JCK (aka James Castady-Kristament) has been producing his brand of hip hop since 2002 with songs being picked up by radio stations and music TV. It’s easy to see why he gets so much interest after listening to his latest album, The Bees.
He makes music that stands out from the usual bland, radio friendly pop masquerading as hip hop that seems to be paraded endlessly in the media as the next big thing. JCK isn’t afraid to step outside the boundaries of the genre and use ideas from other musical styles to craft his songs.
His subject matter is yet another point of difference – dark and edgy, yet at times hilarious (like on the opener Rise of the Emo Clones) it’s refreshing to hear.
There are moments where he lapses into cliché, such as on the track Killer which stands out for its excessiveness and blatant violent overtones, a contrast to the majority of the album.
It’s the tracks where JCK raps about things close to his life, or makes entertaining observations on things he’s seen or pop culture, that show his real talent.
The Bees is an album that takes some time to get into, but overall is worth listening to.
New Zealand Hip-Hop artist JCK is all about creativity and originality. Gothic imagery, catchy well crafted songs and captivating music videos set JCK apart from the legions of look alike, sound alike Hip-Hop artists currently flooding the market.
"Most Hip-Hop artists seem to want to take you on the same journey with their music. That's usually a trip through the hood they grew up in. It's like the hoods getting over crowded with rapper tour guides. I might take you to the hood for a quick look around, but only on route to the carnival"
JCK is a multi instrumentalist as well as a rapper and singer. He produces his own music and even films, directs and edits his own music videos.