User:JKNOWN

It was obvious from an early age that JKnown was a born communicator with a story to tell, so there was no doubt that once he discovered his natural talent for creatively rapping rhymes, that hip-hop would become the platform in which he shared his message with the world. With his first fully recorded studio album, JKnown released The Westecutive which is a captivating and refreshingly honest debut that clearly asserts the arrival of a gifted and talented new artist to the hip-hop music scene.

A native of Santa Ana, California, JKnown was raised under the creative influence of his father, who was an avid musician and singer. His father often encouraged him to explore his creative self-expression and would inevitably become the reason Known had such a profound love for music. Yet by the age of 12, Known would discover that his creative expression would become his only means for coping with the death of his father as he would begin to put his thoughts on paper. “I started writing because I wanted to express myself and release the pain I felt from losing my father,” he recalls, “it became my release therapy as I dealt with all of those emotions.”

From that point on, Known would continue to cultivate his writing skills by writing poems, short stories, screen plays and song lyrics. Additionally, as he grew older he would begin to develop a strong entrepreneurial spirit and as a young man in his twenties, he would find himself immersed in the local music scene. He began working with local hip-hop artists and producers by getting them more exposure through a marketing company he created called Known Entertainment. This experience taught him a lot about the music industry and unbeknownst to him at the time, would give him the leverage he needed to get started on his own music career.

Nevertheless, Known’s motivation to transition from a songwriter to a recording artist actually came through divine inspiration. “I would have never thought about pursuing a career in the music business if it weren’t for Him. I remember praying to God one night and asking Him for help and he answered. He reminded me of how powerful of a voice He had given me and that I needed to use it.”

Since then, Known wasted no time getting down to business. Utilizing the contact list he developed with Known Entertainment, he began working with producer Jomeezius the Genius (Chamillionaire, Crooked I, Tech N9ne) and began recording songs for his first album. “I wanted to make a hip hop album that stayed true to who I was as a person and my real life experience. I really wanted to showcase that you don’t have to be a drug dealer or a gangster to make hip hop music,” Known explains, “I want people to feel good about what they’re listening to, to be inspired and uplifted. So far, people have really responded well to the realness of my sound.”

It is undeniable that throughout the album JKnown has kept it real with his life experiences in addition to staying true to his positive moral beliefs. “You may not notice it at first, but there is not one single cuss word on this record. I wanted to make sure this was something that everyone could listen to,” Known declares. Indeed there is a song for everyone on this album which he so creatively titled, The Westecutive. “I felt that by combining the influences of my entrepreneurial mindset with my native West coast roots that I would be able to relate with more people.”

However, as JKnown progresses in his music career, he continues to look at his future possibilities as his motivation to keep doing what he loves. “Ultimately I make music to help other people. I like making people feel good, and opening up their minds. I think it’s my way of giving back what God gave to me,” Known explains, “I believe that God gave me a story worth telling and a gift to be able to do so with.”