Kadesh Flow

*snippet from the article*

The biggest selling point of 2013’s Tomb Raider reboot was that it was Lara Croft’s origin story. We were finally able to see her transformation from a rich girl into the Indiana Jones of video games. That metamorphosis is the basis for KadeshFlow’s song, I'm Not Going Anywhere. When I first heard it, I was blown away by what is hands down his best solo song. I’m Not Going Anywhere is all about Lara Croft rising to the occasion when a hero is needed and her persistence to push forward no matter what. Of all the songs on this list, KadeshFlow's is the best at getting into the mind of the character it portrays. - IGN

There are a lot of people who rap about anime, video games and other nerdy things. They often reject the nerdcore label and swear that they're deeper than that without ever showing anything else. Kadesh Flow is different. He embraced the genre and released three mixtapes in the Nerdcrunk series. Those were great but Gateways is something much greater.Gateways does have the occasional anime or game reference, but as a whole it's a much more diverse project. Gateways take's a deeper look into the life and beginnings of Kadesh Flow as well as his current life and the struggles he faces in every day life.

Let's start with the flow. I've been listening to Kadesh Flow for a while and I always tried to figure out who he reminded me of. I finally figured it out, Krizz Kaliko. He reminds me of Krizz Kaliko in the sense that he can rap very but also sings majority of the hooks and mixes various melodies into verses. This isn't a negative comparison because Kadesh manages to make the style his own. Kadesh prefers to flow more than sing on tracks. He also flows much faster than than Kaliko. On the speed meter he lands right between Kaliko and Bone Thugs. So he's not singing but he also pronounces his words.

Lyrically Kadesh has never been a slouch. This project was something different and more personal. He still manages to weave pop culture references into tracks but completely avoids them on some tracks. There are a few tracks with an abundance of pop culture references but for the most part they're sporadic. There's a track called "Over 9000" and any anime fan would expect this track to be full of anime references but there's actually very few. Maybe 4 at most.

While none of the tracks sound the same they all maintain a dark vibe. The theme of being broke makes it a dark album in places so the dark instrumentals fit well. If you're looking for an upbeat project this isn't the one you're going to want. Things don't start to speed up until "Like Woah" which is track ten but slows down immediately after.

The album does have a few issues with flow. Switching back and forth between fast and slow instrumentals at times causes some problems. Kadesh tells the story of how he became interested in making music, being a broke college student and now chasing his masters. All of this is great but it's not necessarily in chronological order.

My favorite track is without doubt "Hungry." Kadesh brings a dope verse without doubt. I've never heard of A2z before but he still dropped one of the best verses on the album. Hungry is track where the guest comes in with the intention of murdering the artist on his track. But, the artist refuses to let that happen and brings some heat as well. Remember how Jay Z had "Renegade" and was doing his best to hold off Eminem? That's what "Hungry" is. The tracks also features an old church organ on the instrumental going off. That's the only way I can describe it. It's like when you're at church and the piano player gets caught in the moment and just lets loose. That organ is just awesome. It's a dope track in every aspect and has no flaws. If you only listen to one track let it be this one.
Lyricism-8
Flow-9
Production-9
Theme- 8
Replayability- 9
Individuality- 10
Final score is an 8.8/10 Individuality is the highest score because Kadesh really opens up on this album and shows himself as a person and not just another rapper. The flow is nice but Kadesh could work on his breath control a little. It definitely deserves a few plays.

You can find Kadesh Flow on YouTube, Facebook, SoundCloud and KadeshFlow.com - Black Nerds Online

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? How long have you been making Hip Hop?
I’m from Spanish Fort, AL, basically the Mobile, AL area, and I went to the University of Alabama for my Interdisciplinary Media Production undergrad and my Masters in Business Administration. I’ve been doing hip hop since 2000. I actually started rapping and playing trombone within two weeks of one another. I started performing at a church youth group talent show in Georgia in 2003. I guess I kept it going from there, but I didn’t start taking rap seriously until my second year of grad school, a year and a half or so ago.
What influences you in making Hip Hop?
I’m influenced by the greats, like anyone else, so I’ll focus on current influences and non-hip hop influences. I’ve been into Lupe and Yasin Bey (Mos Def) for a while, as well as Talib. Obviously there’s Kendrick, there’s Cole, K.R.I.T., etc. I’m pretty heavily influenced by jazz as well. J.J. Johnson, Michael Brecker, Andy Martin. I could go for days. I listen to everything.
Describe your music, and what separates you from other MCs?
My music is a blend of conscious, nerdy, inspirational, and just life speak. Stylistically, I like to be versatile. I like to move between double time and straightforward. I think my sound, versatility, and content separate me from most emcees pretty easily. There aren’t many people switching between rapping about anime and rapping about life, nor or there many that blend those areas. There are a few, but not many. I think there’s a lot of hunger in my music, and people can definitely feel it when they listen.
Who have you collaborated with? Who would you like to collab with in the near future?
The biggest collaboration I’ve had from a hip hop standpoint is with Mega Ran. There are a few others. Richie Branson, who has more of an industry name as a producer but is an avid nerdy/cult favorite emcee, and I work together a good bit. I’ve had Steve Blum (voice of T.O.M. from Toonami, renowned voice actor) on a track with Richie and myself.
I’d like to work with Shizzy VI, Logic, Quest, and Jon Bellion, off the top of my head. There are plenty of others, but there’s a lot across the Visionary roster that I relate to and that resonates with me to a strong degree. Shizzy VI is just a sick emcee who is also quite real and comes from similar standpoints lyrically as myself.

Your definition of “Underground Hip Hop”?
It’s anything that isn’t backed by a Major. That simple for me. I think a lot of people take sub-genres and dismiss them from the greater Underground Hip Hop genre, and I disagree with that entirely.
Production wise, who are your influences? Who does your production? And who would you like to work with?
I’m influenced by 40 and Pharrell. But I could name plenty. Generally, hip hop production has a lot to pull from. 6ix is another guy I study a good bit. He’s an absolute monster. Huffington Post recently called him a “sawed off shotgun,” and I think that’s accurate.
I do most of my own production, though I’ve worked with Richie Branson, Killing Spree, Atlas, and a few other guys. I’d like to work with Hitt Boy, Boi 1da, and 6ix, definitely. There are plenty of others, again.
Any current or future projects you are promoting?
I’m promoting “Gateways” which I just dropped a few weeks ago. It is free and can be accessed through my website, Bandcamp, and Soundcloud. “Gateways” is my first full project since taking music seriously, and I don’t plan on slowing down or disappearing anytime soon. There’s already plenty in the works. My next project will be called “The Last Excuse” and will be the first installment in my “NK Life” series. Date is currently indefinite.
Can you give us a brief description of the creative process of “Gateways”? Also/ tell us a little bit about the concept and idea behind your Album Cover Art.
“Gateways” included a pretty ridiculous process. I had just graduated grad school, moved across the country, and started a full time job. I no longer had UA’s awesome equipment and programs and had to save up and buy gear, and basically I was struggling to figure out my creative process as a non student. There was a lot of pressure to make something solid in-spite of what I lacked in gear. Writing wasn’t difficult at all. I just wrote where I was. Each song is like a time capsule of a specific moment I was in at the time. Every song on the project was written between October 2013 and June 2014, with the exception of one, “She’s Leaving.” I started writing that one right before I graduate. My girlfriend at the time had taken a fellowship in another country, and we were obviously breaking up. Part of the second verse was written last fall when she and I were conversing about her possibly moving to Kansas City when she returned to the States and captures my frustrations with her thoughts. Production is on the same level. I really struggled with some of the instrumentals. Ironically, the ones I struggled with the most are the only ones I think are solid or good. I’m relatively frustrated with the rest of them, but I’m still happy with the project overall.
As far as cover art goes, I wanted to use something that represented my life struggle lyrical content but also highlighted the nerd. I knew I would either use the Master Sword from Zelda or Cloud’s Buster Sword from Final Fantasy VII. I owned both. I felt like having a pic of me with a sword from some classic video game title, wearing smart casual clothing that represented the Corporate America grind, and standing in a kind of dark urban setting covered all the bases: nerdy, bars wielding rapper who has a corporate business job. I have a mild graphic design background from school, so I went back to that and did some photo manipulation to get the final result that is the cover. I think it represents the feel in the project pretty well. I’m carrying all these identities visually and trying to escape the prison that is myself, but my way out is wrought with fire and more trials. That’s about how I feel about life right now (in a positive way, of course).
Where can we find your music and info?
Start with Youtube or Soundcloud Both are /KadeshFlow. All of my music is available for download via kadeshflow.bandcamp.com.
Any shout outs?
If you want a laundry list, I can give you that, but I’ll chill for now, for the most part. I would like to show some love to those who contributed to “Gateways”. Verses: A2Z, JFKratez, Mister Wilson. Please check ALL of them out.
Production: Aaron “Atlas” Neal, Richie Branson, Killing Spree. - Underground Hip Hop Blog

Kadesh Flow isn’t your typical emcee per say. The Alabama transplant hit college and earned his MBA and is now working for a major healthcare IT firm. Though he has released music in the past, he has recently released his first, full length project titled, “Gateways”. The fifteen track project features music samples from role playing video games such as “Final Fantasy” and anime series such as “Attack of Titan” and is used to help better depict Desh’s journey in life. Let’s take an in depth look into “Gateways” now.
The jumpoff track, “Defining The Sublime”, opens up with a medieval soundscape that finds Flow detailing his break from music to pursue a college career and the transitiong back to it. “She’s Leaving” carries swift piano & organ riffs and a somber story of a tainted relationship. Track 3 features A2z and is titled “Hungry”, a story of a hard working man that has a strong passion for hip hop. “Broke” finds Desh speaking of religious struggles, finances and pivotal moments in his life such as a childhood incident. On “Treat It Like A Game”, we get Kadesh rapidly firing off lyrics over samples from the video game, “Sword Art Online”, an appropriate title for this particular track.
For “B.Y.O.B.”, Flow references the anime series, “Attack on Titan” and offers up the notion to break thru the boundaries one has set for themselves in order to fully blossom in life. The chorus is very powerful and the use of the Big Sean sample is a nice touch. “Samurai Jack” is referenced on “You Don’t Know Jack” in which the Kansas City emcee speaks about the state of the world and how we’re falling into a state of dystopia; a community or society that is in some important way undesirable or frightening. “Reflections” carries a soulful tone and samples “Samurai Champloo” quite well. Nickelodeon’s “Legend of Korra” is somewhat mentioned on “Nobody Will”, which touches on pride and doubts. “Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag” is the focal point on “Like Whoa” where we find Kadesh going ham with a fast pitched delivery.
Yet again, Flow uses an anime series to depict times in his life on “Nothing’s Promised”. For this track, “Full Metal Alchemist” is used as a focal point with a hype chorus line. “I’m A Hero” once again samples a catch video game tune and finds the emcee proclaiming to be a hero as in all the anime and games he’s been referencing on “Gateways”, one of its standout tracks. Kadesh’s power level is off the charts on “Over 9000″, a take on one of the famous Drangonball Z scenes. Mister Wilson teams up with Kadesh on the Sega ode, “Bars For Days”. The project then comes to a close on the mega produced, “The Troll”, where Desh sums up being an emcee and the pitfalls of the hip hop culture these days as evident on the chorus.
“Gateways” may not be for everyone. The concepts and clever use of flipping the samples will fly over most people’s heads, such as myself on the first few playd. However, once some light is shed on the project’s symbology and the listener delves into the album deeper, it’s a no brainer that “Gateways” is a very clever concept album full of great lyrics. The album will appeal to fans of anime & role playing games, fans of music that carries deep meanings where as you would need to decipher content and for those that are looking for new school hip hop music. Make sure to download “Gateways” today. - Getyourbuzzup.com

Kansas City rapper, producer and, importantly, trombonist (It’s in his bio) shows the potential to be as big in the nerd rap game as Dr Awkward, and that comparison isn’t plucked out of thin air. Both possess a flow with an edge and incorporate an element of R&B into their music, something that’s often lacking in the nerdcore scene.

‘desh’s (he refers to himself as ‘Desh’ with frequency) most recent album Gateways dropped in early October and finds the rapper on fine form delivering his recognisable vocals over 15 tracks that, musically, vary moderately in style throughout its duration forming a cohesive body of work.

The catchy opener Defining The Sublime is a good advert for what to expect from the rest of the release. There’s a rasp to ‘desh’s flow as he spits his lyrics at a pace on verses with a slower, sing-along chorus. Second track She’s Leaving is a perfect example of a rap song you’d be more likely to find on an album by a rapper with aspirations of tapping into a mainstream sound rather than much of the Nerdcore we’re used to hearing. It’s a theme that perseveres throughout the rest of the release too, not because Kadesh Flow is adhering to modern rap cliches, far from it, this is rap music with occasional nerd references rather than a nerdcore hip-hop album with occasional influences of radio-friendly rap. Just listen to track three Hunger featuring A2z for further evidence.

The R&B influence becomes prominent in the chorus of Broke where ‘desh displays a strong singing style to break up the strong delivery on the verses. Treat It Like A Game is a track that really reminds me of Dr Awkward in the style of the music and the ferocity of the vocal delivery, they don’t actually sound alike but there are similarities. If you’re looking for a rousing track for that montage moment when you’re about to achieve that previously allusive goal then BYOB (Break Your Own Boundaries) will most likely fulfill that desire thanks in no small part to it’s uplifting chorus.

An album highlight in terms of relentless, solid vocals comes on the Samurai Jack influenced track You Don’t Know Jack. A calm track musically is punctuated with crisp beats and ‘desh on top form delivering lyrics at speed whilst a simple but catchy chorus sets the song off raising it up as the standout track this far. There aren’t a bucket load of guest vocals on this album which, in some respects, is quite refreshing given the trend in nerdcore at present to cram in as many friends as possible. One of only three guests appears on Reflections on which JFKratez lends his talents.

Where Treat It Like A Game put me in mind of Doc Awk, the subdued Nobody Will reminds me of another anime rapper, Richie Branson, someone Kadesh Flow has worked with in the past. It’s a good opportunity at this point in the release to appreciate the writing on Gateways. Heart felt, unpretentious and genuine as well as cleverly composed.

Far more abrasive is Like Whoa. As with much of the album the track is composed of strings and subtle keys with a sense of urgency coming from the drums and intricate lyrical delivery. ‘desh let’s rip on this track which is a self referential, cocky track where the rapper flaunts a certain amount of swagger. A different prospect in terms of pace is Nothing’s Promised, still there’s a venom to the vocals on the verses juxtaposed with a gentler sung chorus.

Another standout is the anthemic I’m A Hero, a musically more interesting track. Kadesh Flow relies heavily on his vocals as the focal point for his music, and whilst this track follows that principle too the difference is that the music ramps up slightly by introducing interesting melodies that are missing in many of the other tracks where the music forms a fairly unimposing canvass over which the vocalist paints a picture. There’s more evidence of an R&B influence in the chorus of Over 9000 with a laid back groove underlining the abundant vocals in the verses.

Sometimes collaborator with Random aka Mega Ran, Mr Wilson, is the final guest on penultimate track Bars For Days, equally fitting with the rest of the album but somehow less remarkable. The album concludes with The Troll a play on the aforementioned rap cliches.

Gateways then is a strong, solid album then, but not without it’s flaws. Whilst an incredibly competent vocalist, especially when flowing at speed there are moments in the transitions where the vocals float ever so slightly out of time. It’s not particularly prominent but something that’s bugged me each time I’ve listened through. That one criticism aside and although I’m not particularly a fan of mainstream rap or the influences of R&B this is a great records to have in your collection. Kadesh Flow certainly shows that he has the potential to really establish himself as a major player in the nerdcore scene if he’s willing to invest the time and effort to make it so.

Gateways is available to download now from Kadesh Flow’s bandcamp page as a name your price release. - The Unheard Nerd

Yes, yes. Another day, another rap-tribute to a video game. But this one's particularly good. Alabama rapper Kadesh Flow goes beyond "fun and/or goofy" and enters the realm of "real chops." Give it a watch. - Kotaku

Here's KadeshFlow with a tribute to the new Devil May Cry—it's pretty good! This song is but one of many gaming-themed flows he has up on his YouTube page, including another one where he's cosplaying as Link while spitting about The Legend of Zelda. See below

You can check out more of his music if not buy an album here—included are franchises like Assassin's Creed, Skyrim and more.

Side note: if you're confused about the headline, it's a reference to the plot in the latest Devil May Cry, which touches on ideas like a brainwashed public. - Kotaku

fter a period of relative inactivity, Kadesh and The Perfect Strangers has returned with its fusion of rock, funk, jazz, hip-hop and more. It's a natural evolution, as leader Ryan Davis has been finishing up his MBA at the University of Alabama. Davis spoke about Kadesh and the flow that lead to the perfect name for the band.

Q:Tell us about your start in music.

A:I started rapping and playing trombone within two months of one another at age 11 at the start of my sixth-grade year. Honestly, I started playing trombone because the instrument could make fart noises. I started rapping to joke about someone's bad breath. My influences are diverse, from Lecrae, Lupe Fiasco and Eminem to Trombone Shorty, JJ Johnson, The Mars Volta, Galactic, etc. Some more recent influences include nerdcore artists MC Chris, MC Frontalot, Mega Ran, Dan Bull and Richie Branson. As a band, we kind of pull from a few different areas. Mainly, we look at funk bands and jazz groups, such as Lettuce and Galactic.

Q:Who's in the group, and what do they contribute?

A:I go by the moniker Kadesh Flow, and I rap, sing and play trombone. Josh Kavanaugh plays bass. Landis Lee on drums. Alex Garrett on sax. Matthew Wood on guitar. We actually have quite a few people who play with us on each of these instruments from time to time ... the band kind of has a depth chart. It brings an ironic meaning to the name "The Perfect Strangers." We've done gigs before that were completely spontaneous and where I was the only link between the other players on stage.

Q:How would you describe your music to those unfamiliar with it?

A:I call it "Rock Hop," but it's really a funk, rock, jazz, hip-hop mash-up. Literally, that's about the best way I can put it. Everyone in the band has an exceptionally strong jazz background, and a listener who knows music even a little bit will hear it immediately. However, that jazz background is usually streamlined into a bluesy or rock type lick that I ... rap over. Makes sense, right? I guess if you fused the Roots and Flobots with Trombone Shorty, we might sound a little bit like that band's child. The lyrics are either very motivational or very nerdy.

Q:Where have you been playing and what are some of your upcoming shows?


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TUSK TUNES: Kadesh and the Perfect Strangers

By Mark Hughes Cobb
Tusk Editor
Published: Friday, July 12, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, July 11, 2013 at 2:21 p.m.

Page 2 of 2

A:We've played all around Tuscaloosa (frequently at Green Bar) and around the state some. Shows are in the air at the moment. I just finished my MBA, and I'm not sure whether or not I'll be in the area or on the other side of the country. I'm interviewing for jobs here and jobs in the Midwest and jobs on the West Coast. Hopefully, even if I leave, these guys will still jam, because they are all far better musicians than myself, and the chemistry is unbelievable.

Q:Do you have any recordings available? If so, where can they be found?

A:www.youtube.com/Kadesh Flow. Most of the videos are Nerdcore Hip Hop, but there is a "KPS" playlist on the page that has a couple recordings. We need to record more.

Q:What are your goals, short-term and long-term?

A:We just like to play. We all joke that maybe we should take ourselves seriously, since we can bring a good crowd and since a lot of people know us. If I do stay in the area, we are going to take some steps forward. However, for now, it's just cool. We are process oriented. I'm a person who has very high expectations, so I'll leave some things off the record for now. However, I do want to take the online following I've built for Nerdcore and find a way to streamline that following with KPS listeners, while growing both. My nerdcore songs have been featured on international media outlets and have gotten some decent attention from related industries, and I'd like to take some of the marketing that I did for the goofy stuff and apply it to the band. We'll see what happens. - The TUSK

Taking inspiration from the anime, One Piece, Kadesh Flow brings a solid six tracks and a cosplay video for his latest EP, We Are The Faithful.

One Piece is an anime based on the Manga series of the same name which follows the plight of Monkey D. Luffy, a teenager who challenges the standard perception of a pirate navigating the high seas, whose ultimate goal is to find the greatest treasure in the world, the legacy left by the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. His ambition to claim the ‘One Piece’ that will afford him unlimited riches, fame and the title of Pirate King vacated by the capture and death of Gol D. Roger.

Kadesh Flow pays tribute to the anime series over six tracks on his latest EP We Are The Faithful. As is to be expected ‘Desh hits hard with his vocals and is complemented by carefully produced tracks which make the whole record one of the strongest nerdcore releases in recent months. You certainly don’t have to be a fan of the source material to enjoy We Are The Faithful, I speak from experience.

Stand out track: Revival of a Dream

We Are The Faithful is available to download now for just $5 and is distributed via Geek E Inc. Purchases via bandcamp will also receive a free bonus track.

Check out the cosplay video for No Stressin’ and stream the album for free below. - The Unheard Nerd

Baltimore, MD (April 20, 2016) – Members of the NPC Collective, a group combining the musical and artistic talents of people of color, will perform at the 2016 Otakon Matsuri.

The foundations of NPC ("Nerdy People of Color") Collective were explained by Raheem "Mega Ran" Jarbo, who says, "Much like [a video game] NPC [non-player character], people of color who desire to create music or art or think differently than their counterparts often are discouraged, and forced to keep those thoughts and ideas to themselves, and to play the background."

He got the idea of creating a collective of like-minded creatives who enjoyed "nerdy things" and had faced teasing or worse as a result: "This kind of creativity is often teased and stifled by bullies, and even friends and family. I want to have a group of people that those kids can look at and say, 'Hey, if THEY can do it, I can do it.' Be proud of who and what you are, and remember you're not alone."

Today, the NPC Collective includes rappers, educators, students, athletes, and even a WWE superstar amongst the ranks.

Appearing at Matsuri will be music composer and producer Richie Branson; rapper, producer and trombonist Ryan "Kadesh Flow" Davis; business process engineer and musician 1Up Creative Mindframe; and musician Eye.Q.

Richie Branson (born Marcus Brown II) is a music composer and producer who has worked with a variety of notable brands including Marvel Studios and Def Jam Recordings.

As a composer, Branson has worked on a multitude of notable projects, including providing additional score for the hit MMORPG Marvel Heroes, and producing the soundtrack for the mobile game Mission: GROK, backed by Grammy-Award-winning rapper T.I. and legendary music mogul Russell Simmons.

He is also an accomplished hip-hop artist, gaining fame in 2012 after penning multiple songs for Adult Swim and touring with mc chris. After gaining a loyal following as a hip-hop performer, he achieved billboard charting success with the release of his “From Guardia With Love” album. After his nostalgia -filled video-game-influenced raps went viral on various major gaming blogs (including Kotaku, IGN, Destructoid, and more), Branson began an intense study of curriculum in computer programming. Armed with experience coding in C# and Javascript, he began developing his own games in late 2014.

Rapper, producer, and trombonist Ryan “Kadesh Flow” Davis has been wowing both suspecting and unsuspecting listeners with his musical versatility since his early teens. At age 11, 'Desh, as many of his listeners call him, began rapping and playing trombone within two weeks of one another.

Kadesh Flow brings realism, consciousness, and nerd life together in riveting flow format. He has composed original music for Toonami Asia, performed live at the Cannes Film Festival, and shared the stage with the likes of I Fight Dragons, The Revivalists, B.o.B., mc chris, MC Frontalot, and others. He has been publicly lauded by outlets such as IGN and Kotaku.

1UP is a Business Process Enginerd, as he describes it, or as a "manchild who is told by his friends and bosses that he is 50% art and 50% science." 1UP (Emmanuel Kwame Aouad) graduated from Wabash College in 2010 with an economics degree with a minor in music.

During the day he dwells in an office in any location of the country (depending on which project he's assigned to) as a Six Sigma Green Belt working on designing/redesigning new and old business critical processes.

At night, he becomes the hero that the world doesn't want or need: 1UP, a musician mixing hip- hop, video games, anime, economics, jazz and more.

Eye.Q. of MusI.Q. from the Heart stresses the importance of making music from the soul and accepting yourself as an individual. "Even though Nerdcore is the basis of what we focus on, 'Nerdcore Music,' by our definition, is music that is made about things that these artists are passionate about. MusI.Q. that is made from love of a subject. The common misconception is that this tends to be thought of as only nerdy subjects. A Nerdcore artist is simply an artist who is so passionate about their music and whatever they love that they don't care for social acceptance, just love of the music and the subject matter."

The Otakon Matsuri is an outdoor street festival that will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, August 11 at Baltimore's beautiful West Shore Park at the Inner Harbor. Admission is free to both the Otakorp membership as well as to the general public. The event features many attractions to keep attendees well-occupied: games, contests, prizes, live entertainment, great food, and even Otakon guests, who have been known to stop by and take part in the festivities. Otakon 2016 will be held August 12-14 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD.

ABOUT OTAKON AND OTAKORP, INC.: Now entering its twenty-third year, Otakon is an annual celebration of Japanese and East Asian popular culture, and also one of the largest gatherings of fans in the United States. Otakon celebrates popular culture as a gateway to deeper understanding of Asian culture, and has grown along with the enthusiasm for anime, manga, video games, and music from the Far East. Since 1999, Otakon has been held in Baltimore, Maryland; currently, Otakon is one of Baltimore's few large, city-wide events, drawing over 34,000 people for three days each year (for a paid attendance of over 100,000 turnstile attendees). Otakon is a membership based convention sponsored by Otakorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based, 501(c)3 educational non-profit whose mission is to promote the appreciation of Asian culture, primarily through its media and entertainment. Otakorp, Inc. is directed by an all-volunteer, unpaid staff – we are run by fans, for fans.

For more information about Otakorp, Inc., see http://www.otakon.com/otakorp/index.asp
For more information and the latest news on Otakon 2015, see http://www.otakon.com/ - Anime News Network

For those who don’t know, state your stage name, what you do, and where you’ve been.

Kadesh Flow: I am Kadesh Flow, I rap, sing, play trombone, mix beats and produce and compose a little bit. currently I live in Kansas City, Missouri. Before, I lived in Alabama, went to school at the University of Alabama.

You’re the only rap artist I’ve seen in Kansas City who will spit raps on stage, take a quick break and pick up a trumpet, put the microphone back on the stand, and sound off with the trumpet into the mic. So, what came first in your musical upbringing: trumpet, singing or rap lyrics?

Kadesh Flow: I started playing trombone when I was eleven. That was in sixth grade (in Alabama). Two weeks later, everybody was joking with each other on the back of the bus. We had a song that was a parody of “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child. It went, “Close your mouth, close your mouth, your breath smell like onions, sour cream and Funyons, need to close your mouth.” I started playing trombone and rapping within two weeks of each other.

What made you want to play trombone and make raps in such a concentrated amount of time?

Kadesh Flow: Mobile and New Orleans are only a two hour difference. Me and my friends listened to Trombone Shorty, before anybody knew about him outside of New Orleans. Mobile is like a little New Orleans. People were sleeping on Trombone Shorty, I think. One of his first tracks had a hip hop feel. I remember getting angry because I was like, I wanted to be the first to do that, because nobody does trombone and hip hop like that. I heard him do that, I was like that’s dope, I might do that later. I am not as good at trombone now, as I was back then. I was a top trombone player in the state of Alabama in high school. I wasn’t old enough to get into bars and I’d walk into bars and I’d end up jamming and I’d get free drinks. I had a reputation as a trombone player. Some of my friends (urged) me to rap, like “I know you can rap.” It was an organic process over a couple of years.

What kind of rap were you into at that time?

Kadesh Flow: I started rapping in church. Christian rap, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, stuff like that. From 2006-2008 by favorite rappers were Eminem, Lupe Fiasco, Tech N9ne and Mega Ran. People (in Alabama) were like, “Who’s this Tech N9ne dude?!” He hadn’t gotten out there all the way at that point, but of course he is now. Most of my raps were positive. Everything I did was pretty organic.

Eddie Moore & The Outer Circle’s “Fresh2Def” hip hop/jazz night at the Tank Room on Grand has gained a lot of steam in recent months. Last month’s F2D was a lot of fun. You’re known for rap music, trumpet playing, singing and a strong youtube presence. What do you plan on contributing to December’s “Fresh2Def” at the Tank Room this Saturday?

Kadesh Flow: Primarily live band arrangements of some of the songs I’ve recorded. Since I moved to Kansas City, I haven’t done a live set with full instrumentation behind my stuff. I’m gonna play some trombone, of course. Then there’s always the jam session. The jam session is one of the most beautiful things to happen in Kansas City creatively, period. If the right people show up, you’ll get a jazz, hip hop, reggae, neo-soul, funk mash-up and it’s just totally organically weaving in and out of one another. There are some well known Kansas City MCs who I know have dope bars, and I wish they would jump up there in the jam session. Usually it’s just me and The Phantom. He co-started this “Fresh2Def” night with Eddie Moore and The Outer Circle. The jam session is the coolest part, and I always contribute to that.

Are you feeding vegetables under the table for people who get excited over the raucous club rap beats on your new EP, We Are The Faithful, or am I just looking into the music too much? I’m thinking of the song “If He Tried”, specifically. Air horns and trap beats don’t necessarily beg for lyrics respectful of ladies, more often than not in these days and times.

Kadesh Flow: We Are The Faithful is an entirely thematic “One Piece” anime-based EP. Sometimes I’ll do something entirely nerdy, which is what this EP is. Those six tracks and two bonus tracks are basically me rapping the storyline and converting it, instead of taking it lyrically and I just take it on an emotional journey through the character. I’m a literature guy.

You’re a former University of Alabama student. What was your college experience like?

Kadesh Flow: Crazy and awesome! I sat under an advisor and basically built a media production degree. I made my own major. I co-founded a music festival out there for an internship (Druid City Arts Festival), and it still exists. My first year of grad school I did an economic impact analysis of the festival in Tuscaloosa. It was a great training ground. I started a band my junior year, and partied a lot. I was making things happen around campus, and it was a good experience in that sense.

What does the near future hold for Kadesh Flow?

Kadesh Flow: I’m still in the booking process for a lot of the year. I’m working on a mini-tour situation. I’ve built contacts in the North-Pac, the Southeast, and I’m gonna be strategizing and getting out there more. - Demencha Magazine