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In a variety of methods, Krept and Konan would have had a neater go of it had they hit it large a decade later than they did. Because it occurred, the duo, whose actual names are Casyo Johnson and Karl Wilson, emerged from south London’s street rap scene within the early 2010s – a time when British rap was not in almost as wholesome a spot as it’s lately. “The world wasn’t embracing UK rap like proper now,” says Konan.
The duo’s biography, then, is filled with firsts and damaged information: their first main mixtape, Younger Kingz, grew to become the very best charting UK launch by an unsigned act when it dropped in 2013; their first album, 2015’s hard-edged The Lengthy Means Residence, was the very best charting British rap album ever; two years later, the twin launch of 7 Days and 7 Nights, an authoritative, thrilling push into the mainstream, noticed Krept and Konan turn into the primary act to have two mixtapes concurrently enter the Prime 10. Their final file, 2020’s acclaimed Revenge is Candy, had them headlining London’s O2 – the primary British rap act to take action.
Each step of the way in which, they’ve fought for recognition and respect from an business enjoying catch-up. So sure, Krept concedes, it might have been simpler had been they arising as younger rappers now. “However then if we didn’t do it, who would have made it simpler for us?” he shrugs. “That’s the query. We’re pleased with the position we performed in getting every thing to the place it’s now – and the position we nonetheless play.”
After 15 years within the enterprise, the pair are seasoned professionals by now – all simple confidence and breezy charisma as we sit down round an workplace desk in Shoreditch. Notably, although, not a label’s workplace, as a result of – after 9 years tied to Virgin – they’re newly impartial, and glad about it. “It wasn’t a deal we must always have stayed in so long as we did,” says Krept. “It had became a nasty deal.” Right this moment, he’s carrying grime’s de facto uniform – an identical tracksuit; Konan, a Stone Island puffer coat he retains on for the entire of our time collectively.
Given their lengthy legacy – it’s a marvel they’re nonetheless each solely 35 – it’s tempting to look backwards, to rack up these damaged information, sit again and marvel at their affect on the business (it was they who impressed Stormzy, for instance, to stop his regular job at an oil refinery to focus as a substitute on music). However Krept and Konan are not any throwback act.
Right this moment, they launch Younger Kingz II, a follow-up album to the unique mixtape and a sequel 12 years within the making that exhibits a rap act as vigorous as ever. On the Ghetts characteristic observe “Rage” and drill-influenced “Final Night time in Kingston”, bars land laborious and quick, as puns, pictures and metaphors stack on prime of each other in a dizzying pile-up. Basic street rap is a core element of the tracklist, however on “Easy Lovin” and “Low Vibrations”, the duo take a step in direction of a extra worldwide sound, with infectious dancehall bops that pay homage to their roots in Jamaica, the place Krept and Konan wrote a lot of the album.
“It was one thing we’ve each at all times wished to do,” says Konan of their journey. “Return to the roots of the place we got here from, take up the vitality and take all of it in.” In Jamaica, he was capable of go to his dad’s grave. His father, Delroy Wilson, was a legendary reggae singer recognized for his soulful voice. He died in 1995, when Konan was six. “You point out Konan’s dad in any room in Jamaica or play his music, man…” says Krept, trailing off. It’s the kind of legacy they each aspire to; they’re on their manner, I recommend. Play their summer season anthem “Freak of the Week” at any social gathering and the response speaks for itself.
On the album is “Delroy’s Son”, a candid, cathartic handle to Konan’s late dad; previous it’s “Nala’s Track”, a love letter from Krept to his younger daughter. Younger Kingz II has a number of moments like this, when the seaside vibe and hard-edged machismo are damaged by a sudden revelation or present of vulnerability. It’s nothing new for the duo, who laid their feelings naked as early as 2013 with “My Story”, concerning the deadly capturing of Konan’s stepfather and the wounding of his mom. Tracks since have mentioned the suicide of their buddy and enterprise accomplice Nyasha “Nash” Chagonda, and the demise of Krept’s cousin and fellow rapper, Cadet.
“Music is like remedy, innit,” says Konan. “Rising up, we didn’t actually have folks that we might speak to about our issues or conditions, so once we can categorical our feelings by way of our artwork, it at all times comes out in such a ravishing manner. I believe that’s a giant a part of why we’ve got constructed up such a loyal fanbase over time – as a result of we’re weak and open in our music.”
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Music is like remedy, sure, however Konan turned to the actual factor in Channel 4’s Untold: Konan – Trapped in Trauma. The 2023 documentary noticed the rapper bear remedy for PTSD from the homicide of his stepfather. He had been hesitant at first, however the pandemic satisfied him. “I used to be there by myself going by way of the Covid interval, and I simply felt I didn’t really feel as glad as I ought to with every thing that I had achieved, and I wanted to get to the basis of it,” he says.
Krept was encouraging of his buddy’s course of (“I used to be there witnessing sure issues that he needed to undergo, and I understand how tough it was as a result of I noticed the results greater than anyone else,” Krept says).
As on stage, Krept and Konan have a straightforward chemistry. It’s uncommon they overlap in dialog; as a substitute, every listens patiently to the opposite earlier than chiming in. It’s a fine-tuned double act, a partnership of equals that’s undeniably the product of many years of shut friendship. It’s outstanding, actually, that they’ve stayed collectively so lengthy in an business fraught with egos and cash.
There are a selection of things to their longevity: real friendship for one, in addition to shared targets and morals. “I additionally suppose simply the place we come from… it doesn’t make sense to get well-known after which fall out over one thing that we by no means would’ve had with out one another anyway. We’re each very logical that manner,” says Krept. “And the plan was at all times to get large collectively anyway.”
We have needed to unlearn sure behaviour from rising up on the street
“The one factor we argue about is who goes first on a track,” provides Konan. And the way do they remedy that? “It’s simply whoever went second within the final one.” They each snigger. “Actually it’s simple. Logical. It doesn’t need to transcend that.”
They met at a bus cease as youngsters rising up in Gipsy Hill, the place gang exercise was rife. Artists usually speak concerning the unusual transition interval between obscurity and fame. For Krept and Konan, whose lives earlier than had been marked by gang violence, that distance felt much more excessive. “It’s a must to mentally change your perspective,” says Krept. “You’re in rooms you by no means thought you had been going to be in, and talking to various kinds of individuals. You’ve received to unlearn sure behaviour you learnt rising up on the street. I’d see somebody me for too lengthy, and I’d suppose it was confrontation, however they only wished an image.”
Their previous makes them extra alert, they are saying – though, provides Krept, that does are typically the default mode of any Londoner lately. “Even to not do with avenue tradition, you’ll be able to see how harmful it is normally for individuals strolling across the streets of central London,” he says. “Typically it’s not linked to that in any respect.” Comparable to when he was stabbed in 2019 at a BBC Radio 1Xtra gig in Birmingham. He isn’t eager to talk about the assault right now, however needs to emphasize that it was not gang-related. “It was individuals seeing a chance,” he says. “Nothing to do with avenue tradition.”
Neither of them prefer to dwell an excessive amount of on what their lives would seem like had music not labored out for them. “Typically you don’t wish to know,” laughs Konan. “I don’t know if it might’ve been optimistic, so we’re simply going to depart that one alone. However we’re right here now, and we’ve made essentially the most of this, and we’re going to proceed to take advantage of this.”
Actually they’ve. Impressed by Jay Z’s empire, Krept and Konan have began a number of companies together with a dessert eatery (the impeccably named Crepes & Cones), an occasions firm, and an award-winning all-natural babycare line. Now, they’re opening a 15,000 sq ft “inclusive” grocery store in Croydon. “You know the way your mum would at all times go to the World Meals aisle in Sainsbury’s? It’s like that, but it surely’s the entire store” is how they describe it.
The one factor we argue about is who goes first on a track
Over time, they’ve witnessed how British rap has developed – and with it, the general public’s notion of the music and the artists making it. It was solely 10 years in the past that their Brits efficiency with Kanye West was the topic of controversy, receiving a whole lot of Ofcom complaints ostensibly as a result of it was a gaggle of Black males in black tracksuits on stage rapping and having a great time. “Everyone’s simply vibing,” remembers Krept, grinning. “It was sick. That some individuals felt intimidated by seeing us having fun with ourselves, that’s as much as them.”
Issues are enhancing, they each agree. “Rappers are represented manner higher now that there are individuals from the tradition which might be within the media,” says Konan. “And other people have seen it lengthy sufficient to know it, so I believe it’s in a great place. Man, clearly errors are nonetheless going to be made, naturally… [like] the media mistaking rappers for footballers. That’s at all times going to occur. That’s simply how the sport is, but it surely’s in a manner higher place than it was once we first got here into it.”
Alongside the enterprise ventures, they based the Constructive Course Basis to assist children off the road and into music. They’ve campaigned, too, in opposition to the criminalisation of drill, talking on the difficulty on the Homes of Parliament. With regards to politics, I wonder if they ever thought of turning down the BEM they acquired within the 2020 Queen’s honours; others, together with their early collaborator George the Poet, rejected related awards in protest on the British empire. “Nah,” says Konan. “We hadn’t even thought of it. It simply felt like somebody paying recognition to our laborious work. It’s one thing we will present our youngsters. George the Poet is justified of their causes, however for us we’re simply attempting to get as a lot flowers as we will whereas we’re right here.”
His phrases remind me of a lyric in “Delroy’s Son”: “You drank your self to demise as a result of all you wished was your flowers, and I’ve by no means stated it, however that’s why it bothers me after I don’t get the credit score.” There’s a prevailing sense that in some methods, Krept and Konan nonetheless aren’t paid their dues. I get the sense that it’s additionally why they’ve diversified as a lot as they’ve. “We gotta depart our mark,” says Konan. “For me, it’s when it’s all stated and performed, and also you meet God and he says, ‘What did you do right here?’ I can say, ‘This and this and this.’” He and Krept each snigger. As for the individuals they depart behind on Earth? “They’re gonna say, ‘Yeah, Krept and Konan, they tried – they tried every thing.’”
‘Younger Kingz II’ is out now by way of Play Soiled
