Just like the title of his upcoming debut CD, it was Hard in the Streets for this Kansas City, MO native. Life wasn’t neatly bundled and packaged for KC Gift. Growing up was a struggle, juggling the hustle with the responsibilities of life in a dysfunctional family. It was a world where Dad was drug dependent and it was up to Mom to hold the household together. A life where petty crime led to juvenile detention and probation and the gift and the curse of teenage parenthood, but also a life that blessed KC with the gift of the talent for Rap. Now KC Gift is ready to present his works to the world…
How did you get your name?
KC: I was just rapping and people said I had a talent, so I started going by the name of Gift but it’s another guy using the name The Gyft, but I spell mine G-I-F-T. Nobody ever really made it from my city, Kansas City, so they put KC in front of it, just representing Kansas City at the same time.
Who are some of your influences?
Tupac. That’s my favorite rapper ever. I like Jay-Z, Nas. I like Lil’ Wayne, I like Drake. I like Kanye West too.
What would you say is your lane when it comes to rhyming styles?
I would say I would run in my own lane, but you can put me in there with like Kanye West, Young Jeezy, T.I.…I’m from the mid-west, so we listen to everything. We listen to Down South, we listen to West Coast, we listen to East Coast, so I would say that I’m just like the perfect blend of every coast.
What are your some of your favorites of your own songs?
I like “I’m On One,” because I feel like when I wrote that song, when I say I’m on one, it just means I’m not stopping ‘til I get to my goal. I’m not letting any negativity or anything stop me, I’m just on one. I’m on my path to get to where I’m going. I like “Cameraman” because I feel like that’s my alter-ego. I’m real humble. But on the microphone, you can’t be humble, so that would be “Cameraman.” And then I like “Superstar With Scars” because I feel I’ve been through a lot of stuff. “Hard in the Streets” because it’s real hard out here for everybody right now.
Lastly, what does it mean to you to be Kansas City’s gift?
I got the responsibility of holding my whole city down and still being positive at the same time. Can’t really do too much negativity or none of that. Just representing for Kansas City.
