Liam-Da-Cool

Chapter 8…..

If you ask the average person what city pop’s into there head when you mention UK rap or grime, their answer will be London. Probably rightly so. After all, the like’s of Sway, Wiley, Kano, Dizzee are all from the Capital aswell as many other artists who have risen to stardom. In fact you would think London was the only city with artists emerging from the scene. It’s far from it though.

I wouldn’t consider myself a huge grime lover, i’ve always loved hip hop and always will. Apart from the names i mentioned above and a few others such as The Street’s i don’t really care much for grime. It’s something that i’ve always wondered, why don’t i love grime to the extent which i love R&B and Hip Hop from America. After all, as a huge music fan you would of thought i’d reach out and support the artists from my own country. When i was getting into Wiley/Roll Deep, Kano back when they were dropping the avenue and Ps and qs i would of thought my interest in UK music would of remained. Unfortunetly it was also the time when Kanye West and 50 Cent were releasing amazing music and that just drew me away from the new talents that were coming through in the UK. Don’t get me wrong i was still listening to Dizzee, Sway etc but i wasn’t interested in the new artists emerging. I was hooked on the new artists coming through in America. Anyway…..

Fast Forward a few year’s later when i was about 14. A rapper was performing in my school, being a huge rap fan i decided to go and watch him despite having low expectations of a rapper from Liverpool. I didn’t even know we had rappers in the city at the time and admittedly was going to watch this artist to presumably laugh at. This rapper was named KOF and after watching his performance i was amazed, i had just watched my first rap performance from an artist who lived in the same city as me. I was hooked on KOF and just wanted to know more about him and his music. Unfortunely KOF was just getting his name out their and the internet wasn’t a big help in getting me info.

I then spoke to a lad in my class about the performance and he told me that KOF was his cousin, at first i told him to fuck off but then he said he can get me his mixtape for £3. He took me to Kof or his manager, yaw owusu cousins who were in my school. I bought the mixtape of them and despite only 3 or 4 tracks working and being pissed off, i was hooked on KOF. I then found a website, URBEATZ that kept me up to date with his music. I started seeing KOF around the city, just living his life as any other person and it inspired me. If this normal lad can make great music and live his dream then why can’t i do what i want. It’s what got me to were i want to be at this moment, someone who’s DJ’d at clubs, set up my own event’s and hopefully be a major part in the Music business in the future. Especially with the help Yaw is giving me now, i feel like i have one step in the door and i’m just gonna keep pushing now until i’m through.

Since KOF, i’ve always been keen on hearing other artists from Liverpool and the past year or so have seen dozens of artists emerge. Some with huge potential, some on that Kayne swag, don’t know who he is? google him. The first paragraph when talking about people thinking London has all the “urban” talent is linking with this now. The scene in Liverpool is growing and a lot of people are taking notice. With more promotion, more event’s and more people in Liverpool supporting, such as radio stations, our city could be the future!

I don’t know why i wrote this, i just felt i should. Half of the thing’s i said were totally irrelevant and writing this felt like i was writing a chapter in my autobiography, hence the title. I originally planned on discussing my perception on the Liverpool “urban” scene, maybe another day. I guess this was a little story about finding the inspiration to do what i want to do now. Also listening to KOF tonight made me think back when i first saw him at my school and now seeing how much progression he’s made, amazing. 

Respect KOF, Respect Yaw!