RESPECT. Interview: Koran Streets

Koran Streets has been in the game for a minute! With his upcoming album, Late 20s, which releases today, he continues to tell his story about his life and challenges. We caught up with the Berkeley native on what his album name and artwork represent, what stuck with him to be a solo artist, and to a positive message to the aspiring artists.

RESPECT.: How did you get the name Koran Streets?

Koran is my real name, I got it from my mama! I got Streets in county jail from one of the O.G.s in the pool – pen

RESPECT.: What should your fans expect from this album? What message do you want them to read?

Truth!! I am big on honesty! I often tell people my music is a pure depiction of what I’m going through at that point in life, as for overall message.. Be you!! THE REAL YOU!

RESPECT.: From your last project to your upcoming album, Late 20s, will there be similarities? Do you think there is growth from then to now as an artist?

Late 20s is better The YOU KNOW I GOT IT hands down! I have grown as a person so in turn, I know I’ve grown as an artist. On my debut album, I knew I was making good music, but I don’t think it was as polished as this album is & as honest as I was on my debut album, there are a lot of subjects I did not touch on that I touch on on Late 20s. This is my best work!

The similarities are that you will always hear me tell the exact truth about my situation.

RESPECT.: What does your album name and artwork represent? How does it correlate with what’s going today?

My artwork represents the story of my life up until this point where I am in my late 20s hence the name of the album Late 20s. Being a black man in America, it’s a task alone to reach the age of 21 alive and free! I come from a hard place, have watched many mothers bury their children before the age of 21 so for me to be in my late 20s, I don’t take for granted! Also.. all the trials and tribulations, stumbles, road blocks, downfalls, it seems like some of my hardest times have come in my late 20s, but on the flipside some of my most joyful!

Some of the best memories I have in life have come in my late 20s, plus a few of my greatest accomplishments. My album title and cover represent my journey from then til now. As far as it correlates with what’s going on now… I’m right on the money as long as the truth has not gone out of style.

RESPECT.: What can you say is your most favorite/underrated song out now? What is on repeat?

B Will. “Boat Dock”

RESPECT.: Define RESPECT.

Doing to people as you would want done to you.

RESPECT.: As your experience from losing a best friend, being homeless and getting burned, what can you say to all the aspiring rappers that look up to you and follow your story? What positive message would you put out there to them?

Life is what you make it and every day you can write your story again! Shit gets hard & it gets harder, but if you stay down I promise it always gets greater later! Have faith but always pray with your hands moving! Allah will put his strongest of soldiers through the greatest of tests, and if you buckle under adversity you are not strong enough to receive the blessings he has in store for you.The studio is your job! Clock in weekly! Stay consistent! Learn the business! Build you a team that is truly invested in seeing you win & give the love back as much as you can!

RESPECT.: What stuck with you to do solo after your mother’s encouragement?

Actually getting forward! Seems like when I really took her advice things moved in a different direction. Also never wanting to wait on anybody else again! My ambition was a lot different than the people I have around me in the studio. Once I realized that, I said I’m never going back!

Peep the album below.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/late-20s/1412415569

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