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INTERVIEW WITH KEELO GRAMZ
By: Kayla Morrison

Could you tell little bit about yourself?
Well first off the name's Keelo Gramz, this is for everybody out there. I represent the east 905 Dai-Lo Recordings, trying to do this big for Canada this year, this year the next five. Ten years to come. That’s me.

Where did the inspiration for the name Keelo Gramz come from?
It started out when I just started rapping, like four or five years ago. My boys, they knew me as Keezo and Keez before. They were telling me that I was going right away, I didn’t waste no time when I started out, I just started coming up with some heavy, heavy lyrics. They sort of upgraded it to Keelo Gramz, they started to tease me about it.

Where did you first hit the scene?
I first hit the scene in Toronto, my first track, a track that I pulled three years ago, was called “Izzy”, it picked up and did well. And it’s kinda been like a big bowling ball after that. Everything’s just been getting bigger and bigger.

How would you describe your music?
My music, straight banga music. Around here they call me Mega City Banga Man. So that’s what it really is, it’s banga music, music that are actual songs, I mean it’s not just me talking about what I have, or strictly just I’m out there doing or what other people are out there doing. I’m making music for people to sit down and vibe to. And hopefully it will last for the next five, ten years.

When did you realize that hip-hop was your calling?
This is going to sound conceded but the first time when I went into the booth I’d always seen my boys do it before, and I was, like, it looks easy. And when I went in there and heard the sound that was coming out of me, I was really amazed. So that was when I knew that I could really do something with it.

What has impacted your career the most so far?
Right now, just having a good team behind me, you know, giving me a good push for my album, dropping June 26th, basically just my team around me just the biggest blessing that I could have right now because we all work together, we do everything together in house, from presumption to recording, everything.

When did you hook up with Dai-lo Recordings?
We hooked up initially three years ago. It just started out, one of my managers Tammy, we used to just hang out. That was back when I first started rapping and I was cutting tracks with my boys, Nighthood and I just kept letting her hear tracks. And she didn’t really like hip-hop at the time. Which is funny because she has introduced me to her cousin Gab who is the CEO at Dai-Lo recordings. That’s when we hooked up, basically, three years ago. Off the bat, just chilling, it’s a good base for a friendly relationship.

What was it like working on your album FORTUNES OF THE FEARLESS?
It’s been fun, but it’s also been hard. Anything that you try to put out there that’s gonna be what you want the people to feel it’d gonna be hard to create and bring it to reality.

How do you come up with lyrics to your songs?
Just life and me personally I just look at it like a twisted way of thinking, you almost have to have that to excel at this. I look at life, and I twist it to the way I want to make it with the words.

What’s the most important thing about being an artist, from your perspective?
Like most people would say to keep it real to yourself and what not, but I would say you gotta keep it real definitely with the people around you. And you gotta know that you’re making an impact with whatever your putting out there. As an artist, I think that’s the most important.

Who are your greatest influences within the industry?
There’s a couple, first would be my own team, here. Other than that I look at the big fish, just like everybody else, I look at the NAS’s, the 50’s, the Jay-Z’s. Just for an example of where to look for in the future where to try and push the envelope, where they did. Basically they inspired me to be innovative.

After the album, what’s your next step?
Finishing my second album. That I’m 8 tracks into right now, “Black Monday”. I’m not really trying to waste no time. This first album is just to let the people know that I’m here and right after that we’re going to hit them with “Black Monday” and let them feel that. “Black Monday” is probably gonna be a little bit on the darker side; but it’s still the same brand of music that people know me for.

Do you have a large fan following right now?
Yeah, it’s getting kinda crazy right now. I mean it’s not to the point where I’m walking and the mall and people are chasing me down but it’s pretty crazy. Everybody I meet who’s associated to this game knows who I am, and if they don’t they pretend like they don’t know who I am. And it’s just straight frontin’.

What sort of gigs have you done so far?
I’ve performed in Kelowna, BC for Summer Jam. I opened to Montell Jordan, K-OS, Masari, that was like two summers ago. I’ve done Importfest at the Sky Dome, two years running probably going for three this year. I’ve gotta give a big shout out to Basit for hooking me up with that. I’ve opened up for big cats, Juelz Santana, Chamillionare, just a whole bunch of people like that. This summer I’m looking at doing a couple of shows with Dipset when they come up here in August. It’s a pretty packed schedule right now.

After your album is released are you planning on doing a tour?
Yeah, most definitely. Definitely a tour is in the future. My management has been working real hard on that right now. We’re set up mostly across the country right now. We’ve got a couple more dates to solidify, and then we’ll let the public know about that.

As an artist what are the greatest goals that you want to reach?
One: to be remembered Two: to be wealthy. You know, just like everybody else. I’m not saying that I do this for the money, but being wealthy is a sign of your impact in the game. What your worth is, basically. And just to be happy. Happy with what I’m doing. And if that ever changes, something has to change in me or something’s gotta change around me.

Do you have anything else to add?
The album is dropping this month, June 26, with Dai-Lo recordings, NUFF Entertainment “Fortunes of the Fearless” for everyone has to go out and cop that and support the Canadian Talent. Because this album is banging, it ain’t no joke. And I’m coming back six months from now, so you’re gonna have to cop one of them.

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