K. Gaines
Brooklyn, New York, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | SELF
Music
Press
When your influences are luminaries like James Brown, Dave Chappelle and Andre 3000, you have no other choice but to bring your A-game every time you step on the court. Such is life for a Wildman!
Brooklyn born and bred MC K. Gaines has not chosen the fast track to fame and fortune in the rap game. With countless performance bills racked up inside and outside of the Tri-State area, Gaines’ purpose is not simply to “change the game,” but to enhance the field and make it enjoyable for all the prime-time players. Empowered by his own work ethic that keeps him apart from the everyday, average underground sensation, K. Gaines is taking his years of emcee experience and doling it out to his fans in an exciting and unique way.
Ready to drop his individual album debut, simply titled, Rumspringa — The Wildman Chronicle, K. Gaines urges the Hip-Hop community and the world to judge him and his talents on his own terms. The first step in doing so is to take a measured, yet unconventional step left in the form of a short film Kung Fu Bum. Produced by Chopstick Graffiti (created by Richard Maldonado and Peter Lawton), the award-winning short finds Gaines cast as the lead, playing, you guessed it, a bum who must stop evil using the ways of the martial arts. The adventure and excitement packed in this recently released trailer capture the well of energy the Rumspringa has, and is just the first of a number of short vignettes that will drop along with his debut album.
Below, you will see the album cover artwork created by fellow Brooklynite Fresh Daily:
The album features appearances by the Cella Dwellas and boasts a reunion of the standout group, The Sleepwalkas. Before the project’s release on September 10th, music and movie fans alike are invited to screen the Kung Fu Bum movie at TriBeCa Cinemas on August 20th.
You can watch the trailer to the film below: - Vibe
Back in August, we were treated to the visual style of Chopstick Graffiti with the hilariously high-octane short, Kung Fu Bum.
Brooklyn’s own MC K. Gaines showcased his worldly charisma in this short, Kung Fu Bum, which was produced by Chopstick Graffiti.
For fans of the Sleepwalkas lyricist, after dropping the Cornball Cookie Cutter Cats Can’t Cut It On This album last year in March, Gaines hit the lab to concoct a new project that merges with the times. Collaborating with an incredible crew of aspiring filmmakers (Chopstick Graffiti), the group collaborated to create this martial arts inspired project as a precursor to his recently released debut Rumspringa — The Wildman Chronicle.
The Peter Lawton written-and-directed short finds Gaines as an impoverished member of the world community finding his place after his clan’s brutal murder. The Bum sets out on a quest for vengeance, but the picture asks the audience if revenge truly be enough. The Audience Award winning short does well in tone, subject matter, music and all-around excitement. With the traditional story of “man find redemption in action” leading the picture, Bum boasts solid appearances by musician Alex Ampadu and 2 Hungry Bros. producer Rob “Deep” Maldonado.
Over the course of three chapters, audiences are engaged with the thrilling short that harkens back to films like Enter The Wu-Tang, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. Told in rather singular fashion, Gaines’ Bum persona openly narrates the conflict of losing his clan and finding the ones responsible. Choosing to fight his way through opposition to finally get to The Boss (Jermaine Smith), the Kung Fu Bum learns about himself, entertains the audience and doles out more death in a matter of moments.
As the wayward warrior meets wanderers (Raymond Rodriguez Jr.) and confronts a Bastard Monk (Nicholas Ortiz), Bum’s quest for vengeance is full of enjoyable moments.
Fight coordinator Orlando Cruz helps the story to unfold with a dazzling array of fight scenes. Whether it is a one-on-one showdown in an alley, or a brouhaha for it all on a sandy beach, Cruz, Lawton and Gaines give it a level of expertise, cunning and solid skill. If you need a good dose of adrenaline, and love to laugh, then don’t hesitate to watch Kung Fu Bum.
Don’t believe us?! Watch the recap video from the film’s Tribeca premiere below:
Make sure to check out the trailer and the crew who are all featured at A3C on October 6th in Atlanta! - Vibe
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
In the cluttered world of music, it is paramount for artists to have at least one skill that separates them from their peers. K. Gaines has taken that concept to heart by accruing several skill sets during his ascent in the industry. He started working in marketing and promotions for established companies such as Universal, Island Def Jam, Gee Street, V2, Jive, Interscope and Motown. K. Gaines did not just gain invaluable knowledge about the music business, but he had the opportunity to work with artists Limp Bizkit, R. Kelly, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliot and the Flipmode Squad. He used this experience to start his own group, The Sleepwalkas. They played countless shows at respected venues like The Gramercy Theater, Public Assembly, S.O.B.’s, Sullivan Hall, The Knitting Factory and the Mercury Lounge, but K. Gaines still had that desire to shine on his own.
K. Gaines’ debut album, “Rumspringa - The Wildman Chronicles” (which features a guest appearance from the Cella Dwellas and a Sleepwalkas reunion), represents his first venture as a solo artist. He believes that his experience in the industry, along with his tremendous love for hip-hop music, allows him to be free of restrictions so that he can focus on pushing his creative envelope. K. Gaines on his new release:
“It’s different because it’s a glimpse of who I am and how my mind works. Since there is only one me, I would think that would make for quite a unique experience and album. I just wanted to be free with no restrictions. I went for a sound that was simple yet complex so I could showcase my lyrical ability. In 5 years this album will still surprise people. They will still find hidden gems in my words. Things that went over their head will finally make sense 5 years from now.”
In addition to making his mark on the music industry, K. Gaines has also been bitten by the acting bug. He was cast as the lead in the award-winning short-film, “Kung Fu Bum” and he continues to work with the directors of the film to create short vignettes to be re-released in conjunction with “Rumspringa - The Wildman Chronicles.”
K. Gaines, who lists OutKast’s Andre 300, Dave Chappelle and James Brown as his influences, believes his work will clearly stand out from the rest of his peers. When asked why, he bluntly stated. “First off I'm a better MC than most of these cornball rappers. Second my drive, work ethic charm and super likability will push me way further than all of em”
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