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Molek FMInterview: Kraft
The 22-year-old is the new hip hop kid on the block. In barely a blip Aman Dhillon aka Kraft has won the season’s Think You Got Skillz? The UOX Play Hip Hop battle and bagged a Voize music award for Best Collaboration with Melissa Indot on ‘Starlight’ (Remix). JUICE checks out his swagger.
First up, why the name Kraft?
When you adapt a moniker, you want it like something versatile. So you associate art craft, aircraft, war craft… I took the word ‘craft’ and a friend flipped it to ‘K’. The point he flipped it to K, the cheese brand comes to mind. Cheese is also cheddar and cheddar means money. That’s something of value as well. In German, Kraft means force. So it’s like a force to be reckoned with. So that’s versatility that’s to be reckoned with.
Tell us about your childhood. Were you a good boy in school?
I think so. Never got thrown out of school. (Caused a) little bit of ruckus here and there, don’t do homework. Stuff like that. I am a college dropout though.
Oh, what happened?
Financial restraint, conflict of interest and it wasn’t the thing I wanted to do.
Fair enough. What did you grow up listening to?
A lot of Eminem and Canibus at first. Then I moved eventually to a slow and steady rotation of Jay-Z, Notorious BIG, Ludacris, Big L, Cassidy, Mims with occasional Pharoahe Monch, Jedi Mind Tricks and A Tribe Called Quest.
How did hip hop become you?
I think it is the connection. It was Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP and I could relate to his situations. Then I liked this rhyming thing. I liked hip hop just like that. I was alone rhyming at home, and I hung out with breakdancers. I didn’t have a circle of rap friends. From there I started rhyming, got in touch with a few friends, especially the freestylers, and that was when I really got into it.
Word. Are you cooking up an album now?
I would say singles. I have 2 singles in store. One is ‘Ayoh Joget’ which is in Malay and the other one is called ‘Diamonds’ in English. That’s phase 1. On both projects, I work with different people. I’m also tone deaf. I know the sounds I like, but always need tweaking to it.
If you could choose any one person to collaborate with, who would it be and why?
Abroad would be Jay-Z, but not yet. Let’s say even if I get to meet him tomorrow, I won’t pop the question right away. I’d like to have that connectivity before a collaboration because he is who he is. I don’t wanna jump just because he is a good MC and “Ooh, look at Kraft he just did a song with Jay.” I don’t wanna do that. Locally, I think Malique Ibrahim.
Good choice. If you have to choose 3 living rappers to be stuck on an island with, who would they be?
Kanye West cos he can’t shut the f*ck up. Noreaga cos he’s a funny-ass m*therf*cker. (pause and thinks for a long time)Â 3rd would probably be Redman.
Who do you think is the hottest woman in the world?
Kim Kardashian. (Smiles) Kim Kardashian is a beautiful woman who has nice hair and skin tone.
Noted. What are your guilty pleasures?
Smoking and talking to women.
So do you have a girlfriend right now?
Depends on my mood and the weather.
What’s rotating on your music player these days?
Jadakiss Kiss of Death, Jay-Z The Black Album, Jay-Z Reasonable Doubt, and mixtapes and EPs from Loaded Lux. That’s a New York freestyle battle rap.
Kraft us a 4-bar rhyme to show how much you love JUICE.
I could bust and talk about the magazine I’d rather look at the company online
And I know they could always be punctual but they could be late like me when they are not on time with the news
that is when you put it in July
And I’m like you’re tuning me in May, so I’m like “Why after two months? Dude, why?”
But JUICE comes through with the news, with the do’s and the chicks and all I’m tryna do is get the interview so ya’ll can interview me for the hits
And probably when July comes about with my singles, I hope then I’m a certified done deal classic.
Hit up Kraft at www.myspace.com/kraftonline or kraft-online.blogspot.com.