tai.kun, we’re really excited to dive into the mind behind the beats! You’ve been a valued part of our community for years, and we’d love to introduce you to our readers. Let's start with a little about yourself.
I’m a beatmaker & vocalist w/ a focus on jazz stylings & sample based hip hop. For me, music is all about enlightenment & freedom, the freedom to express through sound is a sacred thing that moves through us all! I hope to move people w/ the storylines I weave through my beats, but also hope it’s fun to listen to.
What inspired you to start creating music, and how has your journey evolved since you began?
I started creating music for myself at a young age, eventually studying jazz drums & singing. Over the years I was introduced to flying lotus beats, toro y moi, mndsgn, & other artists creating beats across the internet. It inspired me to tell my own story & try to express myself. To me, hip hop is an extension of the blues & jazz, so I’ve been embracing my roots in drumming & singing to bring a new dimension to my own music that showcases the Asian American experience.
How would you describe your sound and style to someone who has never heard your music before?
I’d describe it as an evolution of lo-fi hiphop w/ a reverence for classic 90s hiphop sampling. When I make a beat it feels like I’m making a collage using dialogue from tv shows, movies from my childhood, & forgotten songs that still speak to me. My music has a chillout vibe while also speaking on the intricacies of life, there’s always a hidden meaning but it’s something that we can all relate to. I like to focus on reminding others that they’re not alone, that togetherness can come from knowing that what you fear is an emotion that is shared. Through that shared understanding we can find hope, a future worth working towards.
What’s your creative process like when producing a track or writing music? Do you have any unique rituals or habits?
I like to listen to session musicians on influential records that never wanted the spotlight. There’s so many great artists from every decade that were instrumental to the development of musicians we all cherish. When you really listen to these unsung heroes, they inspire to no end & usually lead me to hear something that is a truly new experience. The secret is really just to learn & learn & learn.
Who are your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your sound or approach to production?
Right now I’m really inspired by bsd.u, Reflection Eternal, Chet Baker, Radiohead, Tuamie, & knxwledge
What challenges have you faced as an independent artist, and how have you overcome them?
The big thing I remind myself is “just keep going”. To me there’s no end game to creating music, I think especially in the underground scene, we all owe it to listeners to keep creating & expressing something that doesn’t come from a team of company execs or politicians or whatever. Being an artist means you make art, live your life & don’t compromise what you do. Keep pushing because you never know who you’re an inspiration to. If you can ripple through the fabric of our reality & make somebody feel seen, that’s a massive accomplishment. But of course you gotta stand up for yourself sometimes, you can’t sublimate yourself for the sake of creating, there’s a push & pull to it all. Just keep going & believe in yourself
What’s been the most memorable moment in your music career so far?
for me I was really proud to get to participate in this recent Serato event hosted by Dibiase. To be in a room full of your peers & hear everyone’s creativity off of flipping the same samples. It’s just crazy to see how different everyone’s creative expression is, but also how talented everyone is. It’s so cool to stand in front of a legend like Dibiase & hear his thoughts on your beat, it’s very inspiring to know like “hey we all make this art & are lifting each other up".
What can fans expect from you in the near future, and how can they best support your work?
I’m recording a lot these days, album mode and all that. But I’ll be releasing mixtapes this year on my bandcamp & soundcloud. I’m ready to drop some beats & songs I’ve been holding onto, so check me out on those platforms if you want to hear unreleased music & new mixes. I’m tai.kun on Spotify & Apple Music if you’re looking for my official releases. I’m excited to finish up on some big projects that I’ve been working on for a while!
We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your story and journey with us. Before we wrap things up, we have to ask—what’s your all-time favorite sci-fi movie?
Blade Runner! the Final Cut
Keep in touch with tai.kun
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