Kemet the Phantom
Kansas City, Missouri, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2005 | SELF
Music
Press
A series of other speakers, including Mayor Sly James and Downtown Council officers, extolled downtown’s recent resurgence with new guest lodging, apartments and entertainment venues. The importance of the streetcar was repeatedly touted, and a version of a rap video by Kemet the Phantom, featuring the streetcar, earned rousing applause.
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article129222349.html#storylink=cpy - The Kansas City Star
The Kansas City hip-hop artist who made a 2015 music video tribute to the Kansas City Royals has made another video, this one celebrating Kansas City’s downtown streetcar, which begins operation in early May.
Kemet Coleman, also known as the rapper Kemet the Phantom, this week released “Get Out (The Streetcar Song).” The video, which was directed by Brandon Bender, was produced in conjunction with RideKC Streetcar.
The video shows Kemet inside the streetcar, which is making a test run along Main Street, extolling the virtues of mass transit, including the streetcar. He is backed by the Pharoahs, which comprises Tim Broadbent, Mr. HighC, Dominique Sanders, Lucas Parker and Ryan Davis, plus Stefana Mihajlovic.
In “Get Out,” Kemet raps and dances over a bouncy, horn-fed, old-school R&B groove, getting lots of vocal and dance support from the Pharoahs, who are dressed as city workers. Mihajlovic joins them as a passenger.
Last year, as part of Center of Attention, his hip-hop duo with Kyle James, Kemet made the “Straight Outta Kauffman” video, a tribute to the Kansas City Royals. The video, posted in August, is approaching 200,000 hits on YouTube. - The Kansas City Star
Q: What was your most recent music purchase?
A: “Suite Life”: Kemet the Phantom, featuring Kyle James - The Kansas City Star
A similar lovefest is raging over in Kansas City, which unveiled its 2.2 mile streetcar line in May. The KC Streetcar claims an average daily ridership of 6,800, well above early projections, and is earning raves for its free fare service, its well-designed route that connects the city’s major downtown attractions, and its outrageously funky theme song, by the local rapper/urbanist Kemet the Phantom. (Seriously: It’s really good.) - CityLab (from The Atlantic)
Setting the opening lines of "Suite Life" against the imagery of the show palace which is the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is kind of a master stroke in terms of getting a point across. Kemet and Kyle James live it up on the helipad of a downtown building while the beat unwinds behind them. It's contrasted by the darkening of the beat and a cemetery setting when James' bars come up, and cheers back up when the Phantom returns with the refrain. It's a solid track to promote Kemet the Phantom's upcoming The Invisible Man album. Additionally, the sunny-hazed visual aspect of the video makes the Midwest look like California, thanks to some ace direction by Celestial Pictures' Will Harrah. - Pitch Weekly
The importance of the KC streetcar was touted frequently and proclaimed boldly with a new streetcar development map that tracks $1.2 billion in economic development – completed or under construction – along and adjacent to the streetcar line, PLUS another $955 million in planned development. (Copies of the map are available online or in print at the DTC office.) And, a special Downtown Council version of a rap video by Kemet the Phantom featuring the streetcar made its debut at the luncheon and won a rousing ovation. - Downtown Council of Kansas City, Missouri
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
Kemet Coleman otherwise known as Kemet the Phantom is one of Kansas City most elusive and heralded musicians. As a vocalist and producer of his own music, Kemet seamlessly combines elements of Jazz and Electronic Music in his award winning production style with Rap aesthetics. Known for his dapper style and associations with Strange Music artists including Tech N9ne, Ces Cru and JL of Bhood, Kemet the Phantom prioritizes keen lyricism with energetic, syncopated rhyme patterns. His performance style is often considered to be one of the most energetic and orchestrated in the Midwest often times taking on a James Brown-esque sensibility as a complete showman. Kemet the Phantom is also the lead singer of the dance band, The Phantastics, as well as Hip-Hop duo Center of Attention.
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