Two years after the release of the album that led him to be nominated for a Latin Grammy, the rapper revisits and expands the project
Create a concept, work on the compositions, understand the way to tell a story throughout an album. None of this is simple. Expanding this universe may seem even more complicated. This, however, does not seem to be an obstacle to Kayode.
The rapper, nominated for Latin Grammy formidable fur Skin Flow (2022), resumes what had been done before, but with more depth. This is how it is born Skin Flow (Deluxe)released two years after the artist’s debut album.
Before we talk about the album, it’s important to understand the artist’s moment. Kayode spoke to Rolling Stone Brazil after being nominated and a few weeks before the awards ceremony of Latin Grammy. Some time later, the artist classifies the experience as “very good”, even though he didn’t bring home the prize.
“Both my producer and I had never left the country. Even though we didn’t win the award, the nomination went far beyond our expectations,” he recalls. His name among the nominees also endorses the quality of the artistic work and helps to show the artist’s strength on the national stage.
Kayode sees the deluxe version of the album as the expansion of a musical universe he created more than two years ago. “I discovered a lot of things that I didn’t know I could do. I understood references and managed to bring this better and just before the appointment I understood that Skin Flow it was 20%, 30% of what I had produced in that period.
The new version of the project was born from there. The artist brought collaborations that he and Paiva — the album’s producer understood it as compatible with the concept of the work, bringing more strength to a work that is built on power.
The rapper reveals that he had no intention of releasing the deluxe from the beginning. This was caused by insecurity. “I had no idea what acceptance or interpretation people would have of it,” he explains.
The material we produced came a lot from this insecurity. We wanted to do something big, but we didn’t know how to imagine Grammy, it didn’t cross our imagination.
The artist feels safer today, on the one hand. But he reflects that as a black man, being nominated for the award does not validate him in all spaces. ”It’s not a stop that changed my life financially, for example.” He emphasizes that he continues to fight.
Another interesting point are the collaborations that the new album brings. Throughout the 11 tracks, Kayode shares songs with names like Rincon Sapience, Sotam, Neguinho do Kaxeta,
Owl BC1, El Coffee, Onnika, Anarka MC, Fighting Cock, Wesley Camilo, Giant on Mic It is
Sharif Shabazz.
In addition to following — and admiring — the work of each of these artists, the musician used the criteria of bringing in people from the underground scene. “The invitations were made as we would for a friend,” explains the artist.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned since joining Yalla Rec. in 2019, it was to develop myself artistically,” he reflects. But this does not make the artist feel pressured by the expectations of others.
I don’t really want to please or impress people. I believe art is exactly the opposite. It’s more about bothering.
From words to images
Kayode’s work is also marked by his concern with images and visuals as much as with the words he sings. Not for nothing, “Podcast/Memory Stone” was nominated for Best Music Video – Short Version. The artist explains that he has always had an appreciation for audiovisual and learned a lot about it in Yalla.
“I intend to continue producing and developing myself. It was something that already existed, but that surfaced inside,” he recalls. He considers it important to participate in all stages of the work and sometimes he already composes thinking about the image that will illustrate the words he creates.
The creative process of Kayode passes through inspiration in a more distant way. What really motivates him is his sensitivity to what is around him. “If I’m in a chaotic environment, the tendency is for me to produce something with a somewhat chaotic content, or a counterpoint, something extremely calm, to question all that chaos.”
Returning to Deluxe, the work proves to be not only an expansion of the first album, but also a complement. The rapper endorses this when talking about how the work carries rhythmic and creative diversity in each track.
Kayode He also talks about taking his work on the road. Despite being prepared for this, he does not believe that proposals should happen frequently. “Precisely because of the ideological content of the album. My departure from Yalla It’s also making me restructure this business and commercial part of the parade.”
The rapper is also excited to put more projects out there and be on stage more strongly. Kayode In recent years, he has been getting to know himself as an artist and gaining experience to reach greater heights.
If what he has shown so far is a sample of what we will see in the future, we won’t be long in seeing the name of Kayode going further and further. And we hope for that.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
