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Kero One gave us a little shoutout after he got home from his international stint with Epik High on the MAP THE SOUL Tour. The Bay Area rapper-producer traveled with Epik High thru Korea, Japan and across the US. We got the deets on the origin of Kero One, getting on board Map The Soul, and working with Japan’s DJ Deckstream.

Kero One’s second album entitled EARLY BELIEVERS is out now on Plug Label. UK singer Ben Westbeech and Portland’s Ohmega Watts lend their vocals to Kero One’s rhymes.

Click Video to Play

What is the origin of Kero One?
The origin of the name came from my graffiti tag when I was 15 and was short for Kerosene. The best way to explain it is In one of my lines from my first album I say “When Kero’s on the Sene (scene) I fuel flame’s to burn emcees with more degrees than a PHD”.

What are your musical influences?
I started listening to old school hiphop on the radio when I was 6. I remember the first hiphop song I heard was by Boogie Down Productions. Since then, I collected records perversely with genres spanning from 70’s soul, funk, jazz, latin, soulful house, electronica and rock.

How did you end up on tour with Korea’s Epik High?
The relationship came together organically as we are all in the same network of friends. I am good friends with MYK and their manager. Furthermore, I’m a fan of what they’re doing and they liked the music I was making. I feel like they do a great job bridging the gap between underground music and pop.

You’re on Japan’s DJ Deckstream’s Soundtracks 1.5 with your remix of “Keep In The Pockets” with NYC’s Talib Kweli on the mic. How did you hook up with DJ Deckstream?
Dj Deckstream’s “people” asked me to do it. They said there will be only two remixers, DJ Jazzy Jeff and you. Immediately I asked, “Where do i sign”?

Any other artists you want to work with in the future?
Will.i.am (from Black Eyed Peas) has expressed interest in working so hopefully that goes down. He’s a busy dude these days.

What’s next for Kero One in 2009?
Executive producing albums on Plug Music Label and brainstorming my next project. Lots of touring and updating my new blog @ kero1.com!

Photo courtesy of Plug Label.



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Missy Kim Favorites, Monday June 1 »

34 Comments »

i only know him from the map the soul tour


He seems like a really cool guy ^^


pretty cool~
his english is good. did he live here in US?


lina - 06/01/09 7:20 pm

i only know him from the map the soul tour

Same here.. It’s awsome that he made a shoutout!


He’s different than what I would imagine him looking like raspberry


niichan - 06/01/09 7:56 pm

He’s different than what I would imagine him looking like raspberry

i had no idea what he would look like. mainly because i have never heard of him~


It’s good to have friends in high places!


Nice interview , good questions!
I’m glad that Ningin got another fine interview from another star.


Ningin sure has connections everywhere! XD and bringing unknown names onto the board cos this is the first time I’ve heard of Kero One as well


Lol seems like Will.I.Am is with all the Asian stars :D!


Reading this, I’m just thinking it would be so cool to go on a concert tour…


ive only heard of him from map the soul also so yea


Hopefully this will be the start of many things for him.


He was awesome at EP’s concert. I wish him luck on future successes.


Hellojeffy - 06/02/09 3:59 am

Lol seems like Will.I.Am is with all the Asian stars :D!

Will.I.am is pretty awesome!


i like the Interview


i always wondered how to say “ningin”...i thought the ‘g’ was like the ‘g’ in ‘gown’. but its actually a ‘j’ sound. thanks for clearing that up for me, Kero One ^^


cheekybodacious - 06/02/09 8:31 pm

i always wondered how to say “ningin”...i thought the ‘g’ was like the ‘g’ in ‘gown’. but its actually a ‘j’ sound. thanks for clearing that up for me, Kero One ^^

lol i had the same problem^^


lina - 06/02/09 8:32 pm
cheekybodacious - 06/02/09 8:31 pm

i always wondered how to say “ningin”...i thought the ‘g’ was like the ‘g’ in ‘gown’. but its actually a ‘j’ sound. thanks for clearing that up for me, Kero One ^^

lol i had the same problem^^

it feels great knowing that i am not alone~


cheekybodacious - 06/02/09 8:33 pm
lina - 06/02/09 8:32 pm
cheekybodacious - 06/02/09 8:31 pm

i always wondered how to say “ningin”...i thought the ‘g’ was like the ‘g’ in ‘gown’. but its actually a ‘j’ sound. thanks for clearing that up for me, Kero One ^^

lol i had the same problem^^

it feels great knowing that i am not alone~

is it really ?
I didn’t know that


the interview was pretty cool.


Misters0freshh - 06/04/09 6:48 am
cheekybodacious - 06/02/09 8:33 pm
lina - 06/02/09 8:32 pm
cheekybodacious - 06/02/09 8:31 pm

i always wondered how to say “ningin”...i thought the ‘g’ was like the ‘g’ in ‘gown’. but its actually a ‘j’ sound. thanks for clearing that up for me, Kero One ^^

lol i had the same problem^^

it feels great knowing that i am not alone~

is it really ?
I didn’t know that

i assume so. that is how he said it~


he dose seem like a cool guy


buttack5 - 06/04/09 1:31 pm

he dose seem like a cool guy

hes definitely cool if he gives a shout out to ningin.


ryu00 - 06/04/09 3:20 pm
buttack5 - 06/04/09 1:31 pm

he dose seem like a cool guy

hes definitely cool if he gives a shout out to ningin.

oh yeah~


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