Koncept
By Paul Jimenez on October 21, 2013
Having been raised for most of his life in Jackson Heights, Queens in New York is an artist who loves to snowboard and eat Philly Cheese Steaks. He’s best known by what was originally his graffiti name, Koncept. Ever since a young boy Koncept has always been around music. He started to DJ at around the age of 11 and from there he slowly progressed into the rap scene. One thing that stands out about Koncept as an artist is his energy. No matter where or what the situation is, the energy and devotion are always there to compliment his smooth, bold verses. He is a huge fan of Nas and has asserted that the great rapper is one of the few artists he is influenced by. Although Koncept is well known for being a member of the Brown Bag All-Stars, he has also been striving to make moves with his own music, releasing plenty of his own singles, videos and EP’s. Stay tuned for his next project Live On which is going to be released tomorrow!
Interview
Who is Koncept? Tell us about yourself.
"Rapper, rhymer, lover of all good music. Snowboarder, taco king, tequila & whiskey warrior."
How long have you been rapping for?
"Been rapping for fun since a young boy. Been rapping professionally since I thought about having fun for my future."
Talk to us about Queens, New York and how it has influenced your life both as a person and as an artist.
"I grew up in Jackson Heights, Queens. It made for a lot of who I am today. It deeply enhanced my love for Latin women and food."
What are a few songs that you will never get tired of listening to?
"Nas - All of Illmatic"
Any strong influences?
"Nas, Wu-Tang, ATCQ, De La Soul, and Philly Cheese Steaks."
How would you describe your own music?
"A raging bull on a beautiful empty island that also has a mountain covered in snow."
Are you working on any new music right now?
"Yes sir, new EP titled Live On. All produced by Numonics, drops in October. The next steps to follow is Koncept & J57. J on all the production and myself on the raps. We just finished recording our LP titled, Flight with RedBull in their L.A. studio, and now we're talking to a few major labels. The Koncept & J57 The Fuel EP will come before that, which is also close to done. We're mixing it now."
Is there anybody in particular that you would want to work with in the future?
"Black Thought, Pharoahe Monch, and DJ Premier."
I noticed that you display a very high amount of energy and excitement in your music, talk about how important that is to you.
"This is my world. I couldn't live without making music. It's what makes me who I am."
Talk about your love for snowboarding.
"If I wasn't rapping I would be living on a mountain somewhere snowboarding everyday. It could be Tahoe in California, Switzerland, or Calgary in Canada. I used to snowboard close to everyday in the winter months of the East coast until I moved back to the NYC and put 150% into making my music hit the world. I still go a lot, but not nearly as much as I used to, or would like."
What’s your favorite part about being a rapper?
"Maybe the free greens. Definitely touring and getting to rock for people all around the world. There's no feeling like meeting a fan from a different place and or culture that knows all the music, excited to meet me and experience the show. That love makes everything worth it."
Lastly, what is your goal?
"My main goal is to make better and better music and keep growing as an artist. Reach new and more people and continue to do what I love. My fans make that possible and I want to give them a reason to want and love each project more than the last."