King ROSS shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
King, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
What I’m most proud of building right now that no one else see is my relationship with God, definitely! It has nothing to do with any church, any religion nor any religious texts… It’s all about going within. And if it sounds spiritual, that’s because it is. Spending time in meditation, practicing self inquiry, fasting, simply being the observer, not identifying with the body, the mind nor its thoughts, that’s what it’s all about. Doing these things truly brings you closer to your Higher Self and the God within you. It’s all about knowing thyself. The more you know thyself, the more you know God.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m King ROSS. I’m a music artist, songwriter and music producer. I’m from Nashville, TN. Although I am a Rap/Hip-Hop artist, I often don’t view myself as one. Compared to most rap artists who continuously rap about guns, drugs, women and violence, I take pride in creating music that is much deeper than that. I do my best to create music that many can relate to by telling stories about the hardships of my past, promoting love and doing my best to speak inspiration into my listeners. I’m currently working on many projects at the moment, simultaneously, but my next release will be titled ‘For Those Who Still Care.’ It is a squeal to my very first album ‘For Those Who Care’ that I released in 2018. I’m aiming to release ‘For Those Who Still Care’ early to mid 2026.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a kid my dad would often say “Kids aren’t meant to be heard, they’re meant to be seen.” This stuck with me for a long time, even into adulthood. I had no voice because every time I would speak up or speak out, I became the problem. Not only did my dad often try to quiet me and put me in ‘my place’ but my older siblings, teachers, coaches, principals, other adults and authority figures did as well. I often saw other kids and teens my age acting up and being loud… they were rarely punished or corrected… but the moment I would say anything I all of a sudden became the worst child in my family, the worse student in the school or the troublemaker of the team. So many people, left and right, did their best to control me or bring me down and in time I shutdown. I didn’t know who I was because I allowed them to take my voice without knowing it. Is wasn’t until my late teens that I stated soul searching. And with that came wisdom and clarity. I realized that although I was a quiet and soft spoken kid and teenager, the way I showed up in the world often intimidated and irritated people. My frequency was simply too high for them to handle so their true selves would always come out, which often lead them to project their insecurities on to me. I now know that none of that had anything to do with me. They were simply projections from tons people who didn’t know themselves. I no longer allow people to quiet me nor keep me from expressing my true feelings just because they can’t handle truth.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self, “It’s not your fault. You’re not a bad child. You’re not a bad student. You’re not a bad son. You’re not a bad friend. You’re not a bad partner. It has nothing to do with you. Don’t allow people who don’t know themselves and who don’t truly love themselves make you believe you’re the problem, because you’re not.”
As I said in the last question, the projections from others really tore me down mentally and emotionally. For a while, I thought that it was all my fault. I lacked courage and confidence.
If I could say something else, I would say: “Don’t believe what people tell you. Don’t believe what they say. Don’t let people talk you into doing things you don’t wanna do by making you feel guilty about it. Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself. Focus on your physical, mental and emotional health because that’s what will build your confidence. Focus on your dreams… It’s OK if you don’t have friends, learn to love yourself first. Don’t chase people and don’t run behind people who aren’t truly there for you anyway. Smoking, drinking, partying, girls and being popular isn’t important… knowing yourself and building yourself up is.”
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Is the public version of me the real me? Yes and no (laugh out loud). I am a pretty quiet person. I don’t typically speak unless I’m spoken to or have something to say. So, in that regard, yes. But under the surface, I am a very silly and goofy person. I like to joke around and laugh a lot. I’ll watch anything that’ll make me laugh. I don’t view life nowhere as serious as I use to. In essence, I’m very much still a child at heart.
Most people won’t believe me when I say that because of how strong my energy is and how I’m often seen as always being so serious. I don’t allow many people see the silly/goofy side of me because of what I’ve experienced in my past. Most people would only get close to me just so they can use my words and actions against me in front of others to bring me down.
I’ve had to deal with a lot of fake friends and fake people in my life, so my silly and goofy side is a side that most will never see… not because they aren’t good enough, but because it takes a lot of trust for me to let my guard down enough to let people see that version of me.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Definitely, most definitely! As a man in this world, delayed gratification is very real. As I’ve said in past interviews, I started writing in 2010 and making beats in 2011. Over a decade had gone by before I truly started to see real recognition for it. The same with working out… it takes time to get big and strong. As a man, we’re often left with jobs and duties that no one ever gives us praises for. It’s a part of life.
I use to ask people, “If money didn’t exist, what would you do?” Most, if not all, would say “I don’t know.” That’s simply because they don’t know themselves, nor do they know how to properly love themselves or what would truly make them happy.
If I never earned another dime from my music, I would still continue to make music. Why? Because I love it. If not one person complimented me on my muscles and physical physique, I would still workout. Why? Because that’s what I love to do. If not one person ever noticed how clean and neat I am ever again, I would continue to be clean, neat and organized. Why? Because that’s who I am. If I were to become enlightened and no one even noticed, I would still spend time in meditation. Why? Because that’s what I love to do.
If I never received another ounce of praise for anything I do, it wouldn’t hurt. Because, at the end of the day, I don’t do it for the recognition or praise, I do it because it brings me fulfillment… I do it because it brings peace to my mind, joy to my heart and a smile to my face.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/king____ross
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/kingjonross777
- Youtube: https://Youtube.com/@king____ross
- Soundcloud: https://Soundcloud.com/kingjonross
- Other: Cash.App/$kingjonross
Email: [email protected]
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