While promoting his forthcoming album, Cadillactica, Big KRIT chopped it up with accomplished journalist Elliott Wilson for his latest #CRWN session.
K.R.I.T began making noise on the underground scene during the mid-2000s. But, it was his near-classic mixtape Big K.R.I.T Wuz Here (2010) that garnered K.R.I.T the attention of hip-hop heads and record label bosses– specifically Def Jam– with whom K.R.I.T signed to in 2011. The album was followed by solid projects such as Return of 4Eva (2011), King Remembered In Time (2013). And, his Def Jam debut Live From The Underground (2012).
Whether he’s being introspective or just spitting nasty 16s, K.R.I.T always has something interesting to say. So, check out what we learned about your country cousin during the #CRWN.
1. Cadillactica is an imaginative world that Big K.R.I.T created.
“Cadillactica is the planet that I created on wax. But, it was really my conscious mind. But, I wanted to figure out a way to creatively do whatever I wanted to in my album. And, I had to call it something. So, I said, ‘I’ll call this Cadillactica.’ And Cadillactica is this planet–from beginning to end–I take you through life.”
2. He can’t learn the music business and create at the same time.
“Things that happen in the business can affect my creativity. If I’m angry from a business aspect, it’s going to flow over into my music. That’s something that I learned that I should never do. ”
3. He gave up 30 percent of his creative control
“It was a great 30 percent that I gave up. I feel blessed that I gave up that 30 percent– done wonders. I was in a space where I was using my instruments, instruments that I created, my kick drums, spares, it was always my way of creating a song. Once I got in the studio with these people, they created music differently. It’s a collective effort to make something. And, I was so used to being in my house by myself. And literally only dealing with myself like, ‘Aight, should I use this or not?’”
4. Raphael Saadiq produced a song Cadillactica
“I’m a fan. “Little Walter” is one o those songs that I heard when I was little. It scared the shit out of me. I don’t really know what happened to buddy, but it sounded like a really horrible thing. “Blind Man” is one of those songs that I rode around to in Merdian, while I was still in high school dealing with high school, in my grandma Nissan Maxima. And, I was blasting the song because I was so intrigued with how he tell a story and I still not totally get it. I never thought ten years later that I’d get to ask him what the song is about. I got the opportunity to work with him cause I reached out and I know that he know so much about soul music. “
5. A song on Cadillactica is titled “King of the South”
As a man I feel I’m king of the south as well as what I embody. And, it doesn’t really stop there with being king of the south. When it comes to music, I want people to understand, for me, it’s subject matter, it’s content. And, I’ve been put in a place where I can say something important. And, it didn’t used to be like that. But, I’m so confident now where I’m like, ‘Aight, just listen.’ Mt. Olympus” was the beginning of me saying, ‘Oh, shit people are listening. My fans believe in me so much what would I be saying to them if I didn’t believe in myself the same way? So, the King of the south thing for me is being from Mississippi, being from the country, and knowing what people think about what the word ‘country’ means.
6. He wrote MT. Olympus” one day after Kendrick Lamar’s “Control” verse.
I figured out how strategic things like that are. And, I said, ‘Aight, I’ll turn it into a situation where it’s not about that verse.’ So, I was like, ‘Aight, I’m talk about all of this. Ten years of feeling like they don’t give a fuck. I wrote that song a day after the “Control” verse came out. It wouldn’t have helped me to drop it then. I learned that this game is chess not checkers. I’m not going to jump you right after you jump me. I got to think about this.
7. His song Mt. Olympus” is called that because that’s the mountain where gods chill.
“I named it “Mt.Olympus” because it’s this rap god thing going on and I’m understand that Mt. Olympus is the place where all the gods kick it. So, I made it “Mt. Olympus” because I’m kicking it there. My track it where we all kick it.”
8. KRIT cheated on “1 Train”
“I learned my lesson from the BET freestyle. They sent me a beat and it was only 16 bars. They was like, ‘K.R.I.T. do a verse.’ I was like, ‘Cool.’ I wrote 16 bars. When we got in the freestyle it was 32s, 48s. I was like, ‘I can’t let that happen again.’ So, that “1 Train” came in 16 bars. I looped that bitch again and kept writing. “Hell naw, they ain’t gon’ do me like that.”
9. He pitched two no hitters as a little league pitcher
“I pitched two no-hitters. I was in Gulfport. Age wise I was young, I was 12 or 13- years old. I was’t in college, but that shit mean something to me. Yeah, but I pitched two no-hitters in the Little League World Series Championship. Not on television though. In Gulfport, but it’s all good. “
10. KRIT plays the tuba and cello
“I played the cello from 6th grade through 9th grade. And, I played cello from 10th grade on out. “