‘Creepypasta’: The Haunting Collaboration between Kraftykid and LEEYVNG
How the collab came about
Are you ready for the best UK x JPN drill collab, Kraftykid & LEEYVNG? These two stars are bringing Creepypasta straight to your table! LEEYVNG is also known as Jinmenusagi when on the mic, but here he flexes his ability to produce gritty UK Drill beats.
Jinmenusagi & Kraftykid have collabed on the Tsumetai Sekai EP, produced by ghostpops. They’ve also got music on Kraftykid’s highly anticipated Away Games II set to release later this year.
Maurice
This song, equipped with a music video below, explores the three wise monkeys, also known as the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" monkeys—a cultural icon originating from Japan. The concept features three monkeys, each covering one of their senses (eyes, ears, and mouth) to symbolize the idea of "not seeing evil, not hearing evil, and not speaking evil", as heard in the chorus of Maurice.
This symbol represents the ancient Japanese Buddhist principle of "shin-zen-bi," which encourages people to focus on the positive and avoid negativity by not engaging with or spreading evil thoughts. "Don't touch my soul with dirty hands", Kraftykid raps. The three monkeys serve as a reminder to practice this philosophy in daily life, promoting ethical behaviour and encouraging people to maintain a pure heart.
In modern times, the three wise monkeys have become a popular cultural symbol, appearing in a wide range of media, from art to advertising. The image is often used to express the idea of turning a blind eye to negative events or avoiding conflict, and it remains a powerful symbol of virtuous behaviour.
On the flip side, it also represents the no-snitch culture that is so highly regarded in rap yet seldom upheld in practice.
Wrong Team Freestyle
In this soliloquy, Hackney-born, Tokyo-based artist Kraftykid reflects on the experiences that have shaped him into the person he is today, all over LEEYVNG's aggressive drill beat. These 80 bars are a deep dive into the mind of K—his thoughts on everything from the changes in his hometown to the challenges he's faced along the way as a rapper.
Kraftykid opens the verse by reflecting on his 20-something years of living in East London, which served as the source of his inspiration. He goes on to describe himself as a “caped crusader without no Batgun,” a metaphor for his self-reliance and D.I.Y approach to life.
He takes a light-hearted jab at the state of the American Dream, and the impact of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel “The Great Gatsby.” He also touches on the dark side of the entertainment industry, where even the death of a pornstar is met with a perverted form of celebration. Damn.
In the verse, Kraftykid also acknowledges the challenges he's faced in his career, including the pressure to be constantly creative and the difficulties he's experienced with his writing, which caused him to suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome at one point in time. He laments the loss of the black community in his area due to gentrification. “I can't afford me a yard in my hometown, that's unfair,” he raps.
The verse ends with Kraftykid sharing his thoughts on relationships and the importance of respect over love. He concludes by paying homage to Kyushu where he lived when he first moved to Japan.
Overall, this rap verse by Kraftykid is a powerful testament to the artist's life and experiences, showcasing his resilience, determination, and creativity.
Artwork
As a visual artist, I have always been drawn to the strange and unusual. So when it comes to artwork reflecting dark music such as UK drill, I knew exactly what direction I wanted to take. I was inspired by the eerie elements of creepypasta lore, specifically Slenderman and Siren Head, and the unsettling nature of weirdcore aesthetic. The end result is a haunting representation of an abandoned cabin with a beat-up couch out front, all set against a twisted inverted colour palette that speaks to the controversial themes explored on this project. I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to bring my unique vision to life for this tape, and I hope it will leave a lasting impression on those who see it.
Moral
If Citytrap was the yang to Kraftykid’s mind, Creepypasta is definitely the yin. Both sonic palettes exist within the artist who’s not afraid to dabble in different genres. An advocate for the mood-based music model that the industry is finally moving towards, as opposed to the dated genre-based. Humans are multi-faceted and musicians should not be exempt from that.
Citypop. Trap. And They Say The Marriage Was Beautiful. Citytrap EP By Kraftykid And J.Rovia Out Now
Citypop. Trap. And they say the marriage was beautiful.
How the collab came about
Kraftykid and J.Rovia are to The Hilt what EarlWolf was to Odd Future, what Method Man & Redman was to Wu-Tang, what Headie One & RV was to OFB. A subset within a group, with their own sound.
The rapper-producer-songwriter Kraftykid produced and executive produced the EP to flex his metal fingers. J.Rovia assisted with introspective raps and melodies.
The two MCs happen to live together, so an EP was a no-brainer. Now you have a 3-pack! Early Christmas present, I guess.
Citytrap
As the title suggests, this song has elements of citypop as well as trap. The filters and percussion are citypop-esque, and the 808s speak for themselves. The melody in the beat is where the two genres meet in the middle. The lyrics talk about using the talents you were blessed with, and not letting them fade in place of a job you can’t stand. Get loose!
Croozin
No apostrophe for these daredevils! Reminiscent of a time when rappers used Z’s instead of S’s at the end of wordz.
“Keep the family close, lessons I had to learn from within”, J.Rovia raps as the homesickness kicks in. Absence makes the heart grow fonder as they say.
Kraftykid adds on, “I need plaques though. Make up for all the times I spat through these plaques though.” Yes, they’ve left home, so it better have been worth it! Let’s manifest a platinum plaque for each 10,000 hours logged!
Pip
Top Gun sample ftw!
Followed by J.Rovia with a message I can get behind, “Time wasted stick to the point and drive, better done than only said.” Don’t talk about it, be about it. Even if you’re scared, you have to chase your dreams or you’ll regret it later.
Kraftykid follows, “Even if I die I won’t even die. Left behind a legacy for each to try.” Sentiments echoed from one of his previous singles ‘i don’t even mind’ where he croons about his legacy being his music, not kids.
Artwork
I was inspired by Citypop artists like Hiroshi Nagai, and some 1984 album artwork like Magical and After 5 Clash! That blend of warm and cool colours makes me sleepy, in a good way. I wanted to make something similar, but challenge myself with 3D models. Challenge accepted.
Moral
“Now I want tunes I can show family”, Kraftykid raps. And true to word, the EP, clocking in at only 7 minutes has not a single swear word by either of the rappers. The interesting part is, this was all subconsciously done.
Check out the EP for yourself and let us know in the comments which track you were feeling the most.
Kraftykid & Vangs Music’s “i don’t even mind” is Great Gatsby vs The American Dream in A Nutshell
For the one you’d risk it all for.
Verse 1
First, let’s talk about how melodic the beat sounds. Props to Vangs Music. It just compelled Kraftykid to sing away whether he was hitting the note or not. “They’re like, K she was bad why’d you let her get away?” he raps. One might call it self-sabotage, but there are many types of people out there. Some prefer to be single, some can’t do without a partner, some are poly, and some are even asexual.
“Guilty.” — Varys, 129 AC
Verse 2
Kraftykid half-jokingly credits his luck with women to his barber. But wait. To a black man, a barber is so important that we stay with the same one our whole life if we can help it. So important that Big Tobz & Blittz had to make an anthem about it. So important that Krafty had to pay homage to that song. “Gotta thank my barber for the puss that I’ve been getting.” Then in the same breath he shamelessly talk about his mum’s life lessons. You know the one. “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”, and I hear he’s quiet in person…
Artwork
Others perceive single people to be lonely, and some are, but Krafty claims to be happier alone. So for the artwork I wanted to capture that desolate feeling and I referenced the Blade Runner 2049 poster but added the man turning into sand.
I’m convinced Ryan Gosling can do no wrong. What’s his best movie?
Moral
Kraftykid self-reflects on his perception of happiness as the Great Gatsby type versus the American Dream type which has permeated cultures all across the world. You know, starting a family, getting a dog, picket fence, etc. The moral of the story is don’t yuck someone’s yum, especially if you don’t understand it. Give the song a listen below and tell me what you think.
Kraftykid & Vangs Music Say It’s A Virtue to Know “Your Place”
It’s a virtue to know oneself.
Verse 1
As usual, Kraftykid squeezes many concepts into one song. This can be a lot to take in, so multiple listens are usually recommended. However, in today’s microwave music era that’s a big ask. Verse 1 covers topics from incels and the Black Lives Matter movement, to the importance of conserving time and energy. “Can’t politic with a racist, that’d take too much time”, he raps. Vangs Music delivers on the dark beat with a melody fit for the grim reaper himself.
Verse 2
Verse 2 sees Krafty address the close call his friend had when meeting a stranger from Craigslist which turned out to be a honey trap. He’s lucky he only got robbed. He also discusses violent acts by boys not even old enough to vote. It seems like going to jail is a rollout for some rappers. Then some that go mainstream do it out of pressure online by people with no avatars, in my opinion. Others do things out of necessity. I wish more youth clubs were available. “Ain’t even lived life, he a lifer.”, Kraftykid raps.
Artwork
Finally, let’s talk about the artwork. That is a picture I took in 2015 in Higashi-Nakano with my Airbnb host, I believe. Back when Airbnb was still a thing in Japan. I recall this was round Christmas time. I wonder where the decorations are? Maybe I should’ve Photoshopped some in. I wanted to use a simple picture that looks busy to portray that sense of many people being the main characters of their own stories but an NPC in yours.
Moral
The core message of the song, as heard in the chorus, is to know yourself and draw a line in the sand somewhere. “The streets, huh? You know that’s not your place.” Take a listen for yourself below and see if you can catch all these references.