Kemo

About Kemo
Born and reared in the treacherous Walnut Park neighborhood, a section of North St. Louis appropriately nick-named ‘Murderville’ for it’s insistence on being the number one rated killing field in the City, native son Kemo symbolizes the gruff persona that matches his upbringing.

Unofficially dubbed the gangsta’s gangsta, Kemo has survived the mean streets of pimping, prostitution and hustling that has claim so many Walnut Park youth and turned his harsh experiences into an avenue for self-_expression. The twenty-something rapper with a forty-something mentality belies the youthful exuberance of a veteran MC in his upcoming Off The Chain solo debut, Street Incredibility, an gangsta rap album complete with head banging beats, hardcore lyrics and just enough club music to get the party started no matter the locale.

Fresh from a tour of duty with Da’ Hol 9, a St. Louis independent rap act that sold over 20,000 combined copies of material, including the hood classic album That Hella Thurl Sh*t, Kemo is poised to make a run at the King of The City throng that so many before him has claimed as their own.

A graduate of Pattonville High in Suburban St. Louis (don’t get it twisted, Kemo was a product of the court appointed desegregation program between city and county schools), the 5 foot 9 inch, 200 pound MC is steadfast in his philosophical beliefs and principles which includes respect, hard work, determination and any other adjective used to recognized his insatiable appetite for conquering the game of music.

A brief resident of the Black American Mecca (Atlanta, GA), Kemo breaks fast for Gladys Knight’s salmon croquet, gets down at Club 112 when in the hub and says there is no better venue to perform than St. Louis’ own national treasure, The Pageant, located in the legendary Delmar Loop. Having traveled the chitlin’ circuit with Da’ Hol 9, Kemo’s perspective on nightlife venues is well regarded.

When in the Lou, the former bill collector and gutter installer can be found at the House of Styles Barber and Beauty Shop getting whipped up by his boy, Big T. When not at the barbershop handling the grooming aspect of his being, Kemo is mostly on the grind and in the street, networking, politicking and recording music, his main salvation and hustle.

An astute believer in learning the history of his ancestors, Kemo boastfully admits a love affair with his family, including his mother Eva Ivy and his sisters Monica Dallas, 37, Angela Dallas, 36, and Stephanie Ivy, 27. His father, US Ivy, Jr., died over 20 years ago. He described his relationship with his mother as one of the best relationship a son can have with his mom. In fact, Kemo pays homage to his mother by having an I LOVE EVA tattoo on his chest, matching the fire-breathing dragon (representing the evils of the world) and STL tattoos on each arm.

Musically influenced by some of the greatest minds in the rap game (X-Clan, Poor Righteous Teachers, A Tribe Called Quest, NWA, MC Eiht, Biz Markie, 2Pac, and Biggie), Kemo considers Rakim and Nas as his favorite old school and present day rappers and Bob Marley as his favorite musical artist.

As with any artist, Kemo has had his share of ups and downs within the music business and he credits the relationship with Off The Chain Entertainment as the inspiration he needed to get over the numbing and humbling experience of losing the deal he signed with major label MCA as part of Da’ Hol 9. With his new release, Kemo is showcasing his polished skills, both artistically and business wise.