You can think of Kenan Bell’s arrival as a shining star in the constellation of hip-hop as one of the slowest-developing coming-out parties ever.
Bell grew up in the lily-white Los Angeles suburbs challenging stereotypes. He’d look askance at anybody who assumed because he was black and tall he played basketball. He’d smile knowingly at anybody who expected him to be more gangsta than skater. He’d fidget nervously, self-conscious about his high-pitched voice, when anybody presumed he should be a rapper.
Now the 26-year-old, who has spent the past four years teaching spelling, vocabulary and handwriting to fourth- through sixth-graders, is ready to drop his own words on a hungry legion of hip-hop purists.
Bell’s debut album “Until the Future” is hip-hop for people who know their Basquiat as well as their basketball, who are as liable to quote Langston Hughes as MC Hammer, who can party as hard to a soundtrack of Kool Moe Dee as the Offspring.
Boyhood pals Jason Burkhart, now the rapper’s unhinged hype man, and Jon Siebels, the former Eve 6 guitarist, kept after Bell to step to the front, and their rock-oriented production was too catchy to resist. After a long day of teaching, it wasn’t uncommon for Bell to walk to his car and find a CD of backing tracks waiting for him.
From his first live show in January, 2008, Bell proved he can party hearty as well as smartly. Besides Burkhart and Siebels, his live band has boasted such ace players as Josh Klinghoffer, Eric Gardner, Matt Reagan, Nicholas Johns, Joey Rossiter, Kevin Harp and Seth Johnson.
Emerging from the Los Angeles indie scene — Bell did a residency at the respected Silver Lake club Spaceland — the band has opened for such varied artists as De La Soul (on its 20th anniversary tour),RJD2, Jane’s Addiction, People Under The Stairs,Dizzee Rascal, Kool Keith, Illinois and the Heavy.
His song “Like This,” appeared on the video game NBA 2K10, was released as an iTunes single in November. And the single “Good Day,” unveiled in mid-December, boasts the B-side “T.G.I.F.,” featuring a collaboration with West Coast pioneer Aceyalone.
“Until the Future” was released on March 30, 2010 (the birthday of Bell’s mother Charisse) on Siebels’ new label, Sonata Cantata Records.
