Today we’d like to introduce you to Ke Turner.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was born in Jacksonville, Florida and raised in Virginia Beach, VA in a military family. When my father was home from deployment, he spent his evenings singing songs & playing guitar. Aside from the fact that he was extremely good, it seemed like a lot of fun, so I decided I wanted to join in.
Obviously I couldn’t play the guitar, but I recently discovered that I liked to sing. So one evening, he started a song I knew and I just belted out singing as if I was doing it for years. It took him by surprise and then he told me that I needed to keep practicing with him. Now, I also had two older brothers that were heavy into hip hop. They would also join us by busting rhymes to my father’s guitar riffs. The way they would freestyle also peaked my interest into rapping thus making my introduction to music extra solid!
As the years went by I found myself dancing, singing and rapping in talent shows, even winning some of them. I would also write a lot of songs and keep stashes of notebooks around.
As I became a teenager and hip hop was even more the rage, I leaned more towards emceeing. I was heavily influenced by MC Lyte, Queen Latifah & Nikki D just to name a few. I would also perform with my older brother in our crew of friends from our neighborhood. We would have rap battles and freestyle sessions all of the time.
I met a lot of people, networked and began collaborating with a lot of upcoming producers and a locally based entertainment company called Black II Basics. My experience with them would help me learn how to record in a studio and work on my stage presence.
I moved on to deal with other producers and even joined an all-female hip hop group called the Gypcees. We created a strong buzz in Virginia, opened up for legendary artists like The Roots, Redman & Wyclef to name a few. We also garnered a lot of radio play locally and are now considered pioneers of the VA underground hip hop scene.
Once we decided to part ways I kept going solo. While working on my music, I met someone & got married. My in-laws knew of my musical goals and kept telling me that Atlanta was becoming an entertainment capital & that we should consider moving down. At first I was reluctant because VA is all I really knew, but a year later my husband and I ended up relocating to this awesome city.
Since I’ve been in Atlanta, it’s been a journey of self-discovery and tremendous growth. I worked hard when I got here and even began to delve deep into producing my own tracks. Unfortunately I went through a divorce in between time and it took me out of the game for a while. Once I began to bounce back I decided I was going to press harder than ever. I got feet back wet again by helping an internet radio station called ‘I Am Classic Hip Hop’. I had a podcast called Indie Wednesdays that helped me get my ears back to the streets. Hearing all of these underground artist put a flame back in me and I began to work on music again. I released a project that let people know I was back at it. I began networking again and became a part of an arts guild called fresh and local. We began to perform at shows together all through the city creating a buzz. All the while I kept on with radio now working with Out Your League Entertainment where I help manage and still showcase indie artists. I have performed at SXSW, Sweet Auburn Musical Festival. Apache Cafe to name a few. I just released my newest project called ‘Twist A Pen, Open A Lock’.
My songs have been featured on SiriusXM and a variety of other known radio shows. I’ve began to perform across the country and have received praises from hip hop legends such as Sha-Rock, Angie Stone and Greg-Nice. You can find all of my music on all streaming platforms.
Please tell us about your art.
I am a hip hop artist. I preserve the golden era sound of emceeing over boombap tracks while giving you the new wave as well #newstalgia.
I work with a lot of upcoming producers and once we complete songs we make the tracks available on all streaming outlets.
I make music because God gave me the gift to! I feel it would be a dishonor if I didn’t share it. I simply want people to be inspired and blessed by what I present!
When you hear me, you hear the true definition of hip hop and if you’re truly in love with the culture, then you will know it belongs.
What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
Technology has made it easier for artists to share their work with the masses, but it’s a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because we don’t have to go through the red tape of what traditional labels had for us.
Now, we have more control and we can keep more money in our pockets. It’s a curse because now the market is over saturated with a lot of bullshit that has been programmed into the listeners. Finding more quality music is the proverbial needle in the haystack.
Since Atlanta is at the forefront of music right now, we can change it back to where there was a balance. Are you tired of the same message of money & ass shaking on the radio? I’m not saying rid it all, but even the scales. I loved it when I could hear Mos Def and Juvenile in the same hour, Rah Digga and Lil Kim in the next! Nowadays it’s just overly monotonous. They feel like if they sprinkle J. Cole and Kendrick in there it’s ok…NO!
There are way more artists out there that people don’t know of because you don’t play them.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Go to www.keturnermusic.bandcamp.com
Or you can purchase other merch and vinyl at https://intheclouds.io/collections/ke-turner
Contact Info:
- Website: www.keturnermusic.bandcamp.com
- Email: ghaggedinc@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/iamketurner
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/officialketurner
Image Credit:
Volumes Hip Hop
Fresh and Local
Out Your League Radio
Producers Beat Auction
DJ Redhanded
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
