Katori Walker is Cali's next big thing

Stop sleeping on this fire MC (New rap music from Cali)

The harsh realities of the connection between poverty and violent crime is something rarely handled on the local news with much empathy. The responsibility to provide ground level coverage often lies within Hip Hop artists to serve as the voice of the streets. Katori Walker, a rapidly rising Pasadena rapper did so literally as he raps from the asphalt, face bloodied, as the victim of gun violence in the city. The video entitled "Ormoni", was delivered from his brother's perspective, who passed away tragically by the result of a gun. "It was extremely difficult to make, being that it actually happened to my brother," Walker says. "It was even hard to watch once it was finished, but i'm glad it resonated so well with different people around the world." The video solidified Walker as one of the premier spitters on the West Coast and a valuable voice for those looking for new rap music from the culture.https://youtu.be/ss-5VCcye58

While the visual was what caught on worldwide, Walker backed it up with a bevy of hard hitting tracks illustrating his reality. On his 2017 EP Ignorance, he displays the ability to be lyrical, but also spew raw emotion at times where tricky wordplay is just not necessary. On the aforementioned Ormoni, he draws parallels between the victim and the shooter, letting the audience feel his pain whilst humanizing both sides. Walker, who was influenced at a young age from OG West Coast legends like Suga Free and E40, floats on tracks with production that feels rooted in the G-Funk era.

https://youtu.be/IbQVEX6kEKQThe EP's namesake is a theme in Walker's work, which he explains holds some heavy societal significance to him. "I named it ignorance because I feel like, us as people from poverty don't always have the appropriate knowledge to see past our own emotions," He says. "As people raised in poverty we make very large life changing decisions quickly when we are in a high emotional state. Not even thinking about the outcome, who it may effect, who it may hurt. We are just moving without thought." The project comes and goes in just ten minutes, with a single standout feature (What up J Hurt?!). Audiences left wanting more can rest easy though because Walker is currently in the process of creating new music. Expect the Cali flame spitter to continue putting out that real, and growing with his music. We wouldn't have it any other way.Find more new rap music here