Today we’d like to introduce you to Kwaj .
Hi Kwaj, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
It started with Eminem for me. I’d scribble his lyrics in old notebooks trying to make them my own. I still remember finally learning the lyrics to ‘Till I Collapse’—’Yo, left, yo, left / Yo, left, right, left’—ringing through my cheap headphones. Next thing I know, I’m at parties icing cats at pong, freestyling outside, and making music every day.
I’ve made tons of homies over the years through Google Hangouts and Discord—20-30 artists trading game, bouncing demos and cracking jokes, which put me on game to a lot. I joined a collective called Foreknowledge and linked up with a few members in D.C. and New York to create a few records. My fellow member, Hobbes Duende, later got me my first show in his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. I think we split a grand, which was a big step up from paying $5 to rap at open mics. I’ll never forget the feeling of getting breaded or kicking it with Hobbes and feeling love from the crowd. Now, I travel the world performing, being a king and doing my thing. I’ve completed two U.S. tours, along with shows in Canada and Nigeria.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
A major struggle for me was impostor syndrome. It’s easier now that I’ve acknowledged my skills and recognized hard work and consistency as key factors. Another struggle was abandoning preconceived ideas about how things in the industry work. You don’t know what you don’t know. It’s important to research the reality of how to accomplish a certain goal, instead of assuming it is easily achievable or completely out of reach. I have been wrong about a lot of things in both instances. Lastly, a mental struggle for me has been balancing a 9-5 job for over a decade while pursuing music. It’s tough having to hustle at one thing to be able to hustle at another. I wouldn’t be able to afford my home studio and travel expenses, or properly compensate my team without employment.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve worked in sales, property management, and finance over the years. Now I work in healthcare, where I have the most experience. What sets me apart is genuinely caring for people regardless of whether the love is reciprocated.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Honestly, I have advice, but the best teacher is firsthand experience. So, I guess my advice is get out there and either succeed or fail. You’ll learn more from taking action and doing less thinking.
Pricing:
- CD – $10
- Bucket Hat – $30
- Hoodie – $45
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lordkwaj.com/music
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lordkwaj/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LordKwaj
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LordKwaj
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LordKwaj
- soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/lordkwaj
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lordkwaj
