2008 Woodie Awards
WSU artist releases second mix-tape, starts clothing line
Zachary Brooks
Issue date: 6/4/08 Section: Feature
A new musical work was just finished by a Wright State University student.
In the past few weeks, Kevin Carter, also known musically as "K. Carter," a computer science major, completed his latest mix-tape, "Bonaparte Part II." This is a follow-up to Carter's "Bonaparte Part I," which he recorded and released last year.
The latest mix-tape features a new, more diverse approach to hip hop than heard on Carter's last project.
"The Bonaparte Part II is my second mix-tape of three. It comes from Napoleon Bonaparte, the French military and political leader. I don't know what drew me to him, but I am. It's different from Part I because I feel although I naturally progressed into a better artist, I also am more confident to try new things as far as the beats I choose to rap to and also the things I say," said Carter.
Carter started out in music when living in Florida, where he met a poet who taught him more about writing and conveying his visions. Soon after that, Carter moved back home to Dayton, Ohio where he formed the rap group, Young Hustlaz, with two of his close friends.
When asked about the influences that inspired him to make music, Carter cites such acts as Run DMC, the Furious Five, EPMD, and Public Enemy as huge influences, while making special note that rapper Special Ed had a tremendous effect on his decision to make music.
The influences that Carter draws from to create the subject matter of his songs, however, go beyond just that of music.
"My influences are life, pop culture, sports, girls, school, religion, and my neighborhood. All of those things are a part of me. Those are the things I am passionate about," said Carter, "If those weren't my influences, I wouldn't be able to be myself in my music. In a lot of my songs I use references from this decade's or past decade's pop culture, to better relate to people listening to my music. My neighborhood has to be a big influence because no matter how far this music takes me, I can never forget where I come from. I may not act like people from my neighborhood, but that's where I'm from and that's something I can't change, and I don't want to change it."
In the past few weeks, Kevin Carter, also known musically as "K. Carter," a computer science major, completed his latest mix-tape, "Bonaparte Part II." This is a follow-up to Carter's "Bonaparte Part I," which he recorded and released last year.
The latest mix-tape features a new, more diverse approach to hip hop than heard on Carter's last project.
"The Bonaparte Part II is my second mix-tape of three. It comes from Napoleon Bonaparte, the French military and political leader. I don't know what drew me to him, but I am. It's different from Part I because I feel although I naturally progressed into a better artist, I also am more confident to try new things as far as the beats I choose to rap to and also the things I say," said Carter.
Carter started out in music when living in Florida, where he met a poet who taught him more about writing and conveying his visions. Soon after that, Carter moved back home to Dayton, Ohio where he formed the rap group, Young Hustlaz, with two of his close friends.
When asked about the influences that inspired him to make music, Carter cites such acts as Run DMC, the Furious Five, EPMD, and Public Enemy as huge influences, while making special note that rapper Special Ed had a tremendous effect on his decision to make music.
The influences that Carter draws from to create the subject matter of his songs, however, go beyond just that of music.
"My influences are life, pop culture, sports, girls, school, religion, and my neighborhood. All of those things are a part of me. Those are the things I am passionate about," said Carter, "If those weren't my influences, I wouldn't be able to be myself in my music. In a lot of my songs I use references from this decade's or past decade's pop culture, to better relate to people listening to my music. My neighborhood has to be a big influence because no matter how far this music takes me, I can never forget where I come from. I may not act like people from my neighborhood, but that's where I'm from and that's something I can't change, and I don't want to change it."
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