Haastattelussa Houston-pioneeri K-Rino

Tekijä(t)

11/03/2025

Haastattelussa Texasin Houstonista kotoisin oleva räppäri K-Rino. Legendaarisen South Park Coalition -räppikollektiivin perustajana tunnettu artisti julkaisi debyyttistudioalbuminsa “Stories From The Black Book” vuonna 1993. K-Rino on tehnyt urallaan yhteistyötä muun muassa K.B. Da Kidnappan, Z-Ron, Trae Tha Truthin, Point Blankin, DJ Screwin (RIP), Klondike Katin, Big Hawkin (RIP) ja Devin The Duden kanssa.

Welcome to the interview, K-Rino. It’s an honor to have you with us.

Thanks for having me. I appreciate that a lot.

Let’s start at the beginning. When were you first introduced to hip-hop culture?

I’d say around 1979 when I first heard “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugar Hill Gang. Then later, it was guys like Kurtis Blow, Melle Mel, and Run-DMC.

How was the hip-hop scene in South Park, Houston, during that time?

Well, there wasn’t a hip-hop scene at that time. This was the early days of hip-hop, and rap was pretty new, so we were all just fans back then. I didn’t even have a thought about doing it as a career until around 1986.

Which rappers influenced you the most during your early years in hip-hop?

I would say Run-DMC, LL Cool J, T-La Rock, KRS-ONE, Big Daddy Kane, and Rakim.

When did you, Preppy J, and G.T. form the hip-hop group Real Chill? How was it recording the song “Rockin’ It,” which you released in 1986, and how was it received at that time?

I think it was around 1986 when we officially formed the group. We were already hanging out together before that. We actually dropped “Rockin’ It” in 1987. We never put it out in stores and didn’t get any radio play at the time, so the only responses we got were from the people we gave records to for free. It aired on the radio only once on a local show called “Rush It or Flush It”, where they play a song, and people call in to say “rush it” if they like it and “flush it” if they don’t. Luckily, they liked it. lol.

After that project, you formed the legendary hip-hop collective South Park Coalition. How did the idea of forming SPC come about, and who were the first members?

At the time, I just wanted to create a collective of rappers from my neighborhood. In the beginning, it was just rappers that went to my school. It grew once we branched out to other schools and rappers from the city. Then it grew worldwide within 10–15 years. The first few members were Rapper K, G.T., Preppy J, DBX, C-Rock, EZ-T, and a few others.

Can you share any stories from the early days of SPC?

Really, the best stories were the battles in the hallway at school. People used to come from different schools to battle me or hang out with us at my school. People like Ganxsta Nip and Big Mello, along with the original Ghetto Boys as well.

You released your debut solo album “Stories from the Black Book” in 1993. When did you start recording it, and what do you think of the album nowadays?

I started working on it in 1992. We had it ready by ’93. It’s still my biggest-selling album, which is crazy. I don’t listen to it at all these days. I think it was good for its time, but there are a few songs I would never do today. lol.

How do you feel your music has evolved since your first solo album?

I think it’s matured in a lot of ways. I’m able to say a lot of the same things I believed in back then, but I know how to say them in a more intellectual and polished way. I don’t use as much profanity as I did in the early days either. I’ve also figured out how to be more relatable.

You released three more solo albums in the ’90s, but in 2003 you released a compilation album, “Ten Year Run 1993–2003”, on your own Black Book International record label. When did you start that label, and was it hard to get it going in the beginning?

No, it wasn’t hard because by 2003, I was already 20 years in the game. I fully understood how to put a project together, release it, and promote it. It was my first release on my new label, Black Book International.

In 2005, you performed in Finland for the first time. How was that experience, and do you remember any funny or memorable stories from the trip?

I remember it all like it was yesterday. This was my first time ever performing outside of the U.S. The funniest thing was my connecting flight to Sweden being late. As I rushed off the plane to catch my next flight, I couldn’t read the signs in the airport because they weren’t in English. I ended up missing my flight to Finland but caught the next one.

When did you first realize that people were listening to your music outside the USA, and what was your reaction to having fans from around the world?

We knew people were listening in different countries since the ’90s because we would always get fan letters from Germany, Australia, and other places. Then, when the internet came along, we started getting emails all the time.

Let’s talk about your new album “Seven Hour Block” from 2023, produced by Trajik. How did you meet Trajik, and how did you come up with the name for the album? What was the recording process like?

Trajik was working with Loki from California, and he reached out to me to do a collab on Loki’s project. That’s how we first came in contact. Then after that, he asked if I would be down to do an entire album produced by him, and I was like, “Yeah, let’s make it happen.” We ended up doing two projects in the same year. “Seven Hour Block” was the first, and “Path of Destruction” drops next.

Are you and Trajik planning to release more music together in the future?

Yessir. The next one, as I mentioned, is called “Path of Destruction”. It’s already complete.

How has your approach to making music changed over the years?

It hasn’t changed much. I just try to stay in tune with what’s going on in the world while growing in my own creativity.

How do you stay motivated to keep creating music?

My fans keep me motivated. When they mention certain songs they like and songs that helped them in their lives, that serves as motivation for me to keep doing it for them.

What do you think of hip-hop culture today?

There’s good and bad in it, of course. But the culture will always be there. I think it’s up to the individuals who participate in it to make it better and add something new to it. We can’t let the industry heads shape the culture and change its direction. That’s when we lose control.

Do you listen to any new rap, and are there any new rappers you like?

I honestly don’t listen to a lot of new rap. Sometimes a new artist will catch my attention, but it’s not that often. A lot of the new stuff sounds alike to me.

Let’s talk about politics for a moment. What do you think of the current political climate in the USA?

The political climate in the USA is not in a good place right now. And that’s because the people who run the country are not in a good place. There’s too much corruption and greed. Too much lying and deceiving of the people in order to gain wealth and power for themselves. That’s why God is in the process of destroying America. It’s the fulfillment of prophecy.

Do you have any final words for your fans and our readers in Finland?

I just want to thank all the people of Finland who have supported me and shown me love all these years. I’ve been there twice and look forward to coming back someday. The fans out there were great!