Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with AK

Hip-hop artist AK has taken over the internet and the charts. He became a viral sensation, writing and releasing remixed freestyle covers on YouTube, which highlighted his creativity and originality. His videos have amassed over 100 million views. Yes, you read that correctly: 100 million! His debut single, “Love Me”, reached the Top 25 in five different countries on the iTunes Charts. He followed that success with “Now I’m Forever”, which peaked at the top spot on the U.S. iTunes Hip-Hop Charts. Did we mention it also has seven million streams on Spotify? This Spring, AK is hitting the road, headlining the No Rest Tour, and has a brand new single out entitled “Broken”. Pop Culturalist spoke with the chart-topper about his exciting career.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
AK: My brother introduced me to hip-hop. He used to make music with his friends for fun and I always wanted to try it out. When I was fifteen, he visited a friend in college but left the laptop and mic that he and his friends used in his room. When he left the house, I took it from his room and brought it to mine—and that’s basically how it all started. It didn’t hit me that it was my passion until I realized I was skipping out on going out or playing Xbox with my homies so I could stay home on work on a song. I was choosing music over things I never would have wanted to miss out on and I never felt bad about it. I genuinely was just enjoying my time more when working on a new song.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
AK: In the very beginning, it was all about proving everyone wrong, whether it was my teachers, family who didn’t fully believing in the path I chose, or just people hating in general. Now that I’ve grown both as an artist and a person, I’ve realized that I’m creating a future for myself and my family, and in the process, I get to impact people in a positive way. Through everything so far, I feel like the fact that I’m so motivated by my personal progress, I limit myself to nothing. Plus, having the support around me that I do is just more fuel to keep growing and getting better.

PC: Tell us about your forthcoming single, “Broken”. What inspired the track?
AK: “Broken” is about a very specific situation I went through with a girl: it was the first time I thought I was in love. I was so heavily invested in somebody who didn’t really give the same type of energy in return and, to keep it real, I knew in my gut what was happening, but I never knew for sure what exactly was going on. So, I ignored my gut feeling, but when I had proof that I was getting played after ten months of giving so much of myself, there weren’t really any feelings. I legit felt numb. Because, like I said, I was ignoring what I knew was going on and didn’t want to believe it. I was hurting for a little while, but in the end, there was a lot I learned from it…plus, now we got a couple bangers out of it. Everyone goes through something similar in their lives at some point as well, so I feel like this song can resonate with a lot of different people.

PC: How did you come up with the concept for the music video?
AK: I was with my manager Brian in the car on the way to a meeting, and we were listening to the song and just randomly started talking about what types of aesthetics we see for it. Eventually, after throwing a bunch of ideas back and forth, we came up with the foundation of this video concept. Then, we basically just tweaked the idea to make the storyline as creative and easy to understand as possible.

PC: You’re heading out on your headlining tour in April. What can fans expect from the No Rest Tour?
AK: This is my first tour ever, so for it to be my own headlining tour is such a blessing. Fans can expect nothing but energy. To keep it real, I’m so stoked to rage with everybody at the shows. My shows have always felt so high energy; everybody is always ready to go crazy every night. I’m also excited to visit the cities I’ve never been to. Every show is about to be a movie—I’m stoked!

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your career. Is there one milestone that sticks out to you?
AK: That’s got to be either being on Sway’s Universe or my first show ever last year; both actually happened last year one day after the other. It was a power weekend. We did Sway on a Friday, and then the next day was my first show ever back home in Jersey in Asbury Park. So, honestly, those two events were so close in date and such huge deals for me that I’d have to put them together as milestones that stick out to me the same.

The show at home was so crazy. The crowd was so amped all night long and everyone was finally able to see me in my element live in person. With Sway, it was wild to see him in person after watching him for so long and seeing other people up there that I look up to. For me to be the one sitting next to him with the cameras rolling was just an experience beyond words, for real.

PC: What’s been the biggest lesson you have learned being a part of this industry?
AK: One of the biggest things I’ve learned is to go with my gut. In the very beginning of everything, I was afraid of making big decisions on my own, so I’d heavily rely on my team and those around me to help me make those decisions. Trusting the people around you is always a good thing, but I’ve learned that I can’t be afraid to make those decisions on my own. I gotta go with my gut while also using the guidance of my team and the people around me. That’s the only way I’m gonna grow as a person.

PC: As we look ahead in 2019, what does the rest of the year hold for you?
AK: I’m excited about all the new things that are coming. This tour is about to be crazy. I’m most definitely hyped for that. The music that’s coming is on a completely different level than what I’ve released to date. I’m getting much better at producing beats, engineering, and that whole side of making music, so I’m excited to use all the new things I’m learning and work it into my craft.

Photo Credit: AK

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
AK: Dexter

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
AK: Game Over, Man on Netflix

PC: Favorite play or musical?
AK: I’ve never seen a legit play or musical on Broadway, but I’m going to try to see The Lion King on Broadway, for sure.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
AK: Young Thug and Roddy Ricch

PC: First album you bought?
AK: Finally Famous by Big Sean

PC: First concert you attended?
AK: J. Cole in Jersey on his 2014 Forest Hills Drive Tour. That show changed my life.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
AK: PNC Bank Center back home in Jersey, which is where I saw J. Cole for the first time. Seeing the energy he fed the crowd and the way the crowd gave it back is something I’ve never experienced. It made me realize how much more there is to music than the music itself.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
AK: Knock Madness by Hopsin. It’s the first album that I listened to where I wasn’t listening with deaf ears. When I listened to the songs on this album, I realized there’s more to it than just good sounding music; there were stories behind the lyrics, and I related to so much of what Hop talked about. Because of that, Hop was my first rap idol.

To keep up with AK, follow him on Twitter and Instagram, see him on tour now!

Photo Credit: AK