What’s your stage name and where are you from?
I go by Kos D and I’m from the legendary borough of Brooklyn
What’s the story behind your stage name?
As I was becoming an adult I read a lot of the classic autobiographies of Black revolutionaries from the 60’s and 70’s. Assata, Revolutionary Suicide, Malcolm X’s book, Angela Davis’ and one of the things that stuck with me was the fact that these people, each in their own way, took the time to understand themselves on a deeper level. They weren’t afraid to see and acknowledge both the light and dark within themselves. That knowledge of self is, in my opinion, one of the reasons they came to wield the influence and power they did. And ultimately what made the powers that be so afraid of them. So my stage name is a tribute to that concept, an acronym: Knowledge Of Self is Deadly.
Describe your musical journey in three sentences.
I started recording music in high school with my cousins and my homies. Me and 80Jase, who’s my main producer and a talented artist in his own right, eventually formed a group with his younger brother, who was a nasty lyricist and we hit the streets, doing shows, throwing parties, recording albums, shooting videos. Eventually life kind of took us in different directions, I took a break for long time and I decided to start dropping my own shit, why not, the world’s ending.
Share an interesting experience you had while creating your latest track.
Talking Heads, the song recently featured on Folded Waffle originally had a second verse. I ended up cutting it not in the interest of time, but for a less is more approach. I guess the thing that was interesting about that is how effective that strategy can be. I feel like in any song, you don’t want to wear out your welcome. Especially in this day and age where attention spans can be so short. And especially if you’re talking politics. Things are changing little, which I think reflects how fucked up our current situation is. And I think people are looking for more authentic voices to guide them through the dark. But the general rule of thumb, is keep it short, keep it sweet and keep to the point. A younger me might’ve slapped that second verse on their just ’cause it was hot, but you get a little older you realize, sometimes saying less is more.
What message do you want to convey through your music?
My name says it all. Life is a series of challenges, most of which we’re not prepared for. Its a game we’re playing on max difficulty and there are no redos. That said, the best thing we can do is arm ourselves with knowledge and empathy, and the courage to show up as ourselves.
Tell us about a challenge you faced during production and how you overcame it.
So I’ve been working on this track about the anxieties of my life framed loosely within the confines of an episode of The Sopranos. I got the verses down easy and laid down a short little hook. I liked the way it sounded, sonically it fit, it was a little cheeky. And it reminded of Carmela, Tony’s wife. But it didn’t sound hooky enough. A pre-hook sure, but not your bread and butter. As 80Jase put it, I needed to add a few more bars to the hook to make it dance more, something more sing-along. Which made sense. So I sat with it and worked the groove a different way until I came up with something interesting. It’s still on theme and grounded in the world of the song, but its also something that’ll stick with you longer. Making music can be a game of patience. You can’t rely on inspiration every time or for every step of the process, even in the same song. Sometimes you’ve just got to hunker down feel it through.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
There’s a bunch of artist I’d love to collaborate with. But off the top within the world of Hip Hop, I’d say Outkast. They were a big influence on me in my early years. And to get on a track with the both of them would be like living a dream. They were never afraid to be different. And flew their freak flags in their aesthetics, sound, subject matter and general approach to the industry. And I feel as though there’s a lot of alignment between the artist I’ve become and the examples they set.
Where do you see your music taking you in the next year?
I want to get back on stage. I love performing and I want to build up enough of a catalogue where I can start hopping on open mics and spreading the good word. The plan right now is to get back to having fun with it. But by the end of the year I expect to be putting together some of my own music and art events in the city.
What’s the next big step for you as an artist?
I’m working on an album, my first solo joint. It’s exciting and I’m not rushing to put it out. I want to make sure I get the right eyes on it. But I’m also just like, fuck it, I might just drop it for me. So I’m piecing that together, I’d say I’m about 60% done, but we’ll see. I also got some other music dropping on a more lofi R&B/House tip under SVNT980 a group I started with 80J. And i’ve got a couple of screenplays I’m working on, with a short I’m hoping to get shot in the next year. So I’ve got my fingers in a lot of pies. The next step is bringing it all to fruition. Like they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Where can we hear/watch your most recent work?
I just dropped a track called “Circles”, its about getting caught up in negative self talk and how damaging and ultimately unproductive that can be. The bars are hot. Its produced by my cousin PrimeThaOPT, meaning the sonics are immaculate. And it’s available on all streaming platforms. So definitely follow me anywhere you get your music and if you want, check me out on IG, though I don’t really use it: @farrah_fawcetts
