Those of us located on the coasts may think of
Kansas as nothing but farms and college basketball, but fellow Midwesterners know that there is a serious hip-hop scene gaining power in the Sunflower State. Repping the rarely repped city of
Wichita is
Rebelun, an up-and-coming emcee with a serious and seriously dope flow. In the latest edition of our
My City series, Rebelun sits down to talk about why Kansas is the next spot to blow, the virtues of patience and why you're more likely to find him in a bookstore than the club.
RefinedHype: Although you know live in Wichita, Kansas, you grew up in Arkansas. How did those early years in the South affect your music now?
Rebelun: I grew up in the south, so you know those artists had a big influence on me. I would listen to eightball & MJG, UGK, Master P, etc. the list goes on and on. They had good lyrics and something to bump in your trunk but when I first heard Outkast, that changed my life. Outkast had creativity, lyrics and they had things to talk about that weren't the norm for hip hop. I'm a writer and artist at heart so when I heard the poetry and listened to how they weaved stories I knew that I had to be one of those kind of artists. An artist that no matter where they come from, has to have a message and a purpose. An artist that would represent the people no matter what creed, race, or gender.
RefinedHype: It'd be an understatement to say that Wichita isn't on the national hip-hop radar. What's the hip-hop scene like there?
Rebelun: The hip-hop scene here is thriving. There are lots of DJ's, emcees, poets, producers and songwriters here. It just like anyplace else, you have to tap in to really benefit from it. I'm pretty sure you'll be hearing from a lot of artists out of Kansas soon, you can quote me on that one.
RefinedHype: How do you think your music and career would be different if you lived in a more "major" city like New York, L.A., Atlanta, etc.
Rebelun: That's a good question. As far as an artist, I believe my music would be the same because I make it a point to touch on certain subjects and topics. I'm to the point now where I won't let money or influence sway me away from who I am as an artist. As far as my career, I think I would have more recognition due to the places you named being places that the industry looks to for music. Everyone one has their time and I know mine is coming. I'm a big believer when it comes to patience and timing, so I would rather wait it out than to hit the scene prematurely and miss out on my destiny.
RefinedHype: If I'm rolling through Wichita, where can I find you?
Rebelun: I would either be in a studio working, at Rewound Sounds (local record store) digging for records or at a live venue checking out new music and artists. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I love to learn and read so you may catch me in the local Barnes & Noble or Borders sharpening my third eye.
RefinedHype: Last words? Confessions? Shout outs?
Rebelun: Last words? They would be the scripture from Psalm 23:1 - 6. I want to give a shout to my best friend and producer Charles Sparks. Shout out to Bilistic, Mike Game, Chris Barnett, Cash Hollistah, Jessica Toupin, ICT Hip-Hop and everyone who has and continues to support me on my musical journey. Also a BIG, HUGE shout out to Nate at Refined Hype for the feature and for what this site is to hip-hop.
As a bonus, be sure to check out Rebelun's new cut "State of Emergency" below. Kansas stand up!
