UK Alt Hip Hop Artist Keeper Releases Debut Single “Homegrown”
It all started over a game of Minecraft. While playing the sandbox video game on Twitch during Quarantine, London native Emanuel Andrade, who goes by the stage name Keeper, and Jon Cass (As Everything Unfolds) began discussing music.
“After faffing about on Minecraft, I started to send Jon some guitar samples that he could use to produce hip-hop and trap beats for his clients,” explains Keeper. “It was then that we realised our similar taste in music and started to work on my solo stuff that I had been writing.”
Thus was born the solo album Guess I’m Keeper, whose first single “Homegrown” featuring DEMO AKURO is out now.
“Homegrown” is about doing things your own way and learning as you go.
“Growing up I wanted to do a normal job,” says Keeper. “I thought I wanted to do it because I liked the reaction I got after saying it. But I realised I liked that approval more than the idea of doing the actual job.”
With themes of bucking a 9-5 in lieu of pursuing your passion and taking care of your mental well being, “Homegrown” feels especially important in today’s climate.
“During lockdown, these feelings were also felt, magnified, and broadcast by a wider audience, who were all trapped and feeling isolated,” Keeper says. “Mental Health is important and this EP helped me put my own thoughts into better focus.”
The single is also accompanied by a music video aimed at the lighter side of work.
“In the video we wanted to create a skit around the whole, leaving work early on a Friday thing, to go and play golf with the boss. But at the same time, we wanted to ridicule ourselves because let’s face it, we’re all idiots,” says Keeper.
Guess I’m Keeper is the debut album from Keeper, who also plays guitar in the London based Pop-Punk band Jack The Envious. Though the album is a solo EP, it gave Keeper the opportunity to collaborate with various friends in the music industry, which is exactly where Keeper feel’s the most comfortable.
“Music is a creative outlet that lets me express myself and create and tell stories verbally because my English skills are awful,” explains Keeper. “My mother learnt how to make bread, I learnt how to make stories about characters and put them to music.”
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