Here at La Vida Liverpool, we love to showcase the abundance of music talent our region has to offer. In this feature we chat to the enigmatic and energetic Keem (a.k.a Rakeem Lewis Abiru). A music artist, rapper, producer, promoter, artist manager, vocal coach and record label founder, Keem is a charismatic and multi-talented figure of the North West music scene.
Check out Keem on FACEBOOK!
A diverse artist over multiple genres and a natural entertainer, Keem has been dazzling audiences from an early age and knows how to produce a real performance. A poet and master lyricist, Keem puts his heart and soul into his music. His attitude and ethos are unrivalled and he is a true inspiration to anyone wanting to make a success in the music industry.
Check out Keem on FACEBOOK!
Here we catch up with Keem to ask him a few questions….
LVL: So, what have you been up to recently?
KEEM: Hey Justin! I’ve been busy writing music and promoting my Progression Mixtape on Facebook, as well as other work.
LVL: Tell us a bit about your background and how you got into music….
KEEM: I have always loved music. I remember being really young watching Michael Jackson and being stunned by him. I was always into poetry in school and that’s where I got the chance to express myself at first.
When I was a kid, Craig David was the main black UK singer. I was taken in by his song writing and I really acknowledged song writing as a skill at that time. However many times my school teachers or my parents, especially my Mum, encouraged me to be in the school shows but I never did. I was the Jock in school and I won numerous awards for sport. I began learning guitar for a year in school at 13 and kept the basics.
My singing came at 16. I was listening to P Diddy and Keisha Cole I realised I could sing the Diddy part so I was like yeah I can sing haha. Weeks later I was in a home studio with a guy called Shingy LJAY from my school. He was older and showed me how to have presence in a song and to perform behind the mic.
It was my last year in Sixth Form at Wallasey School I did their yearly musical auditions for Jesus Christ Superstar that year and was offered main parts. I enjoyed this show so much. My teacher Jo Dutfield had so much belief in her students she applied for Sky One’s Grease The School Musical and this took me to The Silverscreen and a West End stage. As you can imagine life was never the same and it set me up to go for it as a singer.
Check out Keem on FACEBOOK!
LVL: Who are your main inspirations?
KEEM: In honesty I’d say Jesus, Dad, Dr Martin Luther King jr, Jimi Hendrix and Winston Churchill.
LVL: What advice would you give to anyone wanting to break into the industry?
KEEM: My advice for breaking the industry is to put the work in on making yourself the product and artist you want to be. Learn various aspects of music but know what you are good at and master this. Be productive and set your self goals. Make yourself known to various communities by playing residencies etc to get to used to playing and establish a core following.
Get your product and put it out there. Absolutely everywhere! Take opportunities, network, communicate clearly to everyone what you want and where you want to go and communicate this to yourself, God, the universe etc.
The little man grows quick so never step on or over him put him on your shoulders till he helps you one day. Finally try to make it happen and live your dream.
Check out Keem on FACEBOOK!
LVL: If you could collaborate with anyone who would it be and why?
KEEM: I really want to write a song with Craig David. He’s a great songwriter and a big hero of mine. From the local scene, Aydoe and myself are overdue a heavenly banger. In my life Drake is a message away from us making a big big hit together and I believe this will happen soon.
LVL: What are your plans for the future?
KEEM: My plan is to launch my music onto all purchase platforms. I want to bring out may genres and invent some new sounds.Anyone who knows me as an artist or performer will know I create communities like I did with Baller Clothing, Paradox and Hot Voxx.
So my next plan is to connect Liverpool to the world. Spread love ligjt and well being throughout the nations. My idea is to use my record label 20 Winston Records as a vehicle to do this. On the low I’m setting up a holiday retreat for mindfulness, nutrition and music. So will be promoting all the things I believe in whilst making money with music and collaborating with international artists and my own association of UK artists.
The first project I’m releasing is call Progression and is currently being previewed via Facebook for my immediate fan base friends and family.
Check out Keem on FACEBOOK!
Check out Keem on INSTAGRAM!
