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| KingPin OftheInkpen |
November 27, 2011—One of Cincinnati’s most diverse, elite Hip Hop Artist released the mixtape, The Reconstruction, November 11, 2011. As anticipated, the mixtape is getting rave reviews for honorable, inspirational lyrics (click here to get the mixtape). Recently, I had the honor of interviewing the man behind the pen, The One KingPin(KingPin OftheInkpen). Before the interview, I also listened to the mixtape and was like “WOW…he must be a poet!” The lyrics are poetically mesmerizing.
When most people hear “poet” they think of Nikki Giovanni, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes and other famous poets. When most hear Hip Hop Artist, they think violent and uneducated. This is because we live in a stereotypical world. So if asked, “What, if anything, does poets and hip hop artists have in common?” Many may answer, “Nothing!” Well, one of the questions (all interviewers ask this infamous question) asked to KingPin was, “How did you get started in the music industry?” His answer did not take me by surprise.
King responds, “I started out writing poetry that turned into writing raps with my brother and sister at a very young age. Music has always been a part of my life and will always be a part of my life”.
Allow me to say, the man behind the pen is very well educated. His grammar is superb. He is a family man with a supportive wife and five children; he was raised in a two-parent home with active, involved parents aside his three siblings. He is a rock-solid Cincinnati native and graduate of Withrow High School.
With his brother, Mondale, being the most influential person in his music career, King recalls the first song his brother wrote for him in the fourth grade to Tupac’s “Pour Out A Lil Liquor”, and that talent is evident today as his lyrics speaks for themselves—“Lucifer was the minister of music, wanted all the power God didn’t approve it, now he chillin at the bottom like sewage, Thank God for this thing we call music”.
With such profound, symbolic lyrics, listeners can understand that King would state that KingPin the artist is separate from Steven King, Jr. the man. “The rapper Kingpin Oftheinkpen is just that, the king of the pen, I focus on trying to put my time into the content and the music. Steven King is focusing on becoming a teacher, currently working at Cincinnati Public Schools and in pursuit of my degree to become a 4th/5th grade English teacher. My goals exceed music; my passion is with the educational enrichment of our future, the children. Education is my ultimate goal, as a father of five, I feel it is important to instill in our children the importance of education and accomplishing goals to ensure a prosperous and lucrative future. My passion is relentless whether doing music or helping my current students with their school work” Mr. King responds with humble passion.
Drawn to music and writing as a form of therapy and with his greatest fear for hip hop being the trend of gimmick rapping and party rap will sink the art form that has shaped his life in so many ways, it is warranted that King states, “Kingpin Oftheinkpen is not looking for a deal, nor respect or recognition, my intent is to continue to create music, and work to become the best writer that I can be. If respect or recognition comes, then great, if not it won’t stop me from making music and doing what I love in my spare time”.
His love for hip hop and the music is so absolute he created King Will Not Lose Entertainment to highlight his artistry, and show his love for music and his greatest hope is that as a whole, rappers and entertainers get back to the art of making music with meaning, substance, and content.
Is that not amazing? For a person with so much love for hip hop, the industry, the music, and to seek fame and fortune...but focus on the future of our youth? I am totally humbled by King. I had to ask him, “Mr. King, with the passion you have, would you recommend young people to advance toward hip hop”? While I should have known by now nothing is predictable with Steven King, his answer was not hesitated and flowed from his tongue like a father, not a Hip Hop Artist, “I would recommend young people to advance toward education, and working toward careers that will empower them into adulthood. Hip hop is a great entity, but the future is in the hands of our teachers, doctors, policemen, firemen, and politicians. That should be their focus, not pursuing a rap career, or being an entertainer”.
Does he love hip hop? Sure he does; like a kid loves candy!
“I love hip hop, it is more than music, it’s a sub culture that has influenced so many parts of our society, such as politics, issues facing the impoverished and down trodden” states King.
Regardless of how society stereotypes Hip Hop Artists and how critics think it overshadows Rhythm and Blues (R&B), King disagrees, “Hip hop and R&B work very well together; they both depend on each other to work; without one or the other they both would lack the luster we all have grown to love about the genres of music”.
Since King’s goals and objectives are not to become that notoriously, infamous Hip Hop Artist who put Cincinnati on the map, I had to know what his hope was for his listeners. With a smile in each word, he responds, “I hope they continue to get joy from the thing that has been prevalent in my life for as long as I can remember, whether it was Sunday morning church service, writing music and poetry, or listening to some of the best musicians conduct their musical view through records and albums”.
Kingpin, the man behind the ink pen describes his music as wordsmith.
He is confident, “The Reconstruction is eclectic, and very diverse with concepts, lyrical content and substance. I wanted to give a insight into my artistry and vast abilities to create music that is filled with content. The Reconstruction is my best work and I put a lot of time and effort into the production, features, skits and song selections”.
He is self-aware and humble, “No one is greater than anyone else, we sometime get caught up in this mindset as listeners that one rapper is better than the other, when both artist are doing music for the love of the art-form. I on the other hand do music for my family, friends and people who enjoy music with substance and content. Validated hierarchy should be self proclaimed, don’t look for validation from anyone, music is a collection of your ideas and concepts to instrumental sounds, if you believe you are the best, then keep doing your thang, and let God decide if that is what he wants for your life, don’t look for approval from people, do what makes you happy”.
He is a husband, father, son, and brother, “My favorite hangout is my home, where my family is located. I’m a family man first, that’s what drives my ambition and aspirations”.
He is Steven King, Jr. The One KingPin…the man behind the ink pen!
Connect with the King:
Youtube: Kingpinoftheinkpen1
Facebook: Kingwillnotloseent
Follow@theonekingpin
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