k-os - ATLANTIS: Hymns For Disco (Tour Dates/Interview)

Remember that you've read it here first: k-os will be 2007's Breakthrough Artist of the Year or at least a major part of that class. The evolution of Hip-Hop music is boundless; just look at the likes of Outkast, The Black Eyed Peas, and Gnarls Barkley. k-os may have been below the radar in the states with his sophomore release "Joyful Rebellion", but ATLANTIS will prove to be his U.S. coming out party.

Below, you can take a look at an excerpt from our conversation, the video to his first single "ELEctrick Heat - the seekwiLL", and dates from his upcoming US tour.

By popular demand, there is a belief that it is the integrity of Hip Hop music at this particular time that raises the argument that Hip Hop is dead. Do you agree with that, and if not, talk about why you feel that Hip Hop is still alive…

k-os: That (death) is just part of life, which is one of man’s greatest ignorance’s – to fear that something has to die. That’s why man fears death so much because they feel that it’s the ending, when it is the beginning of something else. What that new beginning may be at this time, I can’t speak on or know. All that I do know is at in Hip Hop’s beginnings, you can remember lyrics from Rapper’s Delight like, “I don’t mean to brag, I don’t mean to boast / but I like hot butter on my breakfast toast.” Then years later, you can remember Nas reciting, “It ain’t hard to tell, I excel, then prevail / the mic is contacted, I attract clientele.” I’m sure that by a kid who grew up in the late ‘70s that in their opinion of ‘80s standard of Rap music, that Hip-Hop was dead when Nas first stepped on the scene in the early ‘90s. But I’m glad that Hip-Hop is dying in a way, so that it can be reborn again in a new form.

I feel that death is a part of life. I also feel that the more that we try to realize that, the more that we won’t have to panic when we see something from our youth dying. We then can talk to the younger generation and together, find a way to renew it for a new way of being.

Take this time out to talk about your new album, “Atlantis – Hymns for Disco”.

K-os: Atlantis is my Punk rock record and my non-fearful record. I choose to let the people describe my album. I believe that there are so many ways to create music. This record is about seeing what happens when you don’t allow for your influences to knock on your door all the time – you just let them be your houseguests that don’t make a lot of noise, they are just around. Your influences will sit down at the table with you and say, “What’s up, how are you doing?” opposed to saying that I’m a black man from the West Indies. This record is about making music. It doesn’t have to say that I’m a black man, or that I’m Canadian and this is how my music should sound. You can hear that in the way that I program my drums, in the way that I express myself. This record is about embracing my influences.

What lessons do you feel that “Atlantis” can teach to a culture that is presently at a loss of cohesive value?

K-os: It would be arrogant to say that my music can teach an entire culture anything. I just don’t see myself as a person who can teach a whole culture a lesson, but what has this album taught me; and if I am my culture, if the blood that runs through me is the culture of my people. I’ve learned that you can’t let people’s perception of who you are, rule you. You have to be the owner of your perception. I just believe that no matter who you are, you just have to get to the point where you can allow for who you are to shine. This is what Atlantis means to me. There are going to be some Hip-Hop heads that are going to listen to this album and say, “Yo’ K-os, how come your album isn’t pure Hip-Hop?” Then you are going to have some Rockers who are going to say, “How can you call yourself ‘Born 2 Run’, that’s Bruce Springsteen.” But I am going to have to answer those questions because I am just being myself. And that’s a huge lesson to be learned by all, because you’re going to have to stand up for what you put out there.

"ELEctrick Heat - the seekwiLL"



k-os Tour Dates (with Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits and P.O.S.)

2/17 - Boston, MA - Avalon Ballroom
2/18 - Troy, NY - Revolution Hall
2/20 - Indiana, PA - Ohio Room - IU
2/21 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
2/22 - NYC - Webster HAll
2/23 - Rochester, NY - Douglas Hall - University of Rochester
2/24 - Pittsburgh, PA - Union Ballroom - Duquesne University
2/25 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero
2/26 - Norfolk, VA - Norva Theater
2/27 - Jacksonville, FL - Freebird Live
2/28 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
3/1 - Orlando, FL - The Club at Firestone
3/2 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
3/3 - Nashville, TN - Rocketown
3/4 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogart's3
/6 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
3/7 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
3/8 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall
3/13 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
3/14 - Indianapolis, IN - The Irving Theater
3/15 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
3/16 - Sauget, IL - Pop's
3/17 - Lawrence, KS - Granada
3/18 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
3/20 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theater
3/21 - Salt Lake City, UT - Avalon Theater
3/23 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
3/24 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater
3/25 - Orangevale, CA - The Boardwalk
3/26 - West Hollywood, CA - House of Blues
3/27 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
3/28 - San Diego, CA - Soma
3/29 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
3/30 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
3/31 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
4/1 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater
4/3 - Dallas, TX - Gypsy Ballroom
4/4 - San Antonio, TX - White Rabbit
4/5 - Houston, TX - Meridian
4/6 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues