Exposed Vocals Interviews Kale Griffin
Kale Griffin is an Rapper/Song-Writer, Audio Engineer & Producer from Gadsden, AL now working out of Los Angeles, CA.
Born in Anniston, AL and raised in New Orleans, LA, he was raised in a musical family. His father was a drummer & mother a singer-songwriter. He learned how to play the drums at 7 and started playing the guitar and piano by 16. He lived a fairly middle-class lifestyle until Katrina caused his family to relocate to Gadsden, AL. His parent divorce and mother’s drug-used forced him into a life of street violence and drug-dealing and introduced him to southern rap music. He started to rap as a means to “get out,” eventually gaining local stardom and getting signed after graduating high school to Atlantic Records.
After several years of label disputes, he eventually left the label and took a hiatus from music to go to college and learn audio production at the art institute of Philadelphia. After graduating, he joined the military to help pay for college wear he got his business degree and started his own independent label. He was later discharged due to personal reasons and has since began releasing new music and gaining a solid fanbase across the country.
He currently works as a intern audio engineer with universal records and as a mixing agent with only UK-based radio station, 808 Soul Radio while pursuing his music independently with label Paperboi Entertainment.
His debut album, #TheKenDollAlbum is set to be released this Summer on Apple Music, Google Play & Tidal featuring single’s “Yah” ft Velly Montana from Chicago, IL (which has gain regular radio play in Chicago metro-area), “Family Guy” ft Suavecito from Dallas, TX (also gaining radio play in DFW area) and “I Got da Sauce” ft QC & LiTimo which has recently been feature on “Artist-To-Watch” on BBC Radio.
At 24-years old, Kale Griffin, has worked long & hard to solidify his network and hopes to continue his steady rise.
| Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Kale Griffin: I became an artist because, for me, music is the most powerful thing in the world. Music has always been constant in my life. They drug-addiction, violence, homelessness, etc. music has been the one constant thing in my life. Where most kids played football and rode bikes, I watched TRL and acted out music videos.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Kale Griffin: Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Kale Griffin: I almost always give my music out for free. I feel like, if I give my fans a bunch of free stuff then when I finally do say, “Ok, this one for sell.” Then they buy it because they know I more than gave-back. I LOVE music. It’s my passion. It’s my heart and soul and I just want to be heard so I have no problems taking some L’s for that on the road to success. Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips? Kale Griffin: Don’t give up! Life can take you thru some crazy journeys. Life can make you look in the mirror and ask, is it worth it. What keeps me going is when I hear about artist like 2 Chainz (who was 30+ when he finally made it mainstream) or artist like Macklemore (who has gone thru drug-addiction, rehab, homelessness and is now a Grammy-award winning artist at 32). Never give up. Your time will come.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Kale Griffin: Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Kale Griffin: I generally believe in market saturation. If I want my music to be heard then I should put it out there, non-stop and explore every avenue possible to do so. Right now, I have over 400+ songs floating around the internet and I have over 500 songs that’s chilling on the computer that nobody has heard. I record, mix and master my own music. I do my own graphic design and photography. So it’s very little outsourcing. That allows me to just constantly create. Eventually, I feel like that’s going to pay off. Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Kale Griffin: Haha! I’ve actually thought about this! First, I’d pay 100 blogs $1000 each to cover 1 exclusive song each to build Search Engine Optimization and Market Saturation. Then I’d put together 3 Mixtapes and have 3 single music videos shot for promo and push those for around a 6 month period, dropping a new mixtape ever 2 months and a new music video every 2 weeks. I’d pay the $5000 fee to have each music video featured on the front page of WSHH and I’d get some really bomb DJ’s to host the mixtapes to build clout (most likely DJ Bigga Rankin: $3500, DJ Drama: $5000 and DJ Cannon – idk how much he charges). That would leave me with around $300,000. I’d then book myself a features with big name artist (my dream feature would be either Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz or Future). Which would leave me with around $200,000 which I’d use to furnish a tour to push album sales for a end-of-the-year album release using the song with the major artist as a secondary single behind my primary single of the album. Hopefully that, with ALOT of prayers, I’ll reach the plateau I always dreamt of. Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Kale Griffin: Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Kale Griffin: I do have a upcoming project entitled, the “Ken Doll Album.” It is set to be released for online streaming with Tidal, Apple Music and on Google Play. I have feature with artist all over the country. Velly Montana from Chicago – Suavecito from Dallas – QC, Li Timo from Central Alabama – LaTrill & Rick Louie from back home in Gadsden, AL – Oh, and shoutout my boy Tre Fre$hmen from back home! He featured on there. It’s set to be released this Summer. I currently have 3 singles receiving radio play in different markets and one internet single entitled, “NoNo” ft Rick Louie exclusively on Soundcloud. Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Kale Griffin: I’d be dead. I’m nothing without music. Bro, I suck at life. Haha! No seriously, I’d probably dead. Either an addict like my parents or a dope dealer. Music is everything to me. I couldn’t imagine life without. Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Kale Griffin: Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Kale Griffin: World takeover! Seriously, I have every plan to be a household name by the end-of-the-year. I won’t stop until the whole world knows me. |