Getting to Know: Kaelan Keller, Double K

Our staff contributor Lisa Romero sat down with Kaelan Keller, Double K to get some incite into his music making process. Check out his music here.

Lisa Romero: What inspired you to start?

Double K: I guess what inspired me to start is the fact that I wanted to get my voice out there. I wanted to be heard. I was the kid that was quiet in class, the one that was overlooked often. I guess I had this innate sense of wanted to make a difference somehow, and that’s honestly what drove me to started writing poetry. I felt like I could finally say how I feel – no limits, no boundaries. And that was inspiring, and motivating. From there it evolved from poetry to rap, and eventually to recording my songs.

LR: What keeps your motivated?

DK: The thing that mainly keeps me motivated is the fact I have people that appreciate my music. I have people that keep pushing me – challenge me to go outside of my mold. I have people that hit me up and are like “yo man, I see you’ve been evolving hella hard” and that really motivates me to go 1000x harder on my next project. It’s just hearing that – you know from time to time I listen to my old songs and I’m like man this is trash. But I keep them on soundcloud as a reminder of where I came from, and where I’m heading.

LR: What’s your favorite thing about your music career? Least favorite thing? And why?

DK: My favorite thing about my music career is the ability to just connect with other rappers across the world, and somehow come together and put some great vibes. Like I just linked up with a rapper from Japan – that’s so wild its in own regard. Being able to work with a variety of artists and incorporate their own values and culture into one of my own songs is awe-inspiring. 

I’d have the say the least favorite thing would probably be that there’s too many rappers out there rapping about stuff they’ve never done. Or rappers you meet who will be fake to you, won’t collab with you, when you know deep down we all started from somewhere. I had people switch up on me just because my music wasn’t good – who is honestly amazing at the start? It’s just that fact, and the era we live in now every rapper feels like they have to put out a tracking sayin they’re the best out there and that just gets old and repetitive.

LR: What are you trying to communicate with your music?

DK: I try to communicate about my life, but that you’re not alone. There’s always hope, there’s always a better day. A lot of times we put ourselves in this box thinking nobody we’ll ever understand us, we’ll never be loved, we’ll never have a good day. With my music I’m trying to communicate you will be okay, you will be understood, and you will be better – because I’ve been in all those positions. I’m trying to open up an avenue for people eto be heard, for people to relate, for people to know that its just not them out in the world.

LR: Where do you see your music career 10 years from now?

DK: Honestly probably performing live a couple times, maybe even finally getting inside a legit studio. Perhaps one day getting signed but it’s not an end goal for me – as long as I love what I do that’s all that matters.

LR: How do you feel after you’ve recorded a song/album?

DK: It’s a huge relief, its usually the culmination of years of work so it finally feels good – like I’ve released everything I had to release. It’s also a bit nervous – this is years of progress of you getting better but also taking some experiments, so you wonder how your close friends and fans will take it. My first ever project was called Rap Therapy and that’s what music is to me – its highly therapeutic. So it also relives a lot of stress on me and helps mr grow as an individual. With a project it’s like raising a kid and you’re finally letting it out to the world. It’s nerve-racking but also empowering: you never know what could happen, but that’s the best part.