CONTACT INFO: krookedletta@gmail.com
The early 80s an African baby is born in the UK to an African lady, she names him Shaun. Today you might know him as Krooked Letta! At the tender age of 2, they embark on a journey back to their country of origin Kenya. It would be this first travel experience that would begin to mould the young boy’s mind and spark something within him. All through his school days, he drew acclaim from teachers and classmates alike for his descriptive style of creative writing and story telling.
The mustard seed that would eventually lead to him embarking on a music career was planted in 1990 when a cousin introduced him to rap music. Previously, his eclectic tastes would find him listening to everything from Michael Jackson, George Michael to Bony M! Intrigued, he attempted putting pen to paper and writing his own rhymes. Obviously at this point they were the very basic ‘sun, fun, run, gun’ type of rhymes. Hey, we all have to start somewhere right? This interest in writing would wane (probably due to the response those earlier rhymes garnered) until a friend made a peculiar request one day. Not knowing how to approach a girl he liked, a poem was written on his behalf and lo and behold it worked! Drawing inspiration from this he adapted his skill at writing poetry to writing lyrics and took to it like a duck to water. The result would be over 100 songs written by 2002. Making use of contacts developed with a local producer, he hit the studio with friends and cut a two song demo (Supremacy & Friday). This was well received by all who heard it and what this did was add fuel to the fire within, he had found his passion in life. In 2004 he embarked on several projects with artists in Kenya. These resulted in two singles and an accompanying video that received airplay on East African radio and TV stations, as well as several internet radio stations. In support of these songs several showcases and performances were staged, giving him a chance to get closer to the fans and hone his skills as a performer.
However due to a clash of interests and work ethic, there was no follow on from the buzz created by these projects. In the best interests of his career Krooked Letta decided to return to the UK and set about gaining the attention of the wider market he deserves. This (music) is just the stepping stone to bigger, greater things!
*****WHAT ARE THE UPCOMING PROJECTS?
2006 saw the commencement of work on the precursor to my debut album, a mixtape titled ‘BORDER CONTROL’. Unfortunately it was not possible to release the mixtape as scheduled last year, instead a sampler was circulated. This delay was indeed a blessing in disguise because it enabled me to revise strategy, and record more fresh material. As a result I’m locked and loaded and the next few months will see the release of not one but two mixtapes. These are the aforementioned ‘BORDER CONTROL’ at a border, port or even a store near you soon! The second one being ‘STATE OF EMERGENCY’, a mixtape in Swahili, for those that don’t know that’s what we speak in Kenya where I’m from! These projects will culminate in my debut album ‘NOTHING BEFORE IT’S TIME’. 14 tracks detailing my journey, my ups, downs and providing an insight into my life and my story in general. I speak for all like me that have a dream but whether it be due to fear or for whatever reason, have had that dream curtailed. Not stopping there, also in the pipeline is my Swahili debut album (title is under wraps for now). I’m trying to catch as many ears as possible, and seeing as the average individual has two, that’s a lot of ears to try catch! All the above mentioned projects will be released independently on KREATIV MYNDS ENT. (K-MYNDS!!!)
Ideally, my ultimate goal is to be considered a great entertainer. At present I humbly consent to being a rapper/songwriter and upcoming producer. My aim is not to change the game nor is it to re-invent the wheel, but merely to produce heartfelt, quality music. I provide what may be classed as social commentary, but that does not make me conscious, just aware. The things I believe will draw people’s attention are my clever wordplay, together with the versatility I possess. I refuse to be pigeon-holed, as that takes away from the experience on offer to the listener, so I work diligently at maintaining all these. Oh, and most importantly I do it in both English and Swahili, whether that counts as being bilingual I’m not sure? I’ll have to get back to you on that one! One thing I can assure you is when as an immigrant you make the transition to the bright lights of the big city, believe me you got some stories to tell!
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