Today we’d like to introduce you to Keldrick Johnson.
Hi Keldrick, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Yea, man so I’ve been in the arts since I was in the diapers. My parents would always buy us art supplies, music gear or programs as much as they bought toys, & I just gravitated toward them. My first piece of gear was a BOSS drum machine (I forget the exact name) & I spent so much time using it, I was able to re-produce over 100+ beats when the files corrupted – I was 8 years old. Once I got FL Studio in Middle School? WRAPS – that was the real start of it all if I’m bein’ honest.
I also went to Magnet Schools from kindergarten to 9th grade (Carver Elementary Magnet School, Baldwin Middle Magnet School, BTW Magnet High School for freshman year) before finishing out school at Jefferson Davis High School. Because of that, ALOT of classical training in the arts – visual art, theater, did a lil’ guitar, I even did ballet (we had to) – so yea, the arts have been a major part of my upbringing. A lot of the people I work with or around grew up in this same Magnet school system.
I went to Alabama State University for Recording Technology for a few years, so I was literally taking classes in a studio & learning how to mix, master, and run live sound. This is around the time I started takin’ Rap seriously too, so it worked out perfect for the time. eventually I left school & started goin pretty hard on the music and visuals, and I’ve just been building up my skill, network, and portfolio ever since.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being from Montgomery, the arts always has kind of been undervalued in a sense – especially the alternative arts. So like I rap, but it doesn’t sound anything like Montgomery’s primary music sound, tbh. It’s been a little hard to get eyes from the people outside my network to really tap in & see what we got goin’ on over here, but it’s slowly starting to happen a bit for me & the collective I’m in.
I also run a photography studio & event space in the city called The Square Creative hub, so finding that balance between business, full-time work, and creating is a challenge for sure.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Yea so on the music tip, I rap, produce, mix & master, and DJ. I also Do photography, I coordinate events, I run an event space, & I’m dabbling in videography again,
I’d say I’m known for being like a Swiss Army knife. Think Scottie Barnes, Jalen Williams, Bam, LeBron – these guys can do multiple things at a high level & contribute in anyway. I think the arts community would say “multi-hyphenate.”
I think what sets me apart from others is the willingness to be a lil’ different. Everybody pretty much rewards following trends right now, and while participating in a trend is cool every now & then, we can’t let that be our WHOLE identity, right? I wanna be one of the trend𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴.
I’m proud of my work in the arts community down here in Montgomery. We got some high-quality, HEAVY HITTERS here, so being able to really foster that & help us move forward as a city is great. It’s been a lot of fun. I also just formed a rap collective with the homies Martin Zae, Mike Dantz & Demetrix. we go by the name 𝘛𝘰𝘱 𝘍𝘭𝘰, and we’re working on the release of our debut project. We’ll have a listening party AND a concert, so I’m excited.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think a risk I’ve taken so far would be jumping out & starting this photography studio/event space, The Square Creative Hub.. It takes a LOT to run a business, but we needed a third space in Montgomery for the alternative scene & the art scene. We have a really great thing going though, and people believe in it. We believe in it. And we’ve been blessed with enough genuine support to keep it going.
Pricing:
- Performance Fee – $150 + lodging
- Photoshoot – starting at $100
- DJing -starting at $75/hr
- Rent The Square – $80/hr weekday, $120/hr weekend
- Rent The Square (photography) – $50/hr
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ksotsunami.square.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k_so_tsunami/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@k-sotsunami7937/releases
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ksotsunami
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7ICprf2QEh0vAvK16U1dL3?si=cHLNfDnFSGeavUfyWJTLew
