Winter Spirits

Classical remnants, heartfelt poetry; driving bass and melodies carpooling from a highway to hell on the off ramp to heaven: the world's been driving you crazy, hasn't it? Let K-oth be your chauffeur! Corey Knap from Hamden, CT is a name people want to start remembering. It would be no surprise if this name is known throughout the east coast within the next decade. He is the definition of someone who started at the bottom and is now trying desperately to make it to the top. What he has that many other famous artists lack is not only drive, but a passion for his music. While the average rapper is struggling for fame and fortune, Knap uses his music to express himself and grab the attention from his fans. Searching for a not-so-average person with a unique relationship to music is not as simple as it sounds. Dozens of people claim to have a love and be actively involved with music, yet have lifeless stories and seem to be have no future plans. Not only is Knap’s story interesting, but he stands out from many other well known artist. His style of music is unique and he has a support team all around him. Corey was just your average boy at a local elementary school who one day decided to start taking violin lessons. Any other 5th grader would be playing the drums or trumpet, but coming from this remarkable guy, learning to play the violin comes as no shocker. These lessons opened up a whole new world for Corey. The violin is the what developed his love for music. Only a year later, Knap started playing the piano. This time, however, he took up the nearly impossible challenge of teaching himself how to play. Soon enough, Corey was exceptionally good at both instruments. This was the start of Corey’s music career. As soon as high school approached, Knap became interested in rap. He was first introduced to a group called The Diplomats, also known as Dipset, who are a Harlem based hip hop group founded by Cam’ron and Jim Jones in 1997. These two men are accredited for sparking the flame and bringing out the drive in Corey. To pursue his love for music, he registered for Broadcast Music Incorporations (BMI) which is the global leader in music rights management. The corporation lead Knap to discover Berklee College of Music where he received a discount for being involved with BMI. This college enhanced and polished the skills Knap has. Knap frequently raps about violence and depression. “The best way to describe the music would be hardcore/horror-core,” Corey explains. There are a few songs that reference past relationships and dealing with them in non-practical ways that go against the norm. The passion behind Corey Knap is what stands him out from the rest of the struggling rappers trying to make it big. He taught himself about music yet is not afraid to receive additional help, hence his enrollment to Berklee. Music is a way of expressing himself and is the reason he wakes up every morning. If continued on the path Knap is on, he will soon be collaborating with rappers well known around the country