Meet Kendrick Hatake | Rap Artist & Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kendrick Hatake and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kendrick, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
There’s one affirmation I’ve had written down in all my journals for years now, “Always flow forward. Flow forward always.” This quote sums up what being alive means to me. I believe there is a flow to life, a river of energy that can be felt connecting all the moments that you’ve lived, the good and the bad. When you’re open to this energy you find that it has a benevolence to it, it accepts all of you. I think oftentimes when life doesn’t go our way or we’re hit with an event that shatters us to the core, people try to go against that river or convince themselves that it doesn’t exist. However doing so prevents you from moving forward and putting yourself together. I experienced this first hand when I lost my younger sister, Shamora, during the summer of 2019. Her and I were only 3 years apart and best friends as a result. Losing her broke me and my entire family, and so for an entire year I sat on the sidelines of my life. It wasn’t until this past fall that I finally started to take baby steps forward, putting myself back together piece by painful piece through making music. There are so many factors of this life that are out of our control but the one thing we can always control is how and when we decide to move forward. This affirmation reminds and pushes me to keep moving no matter what happens.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think what sets me apart from others is my open mind. I approach every new situation or obstacle with a clean slate so that I can absorb all the necessary information. It’s been the biggest factor of my rapid growth in making music, I came to my brother with an empty cup and have been absorbing all the knowledge he has to offer about recording, songwriting, mixing, etc. Creating music has been easier than I would’ve thought, writing lyrics and making beats feels very natural to me. It really feels like I’ve found the lane I was always meant to be in. I make the kind of music that I like to listen to, in order to bring my authentic and true self into every song. I’m still relatively new to the rap game and music industry so in a lot of ways I’m still finding my sound and am focused on learning all that I can. If you want to hear songs with homages to my passion for anime, samurai-slicing rhyme schemes, and lyrics that inspire you to start your own journey toward personal growth then I’m the artist for you. I’ve got a lot of projects lined up for the rest of 2021, so rest assured this is just the beginning of Kendrick Hatake.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Anyone visiting Austin for the first time definitely needs to check out the nature spots the city has to offer, whether that’s hiking along the green belt, paddleboarding and kayaking down Lake Travis, or checking out the massive Zilker park. After a hike or paddleboarding session I always like to hit up one of the many food trucks in the city, Arlo’s has some of the best vegan food around and Vaquero Taquero’s tacos will make you feel like you’re in the valley. As a biased alumni I would also recommend touring the University of Texas at Austin, it’s a massive campus nestled right in the middle of the city. Covered in sculptures and art installations, you can also check out the Blanton Museum or the Texas Memorial Museum while there. A week in the live music capital of the world wouldn’t be complete without seeing a concert or two at the dozens of venues littered all over the city. Come the weekend bar hopping down dirty sixth is a must or visiting any of the dive bars in East Austin like Sahara or Nickel City. There’s always something to do in Austin, and with its rapid growth there are always exciting people to meet from around the country.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This shoutout easily goes to my family, specifically my older brother BJ. I’m the youngest brother out of five siblings and despite over a ten year age gap between me and my oldest siblings, we’re all very close. There was always an abundance of love in our household, even though we struggled financially growing up. I’ve always been able to go to my siblings for anything I needed help with or advice on. After losing our little sister Shamora, we all just got that much closer by being there for each other to grieve. After the loss I stopped writing completely, when I was an avid writer before and even studied screenwriting for my undergraduate degree. I didn’t realize how much writing helped me process things in a healthy way, and my life began to spiral as a result. My older brother BJ has been making music and rapping for over a decade under the name Alamo Rogers, and he always suggested I give making music a try. At my lowest point this past fall I finally took him up on the offer and I haven’t looked back since. He’s the reason I’ve been able to record and release my music by teaching me from all his years of experience. I wouldn’t be anywhere close to where I am music wise without him. He’s been the biggest sensei and guide throughout this whole journey.

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNb7kTk-5gbJ5bBV2M6NyIA