If a friend of Kristine Flaherty’s hadn’t called her out on dissing something she had never actually done herself before, we may not have jams like ‘So Fast, So Maybe” to be on the soundtrack of the first episode of the new season of HBO’s GIRLS. K.flay’s earned a rep for delivering quick rhymes with quick wit with a high-energy live show, and it all started with putting her money where her mouth is. Here the indie rapper talks about how she fell into the scene, new releases in the works, and the freedom of having the ability to be totally weird.
Kelly Knapp: Tell me about your roots – how did you get started with sampling and hip hop?
k.flay: It was all a bit happenstance, really. I was in college, not doing anything related to music, and I ended up getting in a conversation with my friend about music – about rapping – and I was kind of just shit talking as usual, and he was kind of like, ‘well, you’ve never written a rap song, you can’t talk about this.’ So I ended up making a song, and something about it actually was really captivating and really fun, so I started making beats – mainly because I didn’t have anything to sing over, and I just started learning some software, got a few controllers, and started doing that and playing house parties. Literally just for fun, totally never thinking it would be something I would pursue in any serious capacity.
KK: So you were basically dissing on rappers and then you had to back it up.
KF: Yeah, I went to school in Northern California, and at the time it was like, 2005, and it was the apex of hyphy music, and so I was talking about how cool it was that there was this local scene that was on the radio. Growing up I hadn’t really experienced the same thing, like a local and locally supported music scene. I was sort of just shitting on Top 40-type stuff. But it just ended up with me making a song. And a friend of mine made electronic music, so he taught me a bit, another friend of mine was an engineer, and he taught me a little bit about engineering, and sort of somersaulted myself along the way.
KK: Can you imagine that path going any other way now?
KF: I’ve never been one to really look back too much and be like, well what if? So I’m kind of just going with it. I’m sure if I hadn’t had that conversation, I don’t think I’d probably be doing this.
KK: If someone hadn’t called your bluff.
KF: Yeah pretty much…so this goes out to Sam, who did that. It’s very odd, I think it was a strange way to begin, but obviously it’s been really fulfilling and really exciting, and really interesting for me in a really great way. Whereas every other part of my life had a lot of precedent, and a lot of rules, and kind of norms associated with it. Music for me, largely because I was an outsider, had none of that. I could actually do whatever the fuck I wanted, because I had no conception of what I should do. Which is pretty liberating. It’s like moving to a foreign country and not giving a fuck, basically.
KK: I’m curious about women in hip hop, as to what it’s actually like. Do you feel like women are treated any differently, or what’s that community like in your experience?
KF: I have my individual perspective on it, and I’m not in a just total rap scene – I usually play with indie bands, like indie pop music a lot of the time. I think there’s obviously the issue of how you present yourself, just in a physical or aesthetic way, and there’s certainly a push for a kind of sexualized image, but I think that’s honestly true for any genre if you’re a woman. If you’re in rock, if you’re in pop, if you’re in R&B, whatever. It’s pretty pervasive. I think the issue, probably more than anything, just has to do with legitimacy, or just not sucking. For me, I’ve never gotten a super bad reaction. Sometimes people are skeptical before a show, which I totally understand, but my favorite thing – and this happens a lot – people come up to me after the show and be like, ‘dude alright, you changed my mind. You proved me wrong; I came here wanting to hate this, a lot, and I didn’t.’ So that to me is a victory, that the live show can dispel some of those doubts. I think it just gets back to whatever you do, doing it genuinely. And it’s pretty hard to shit on someone who’s just trying their best and doing their thing.
KK: Your last release was the Eyes Shut EP. Do you have a full length coming out?
KF: I have a few things that are on the way. I’m working on a project – it’s just about done – that will come out soon. I can’t announce the details yet, but it’s just about ready to be public. Then, I’m wrapping up this month and half of next month with the album, so that will be done. It’s almost done; I’ve recorded a lot of songs. It’s just a matter of picking the best. It’s been a little bit interesting to figure out how to balance some of the more hip hop elements and some of the pop elements, with some of the more indie rock elements, and make that not sound like some horrible version of Soup or something.
KK: Have you had different inspiration on this stuff from what you’ve done in the past?
KF: Yeah, I think more than anything the live show is the most inspiring thing to me. The show itself is a lot more rock than a traditional hip hop show. It’s just me and my drummer, and I’ve got a little drum station, so it’s kind of raw and it’s kind of got a punk element to it. I mean, the music’s certainly not like punk music, but…
KK: But as far as ethos.
KF: Yeah, and I think the spirit of it should reflect that. Pretty much every good thing that’s happened to me has been from of a live show. To me, that’s the most important thing. So I want to make sure the record translates into something that live, will be interesting and dynamic, and fun for people to watch.
KK: With what you’ve done in the past, there seems to be this theme of restlessness, and a kind of wanderlust. Have you figured some things out in your wandering?
KF: I’m still wandering! I was based in San Francisco for a long time, that’s where I started. I moved out here about a year ago, so I’m in Brooklyn, technically; I was touring most of last year, so I wasn’t really around. But I think I have a few more years before I screw my head on straight. I do think the music in a lot of ways is kind of about that mid-20s experience I think that a lot of people have, regardless of whether you’re pursuing something artistic or you work at a hospital, or some very institutionalized setting. I think everybody feels that kind of ambient anxiety at this time, and a desire for something more, but maybe not knowing what more is. Something like that.
KK: Have you collaborated with anyone awesome on what you’re releasing next?
KF: I have…those are actually just coming together. I’m mixing one right now that’s me, Eligh, and Grieves. I actually toured with Grieves last year for a couple months – he’s awesome, he’s on Rhymesayers, but it’s very soulful hip hop. And Eligh, he’s part of Living Legends out of California. He’s amazing – he’s a great guy and super talented musician as well. He’s a producer and a rapper, and he’s been a great advocate for me as I’ve come up, too. There’s some other ones, but that one is the only one I can announce. I always try to keep surprises and never keep them.
KK: Is there anyone who is like a dream collaborator that you’d love to work with?
KF: Probably my all-time dream collaborator would be Andre 3000, but I’m not really at the level yet. I love him and I love Big Boi. The new Big Boi album is fantastic. Yeah, I grew up really loving Outkast, and they’ve always been a group I think that has managed to retain their individuality and really awesome quirkiness in the face of major labels and Top-40 hits, and everything else, which is pretty remarkable. And people still care about what they do, which is crazy, actually. So anyway, it’d probably one or both members of Outkast.
KK: What are your plans for the coming year? Obviously you’re releasing a bunch of stuff in the immediate coming months…
KF: Yeah, I need to first finish recording everything. I’m doing three or four dates – no serious touring till March, just because I need to finish the record, and I need to finish this mixtape. After March…I prefer being out on the road, so hopefully after this record I’ll be back out on the road, and just keep putting out content all year. There’s no big plans, but hopefully don’t starve, and keep making music.
KK: Are you most inspired when you’re on the road?
KF: I find it hard to actually write on the road, especially for me right now, because I’m driving…it’s not like I’m just kicking it on a bus, it’s kind of grinding it out. But I think that all the experience of being on the road and all the weird things that happen, a month later I’m like, ok. It’s good fodder. I’m not sure it’s the best writing environment for me right now, but sometimes it’s good to let everything stew and then have a little outpouring.
KK: What’s the best thing about performing live?
KF: Probably having license to just be totally fucking weird, because no one cares. It’s one of the few venues where if you’re on stage, you sort of have the ability to do whatever. For me, I’m generally a more reserved person day to day. I’m not jumping off shit regularly. It’s nice to have this weird time where I can just dance and head bang, and do whatever, and let that energy out.
