion, culture and music. I want to be able to go into that. Music is an avenue and a platform into that; it’s a way for me to get in the door. It’s a chance for me to network and build relationships so that I can be the new millennium Jay.”
HC: How has your music and method changed over time?
Zip K: “Over time, I’ve learned to take my time. The type of musician that I am, I’ve learned that I have to have a certain level of authenticity; that’s my appeal. That’s why people listen to my music. I’ve realized I can write any song I want to, at any given part of the day. That’s my God-given gift but I have to steer and pioneer in the direction that I want to and sometimes that takes a bit more time. I work to get the final product and it excites me when people hear it and think it’s dope. It’s important to be patient and build creativity so that when people do hear it, it’s something you can be proud of. My last album [Cloud of Judgement] wasn’t something I was really proud of, but 404Error I think I’ll be really proud of it a year from now.”
HC: Tell us more about you. Like an embarrassing moment, a pet peeve, or what you look for in a girl.
Zip K: “As far as females, well a lot of what I write about is about my environment and experiences. I paint the picture of what’s around me. When it comes to girls, I like modest, cool, down-to-earth women as opposed to girls that are flamboyant [and] out-on-the-scene. I’m real home-grown, real humble. I would want somebody to be sweet and match me.”
HC: What do you do to get yourself ready to perform?
Zip K: “Good question. I really don’t do enough, I feel like I should get in the gym more and build more endurance so I can do longer shows. I take care of my voice, not lose my voice, so I can do more melodies and stuff. Making sure I’m drinking my tea and staying away from dairy products before performances. It’s important to think about that when you’re a professional performer.”
HC: What’s one last thing you want our readers to know about you?
Zip K: “I want everyone to know that I just dropped an amazing project. You can stream it live and free on my SoundCloud. It’s available for purchase via iTunes. So it’s free, but if you like it, buy it. There’s a brand-new music video for my single “Highs and Lows” as well. Any of my fans and supports that wish to stay connected with me, follow me on all social media.”