SILKK CALONE

One of the first things that people ask Silkk Calone about is his name. "It's actually not that unusual" states Silkk. "I was always considered a smooth kid, so "Silkk" was just a childhood nickname that stuck". He later invented the surname "Calone", itself a mixture of Capone and Corleone, to better exemplify his more sophisticated, classic hood aesthetic. What some people never think to ask, however, is where Silkk Calone came from. Silkk was born in the slums of Belize City, Belize, to a troubled 15-year old mother. Moving to the States at the age of three, Silkk was raised on the West Side of South Central, LA, where he began to experience the same difficult hood life that was reflected in the same hip-hop music that later attracted him. Inspired by the golden age of Death Row in which he grew up, Silkk was influenced early on by artists such as Kurupt and the rest of the DPGC. Always one to bring his own flavor to the table, however, Silkk blends his West Coast background with a cocky, laid-back East Coast style flow. Despite his often carefree style, though, Silkk's lyrical content reflects his life as a product of two violent cultures. Even though financial hardships left him unable to return to his mother country, his immigrant family members would constantly update him on the rapidly worsening situation in Belize. Silkk realized from a very early age not only was his city of origin even worse than his current hometown of South Central, but that the struggle of the ghetto youth was a universal one. Because of this, Silkk is able to bring a cosmopolitan, realism-centered style to his craft that hits the listener from both the hood and global perspective. Despite being a newcomer to the industry, Silkk has quickly been gaining respect and turning heads in the industry. Silkk is currently working on his transition into Gospel rap.