Kero One

Known for spearheading the Jazz-Hop movement, Kero One, a California rapper/producer/DJ, stands as a testament to the do-it-yourself success story. Using only his homemade studio and personal credit card, Kero One pressed and released his first 12? record Check the Blueprints in 2003 on his own imprint, Plug Label. Without any experience as to how he should distribute his new record, Kero One spent endless hours researching, cold calling, and seeking help from friends. Of the 50 copies that were eventually distributed around the world, one landed in a tiny record store in Tokyo, Japan.

Using only his homemade studio and personal credit card, Kero One pressed and released his first 12? record Check the Blueprints in 2003 on his own imprint, Plug Label. Without any experience as to how he should distribute his new record, Kero One spent endless hours researching, cold calling, and seeking help from friends. Of the 50 copies that were eventually distributed around the world, one landed in a tiny record store in Tokyo, Japan. A few weeks later, it was found by a Japanese DJ who played it at a club that night and received dozens of inquires, including a Japanese label executive who immediately contacted Kero One and asked for 3,000 copies of the record. The record, ?Check the Blueprints? became an underground jazzy hiphop classic in Japan almost overnight, and Kero One was invited to tour the country just a few months after. He performed in cities throughout Japan where he was greeted by hundreds of fans waiting to take photographs and autographs, much to his surprise. It was at this point that making a career out of music became a reality.

Kero One went on to finish his first album, Windmills of the Soul, in 2005, handling everything from playing instruments, rapping, and sound engineering. Without a strong label backing or a street team, Kero One handled almost all the business himself. From promotions and marketing, manufacturing, finances, art direction and web design, Kero One personally handed out promos to tastemakers anywhere he could find them. Eventually the hard work paid off, and Windmills of the Soul garnered respect in many circles for Kero One's thought provoking lyrics and musical soundscapes which fused live instrumentation with dusty analog samples. It wasn't long before Kero One quit his job as a web designer in 2006 to pursue music full time. Since 2006, Kero One has been awarded the title of Best HipHop Album of 2006 from Remix magazine Japan, topped iTunes hiphop charts, received praise from artists all over the world like Will.i.am of Black Eyed peas, Epik High, Dynamic Duo & Jamie Cullum (BBC radio). Kero One has also performed all over the world with artists like KRS 1, Blu + Exile , DJ Cash Money, Far East Movement, Epik High, Jay Park, Dynamic Duo & Simon D. Kero One's Music has been heard in Printemps Mall in Paris, France, Takashimaya mall in Tokyo, and Tv Shows like Anthony Bourdain Layover and Fuse TV. Additionally, Kero One has kept busy collaborating with acclaimed artists from all over the globe like Talib Kweli, Aloe Blacc, Epik High (KOREA), Ben Westbeech (UK), Dj Deckstream (JAPAN), David Choi, Fashawn, Shing02, Dumbfoundead, The Sound Providers, Dj Mitsu, Dynamic Duo (KOREA) and many others.

In 2012, Kero one released his fourth solo album ?Color Theory? which raised over $10,000 from fans who wanted to help fund it. Now Kero One continues to tour, makes music for television shows, dj's for NOKIA's, and continues to work on his youtube channel (www.youtube.com/keroonetv).