K'La Speaks on Homeless Past, Old Soul Sensibilities & Nas-Assisted Song 'Blame'
K'La has never been coy about defying reality to reach her dreams. The rapper and singer has come a long way from being a starving artist in Atlanta to now being one of Def Jam's newcomers. She's currently riding with her single "Blame," assisted by rap legend Nas, and moving forward with her career by juggling single parenthood -- she has two young daughters.
Hailing from Gary, Ind., the hometown of the famous Jackson family, K'La packed up her things and made her move to Hotlanta in 2009, to pursue her music career. She eventually found herself in the studio one evening with rapper Roscoe Dash and her future manager. After claiming she could spit a few bars, Dash told K'La to show and prove. She rapped on the spot, and subsequently got a management deal. Her first mixtape, named after the popular novel The Coldest Winter Ever, followed in November 2010, The effort, a balance of her lyrical skill and singing soulfully about love, relationships and heartbreak, made it into the right hands -- L.A. Reid signed K'La to Def Jam in January 2011.
Now gearing up for her debut LP, she's currently in the studio with lauded Fugees producer Jerry Wonda. This musical union is ideal as one of three of the former Fugees, Lauryn Hill, is one of K'La's biggest inspirations. The forthcoming album is untitled, but K'La plans to showcase her old soul flavor.
As a new face on the scene, K'La sat down with The BoomBox to give us the inside scoop on "Blame," her zealous come-up story, being homeless, why Lauryn Hill is her inspiration and her old soul sensibilities.
So tell me how did you get involved with Def Jam?
I signed with Def Jam last January. L.A. Reid actually signed me. The first single came out last May which was
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