Westleaf Staff
What's up Leafers? Welcome to the latest edition of On the Rise where we interview upcoming hip hop talent. Today's guest is rapper, Kutsan. Kutsan is from Montgomery, Alabama by way of Harare, Zimbabwe. Kutsan's style is authentic and alternative with a hint of international flavor true to his Zimbabwean roots. The Harare MC has been on our radar for a while so we had to tap in with him! Check out the interview below.
Westleaf Staff: What's up, Kutsaan? Your style is dope. When did you start making music?
Kutsan: I started making music at the age of 11. I taught myself Piano and FL studio. At the age of 13 I watched YouTube videos about making music and never turned back.
Westleaf Staff: That's dope! What city do you represent?
Kutsan: I represent my hometown Harare, Zimbabwe but I also represent Montgomery Alabama because that's the city that molded and shaped me as an. artist.
Westleaf Staff: Shout out to Zimbabwe and Montgomery! So how did you create your stage name?
Kutsan: It come from my Last name, Kutsan, it's short for Kutsanzira which translates to Trying or Hustling.
Westleaf Staff: I love that. Your name is amazing. It fits your style! So how did your early life shape your interest in music?
Kutsan: I have 7 Siblings all with different music tastes, so it really shaped my taste in music. From staying up in the small suburb of Epworth in Harare not knowing how to speak English but loving 50 cent because my brother was playing him, to moving to the richer neighborhood and listening to my sister play Rihanna, Sean Kingston, Jay Z, Beyoncé and so much more, but the one who would shape my love for music would be Chris Brown who I heard everywhere I went and I told myself I wanna grow up an do what he does. So my music taste is very broad, I just love music.
Westleaf Staff: Dope. So who is your biggest Musical influence?
Kutsan: My biggest Influence of course is Chris brown.
Westleaf Staff: Dope! Chris is a legend! What's been the defining moment in your music career thus far?
There's actually two of these.
Kutsan: The first: It was the first day of UNIV in class and our teacher told us to stand up based on our desired career choice and two other kids stood up with me, one named Christian and the other PJ who would later on become Sleeppyro and PhilmonLee. PJ comes to me after class and invites me to His truck so we can share music and of course I say yes. When we were in his truck, which surprisingly had a good sound system I showed him one of my beats and songs then he was like "bro this is fire". I then asked him what he did then the guy starts singing a Sam Smith song better than Sam Smith and I was like whoa!! I had never heard anyone sing that good in my entire life. We both then decided from that moment we would take music seriously and become the greatest musicians of all time.
The second is the is the day PJ got signed to Epic records. When we saw it my brother and Co CEO of Tngdalabel Dasilentknight ( who was known as Dtae back then) pulled me away and was like "bro we can definitely make it in this industry, he's one of us, you recorded his first songs" He then took me to the Lake were we stood by the bridge and dreamt. He then showed me the beat for Rockstar Baby and from then started writing and freestyling and came across the beat for Like Me. That same week we went on to record my first song in America at Oviey's and started TNGdalabel
Westleaf Staff: So cool! Salute for chasing your dreams. So what makes you a unique artist?
Kutsan: My music Is an extension of me as a person and everything that makes me unique as a human being and that's heavily personified in the beats and music I make. I record, mix, master, write and produce most of my music and that gives me the chance to really take my time with the craft and give it a lot of my energy.
Westleaf Staff: Much respect for gifting the world your energy. So what does art mean to you?
Kutsan: Art is everything, it's where I go when I feel sad happy and even mad. It makes the hard times easier and the good times better.
Westleaf Staff: That's deep! Where do you see your music career going over the next few years?
Kutsan: I can't begin to imagine. But I know I'm gonna be working hard nonetheless.
Westleaf Staff: I wish you much success! Before we go, describe music in three words.
Tristen Davies: My Freaking life.
Follow Kutsan:
All my links https://linktr.ee/Kutsan
More from Kutsan:
