Meet King Khazm

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to King Khazm. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

King, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

I believe much of it is passed through my genes. My family has been through so much over the generations, and despite the odds, have been able to persevere. As a young person I was injured in a deadly car accident and from then on navigated the world with a wheelchair. So from early on I had to learn patience, persistence and being proactive to overcome the never ending obstacles that I would face. Life can be extremely frustrating, and thankfully I had music and art to keep me on a forward track.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m incredibly thankful to be able to share my music and art to the degree that I have.

I began initially as a visual artist and graphic designer, gaining momentum as a young professional right out of high school. Things really started taking off when my Hip Hop group MAD Krew began hosting events in the Pacific Northwest during the late 90s, from concerts to breakdance battles to graffiti art shows and more. Shortly after, I co-founded and produced a live television weekly broadcast called Hip Hop 101 TV on SCAN channel 29/77 which became a major platform for exposing Hip Hop in the region over the next decade.

During that time, I started developing myself as a Hip Hop producer and emcee working with artists such as Cyphalliance, Gabriel Teodros, Yirim Seck, Jerm Warfare, DJ Scene, and many others throughout Seattle. My reach would expand from the Northwest to other regions in the United States, then eventually other countries and continents.

Hip Hop has been a such positive and grounding force in my life during some of the darkest moments, and that is why I’m so passionate about giving back to community, especially when it comes to young people who need that positive outlet in life. That reciprocal connection fueled my dedication to community service and activism. In 2004 I co-founded 206 Zulu, a grassroots community organization of artists, dancers, musicians, educators, parents, young people, and community minded folks who look to serve community through the elements of Hip Hop. The organization has evolved to become an institution for the community, producing year round events, festivals, youth mentorships, music and multimedia programs and more.

In recent years I’ve been able to serve as a a cultural ambassador with the US State Department, performing, speaking and hosting Hip Hop production workshops in Brazil, Guatemala, Netherlands, UAE and abroad. Seeing Hip Hop’s global reach and how it continues to evolve in different communities is incredibly inspiring and personally gratifying work.

Most currently, I have been traveling and performing as a solo artist, and as Mid Century Modern with my creative and life partner Jesse Kogita. Our last project “Stolen Moments” was an incredible debut, and single “Cry Me A River” ended up charting #1 Most Added on NACC Top Hip Hop ADDS, #7 on NACC Top Hip Hop, #1 on RapAttackLives Top 30 and #7 on Urban Influencer Rap Charts. We are gearing up for a promotional tour of the forthcoming album “Cinema” this Summer and Fall throughout the United States and Europe.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Dedication- No matter how rough times got, or how depleted resources, inspiration or capacity was, I was able to dig deep and continue to move forward with the next task, the next objective, and ultimately the next level. When times get tough, you have to dig deep and find the strength to move on.

Education- Skills or talent alone is just one ingredient to success. Though my journey has been arduous at times and mistakes have been made, they have always served as opportunities to regroup and learn from it. In hindsight, education has played an invaluable part in my development. Learning how to navigate business, how to set yourself up for success, finding best practices, and organization. Times change and technology evolves. How are you able to adapt to new technology and utilize new ideas to bring your vision to reality?

Meaningful Relationships- I find success in building relations with those who are on a similar frequency as me. Looking to connect with positive minded people, and people who fuel me, or challenge me in healthy ways to grow and expand. I seek to build relationships that are transformational and not transactional.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

The world is not always smooth sailing. Quite frankly, it rarely is. When things intensify and I begin to feel overwhelmed, I like to take a moment, reflect, regroup, and move forward in the way that makes sense for the time. It’s easy to feel bogged down when things stack up. For me the key is breaking things down to manageable pieces. What do I have the ability to do now, today and tomorrow? What can I accomplish this week?

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