The BRIT Awards was forever changed on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 when Kanye West brought U.K.’s underground Hip-Hop to the main stage with at least an 100-man deep army of locally chosen soldiers. The BRIT Awards doesn’t even have an urban music category but when Ye makes a move, audiences want to know why and what for. He used the awards ceremony to debut a new song, “All Day,” and Hip-Hop’s newest rising star, Allan Kingdom.
What’s his name? Who was that dude that echoed that chilling bridge:
“I took a deep sweet breath, and I reached into my head.
Gave him what I had left
At that moment, I disperse (All Day)
At that moment, I disperse (All Day)”
Allan Kingdom, born Allan Kiyariga, hails from Saint Paul, Minnesota. It’s probably safe to surmise that a perfectly timed alignment of opportunity and ability combined with a ferocious grind and the right connects got him on stage with ‘Ye that epic evening. Apparently, Kanye’s creative director, Virgil Abloh, was previously familiar with Kingdom’s work. His career is managed by Kid Cudi’s producer, Plain Pat and he co-produced his album, TheStand4rd, with The Weeknd‘s producer, Doc McKinney.
Kingdom’s artistic ability extends beyond clever microphone spits into the magical realm of music making; inflicting listeners with a string of notes designed to alter that moment in time and space. Kingdom is also and almost foremost, a producer. Voice throws, drum kicks, alarm beeps, piano rifts, falling water, intonations, harmony and dissonance elegantly co-narrate the stories of his songs like a complementary hype man.
Allan Kingdom’s latest project, Future Memoirs, can be streamed on SoundCloud.
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Doprah No Filtah is just your average, avid hip hop enthusiast. Follow her on Twitter @SNSNightlifeMag.