For those of you who know Kero One, you know he is an underground Hip Hop artist who, through his own dedication and hard work (talent too), has become a bit of a sensation in the world of Hip Hop. His single, self released in 2003 on his own label Plug Label, was discovered by a Japanese DJ. Soon, he was actually “Big in Japan”. After his initial success, Kero One continued to develop as an artist, releasing his first album, Windmills of the Soul, in 2005. This album won several awards including Best Hip Hop Album by Remix Magazine.
On April 9th Kero One releases his second album, Early Believers. It’s a definite homage to artists such as Q-Tip, Lupe Fiasco, and The Roots among others. You get the vibe of Kayne West with the intelligence of the Handsome Boy Modeling School. Flowing rhymes, smart stories, nerd references and a bit of “street cred” thrown in add to a groove all it’s own. Samples of Bossa Nova and dance grooves gives the album a party feel. You can hear Kero has developed an attraction to the muted notes of the Jazz guitar, adding them to each track. He collaborates with some great voices in Hip Hop, including Ohmega Watts from Brooklyn and Ben Westbeech from the UK.
Songs that stand out are “Keep Pushin’”, “Welcome to the Bay”, and the instrumentals “Song for Sabrina” and “On and On”. Pick up this album, enjoy.
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