King ART

King ART was born and raised in Austin, TX. At age 15 he received his first set of turntables as a Christmas present. From that point on, his love for hip-hop music and culture flourished.

"As a young man (long before Serato), I spent countless hours in my bedroom learning how to blend tracks, scratch, and beat juggle, exploring all the different sub-genres of rap and hip-hop. As I grew up, my taste in music matured, and I eventually started writing poetry. I had always freestyled with the homies when the cipher arose, but at some point, I remember wanting to delve into more complex concepts and develop my style as an emcee. Writing raps was a way to express my ego and spirit simultaneously through an artistic medium. I was always into graffiti and visual art, but music satisfied a deeper part of my soul. I experimented with recording a bit while I was in college, but it wasn't until 2010, when I met my producer Ruler Why, that I started taking the art form more seriously. I wanted to create and share my music with the underground world of hip-hop. I've since recorded two projects with Ruler under our independent label, Ruler Why Recordings (Austin, TX). As a DJ first, and a rapper second, I have an undying addiction to vinyl and the way it sounds, with all it's crackles and pops. I love being involved with the beat-making process in whatever way I can so I continue to dig on the regular. I've even found some gems digging through my parent's and grandparent's old vinyl! When I hear dope samples, I imagine beats in my head. Ruler manifests these, and his own, into reality...
My influences vary. Nowadays, I mostly listen to local Austin/San Antonio hip-hop (OT23, DOS, SKP, Blazy, Mad One...). My favorite and most influential artists are Ill Bill, Jedi Mind Tricks, Wu Tang Clan, R.A. the Rugged Man, Madlib, M.F. Doom, Guilty Simpson, Nas, Sean Price, O.C., Spit Gemz, Planet Asia, DJ Premier, Large Pro, Gensu Dean (just to name a few). My favorite producer right now is Apollo Brown. Everything coming out of Mello Music Group is ill (peace to Detroit). Of course, I still, and always will, bang the classic Biggie, Big L, Big Pun, Guru & Ol' Dirty (R.I.P.)."
- King ART

In July of 2011, King ART released his debut EP, eXcaliber, with Ruler Why Recordings. Exactly two years later, he has released another banging project entitled THE DIVINE KNIGHT. Be sure to check it out on Bandcamp!