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State of the Art is more than just an album title; it’s the words that describe this Northern Virginia bred emcee. KG (born Kenneth Goffigan Jr.) has taken his album State of the Art and embodied it, wearing the hats of Producer and Emcee. KG was born in Washington DC January 5th 1985, living in the city for a few years before relocating to various spots in Northern Virginia.By his early teenage years KG was introduced to songwriting by older cousin Anthony “Menace” Hunter. For the majority of KG's summers he would be inspired to write verses and record songs. Along with younger cousin Rashied "Problum Chyld" Hunter, KG honed his skills thru middle school and even after graduating from Wakefield High School. |
KG - State of the Art
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As things began to pan out KG would pair up with cousin Menace to form a duo, and recorded the album "Damn Shame," in 2003, with the majority of the tracks produced by Menace & KG and the remaining tracks produced by Adam "Blak Keyz" Jackson. The combination of Menace's aggressive delivery and metaphors with KG's smooth delivery made for an instant hit amongst their peers. With tracks like "Without Friends," and the title
"Dame Shame," KG began to establish himself as one of the DC Metro Areas best emcees.
With influences like Talib Kweli, The Roots, Blackstar, MF Doom, and Common, as well as influences from other genres of music, KG took his musical influences and mixed it with his life experiences of growing up in different Northern VA spots and has created a well rounded style that is effortlessly apparent in his music. The street buzz generated from the Dame Shame album did more than peak the interest of Blak Keyz who along with Christian "Crisis" |
Ndangmo was in the beginning stages of looking for artists to join newly formed Iron Triangle. Blak Keyz saw that KG was a commercially appealing emcee that every group needs to snatch up and that he will get audience’s attention, so he quickly introduced KG to group founder Crisis who immediately sought to get KG down with the Iron Triangle Movement along with Menace. "If everything goes right, I see myself working on music in the studio and networking. Changing the game, I mean that's what its all about to me, getting some really good artists together and creating something special...something meaningful." -KG
In 2006, as a member of the collective Iron Triangle, KG along with Blak Keyz, Menace, Ron Karona and Crisis would take the stage for the first time as a group performing at the George Mason University's Annual outdoor event known as George Mason Day. Performing songs from the Damn Shame album, KG&
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Menace would score an overwhelming response from the crowd, as it was obvious that the chemistry displayed by KG and fellow Iron Triangle members was unique and something that was reminiscent of Wu Tang from the mid and late 1990's in terms of the groups abilities to deliver hit after hit be it on group songs or solo singles. The GMU Day performance led to a string of performances in Georgetown's Grog & Tankard, Velvet Lounge as well as Alexandria's night spot Floyds, along with appearances on DJ Nick the Slick's WGMU Radio show. Making the most of every appearance KG has garnered praise from all those who hear this suburban emcee. Never one to get ahead of himself KG remained humble taking all the opportunities as chances to gain experience and hone his craft further. |
(From Left to Right: Draztic, Problum Chyld, KG, Menace,Crisis) |
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"Hopefully I’ll be able to achieve a status where I'm recognized as someone who’s actually out here working, writing my own songs, making my own beats, jumping up on stages across the world, and then I'll get to where I want to be." - KG
"I remember kicking it with Blak Keyz at his crib the first time I heard KG on wax. I remember thinking that he was probably the most polished sounding emcee from Northern VA that I had heard in a long time. I would tell Blak Keyz all the time about how the upside potential for KG was endless and that he could easily be a flagship emcee for any label. In KG's style he had the elements of the Suburban Northern VA that would make him unique in an industry full of cookie cutter Emcee's. He reminded me a lot of myself and was a good prototype for what Iron Triangle was all about, an emcee that could create music that was for the street, the ladies, be playful, and be serious, all without stepping outside of his character." - Crisis Founder of Iron Triangle reflecting on his first thoughts of KG
In 2007, KG would hit the jackpot displaying that upside potential when he released the song Soul Clap produced by Justin Thompson of Trinity Productions. Soul Clap was the combination of Club Banger and House Party starter that Crisis had been waiting for from KG. Soul Clap drove the demand from listeners for a KG solo album. KG was becoming the Wu Tang equivalent of Method Man being the emcee from Iron Triangle that the audience has gravitated to initially. As the success of Soul Clap generated an ever-growing buzz, KG found himself also beginning to be in demand on the production front, as he would do production for a lot of local artists.
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KG would do it again in 2008, with the Trinity Productions produced track “Good Job”. With the track “Good Job”, KG had taken a simple phrase that everyone knows and says frequently, and turned it s into an instant Summer Anthem. With this song in particular I just wanted to do something different, and that was to put a spin on the whole club scene. I personally started to not favor the club as much because when I would go, all I would see is dudes mean muggin' each other and fights breaking out over ladies. So I just re-enacted a situation, where I'm in the club and a guy thinks I'm trying to pick up his girl, when really I was just passing by, so instead of the nonsense and drama I congratulate him for getting wit a fine young lady and go about my business."
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Having helped raise the profile of Northern VA hip hop scene, KG is poised to help lead Iron Triangle to the forefront of Hip Hop and usher in the next era in urban musical expression.
 To check out KG’s tracks hit him up at: www.myspace.com/irontrianglerecords
To book KG contact his management at: (202) 629-0365
Rap Pages Magazine.Com feels that KG and the Iron Triangle crew is certainly the next Wu-Tang Clan group to look out for representing Northern VA.
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