Abogados de Inmigracion

K-7 has a unique perspective on what Freestyle is. He comments on that. “ They listen to freestyle as our parents listened to Salsa when we were little kids. Parents raised us on it, listening at home on a summer afternoon or a drive in Bear Mountain for the weekend or Orchard beach with our parents. That is what freestyle has become for a lot of these kids. It was the music that your mom cleans the house to, or plays on the radio on Sunday morning while making breakfast. Like R&B before and Hip-Hop now, the style of music, freestyle, is about teenagers and childhood angst. The fear of love, and of being heartbroken by love was a recurring theme. It continues to work. I don’t have mixed feelings about it. I’m really happy its happening.”

It helps to know the story of how an artist began and the ups and downs that invariably lead to success for some and legendary status for others. TKA background story is told by K-7. “ We were the first New York group to do freestyle music and gain notoriety. Three guys from East Harlem located in El Barrio, NY. We used to write songs and we wanted to be a rap group. When we got to the label they didn’t want us to rap but be a dance version of the do-op acts that were happening at the time like the Force MD’s. We had no clue; we thought we were going to be a rap group. I had a song I’d written called “Scars of Love”. That we used to perform. It used to be more of a rap record with a singing hook. When our record label, Tommy Boy, heard it they fell in love with it. They said, “Well, were going to speed that up. You guys are going to take the raps out of it. You’re going to write a third verse and be a singing group.”

“ I had a whole repertoire of songs already and me and my manager, Joey Gardner started producing a lot of the tracks together. We wrote songs for the group. Luckily we became popular. We became popular at the Devil’s Nest. We used to do local shows for radio stations that were popular like KISS FM and places like that. When they saw we were Hispanic they were surprised. We gained popularity in our neighborhood and throughout the Bronx and Brooklyn. Our name started circulating. We got lucky to be honest with you. Music is all about chance, having the right thing at the right time.”

History, Clothes, and Music styles, given time, ultimately come around in a circle .The past influences those that follow. K-7 knows about such things. He adds, “ In the beginning they were comparing us to great people like the Supremes. It is normal for people to compare you to groups prior to them. You can only follow by the examples set before you. I thought we were more like Frankie Lyman and the Teenagers because we were Hispanic. The only ones who were at the time was Frankie Lyman. “

Freestyle came from the streets and from the everyday experiences of the everyday lives of the 80’s Latin youth. K-7 explains why that was essential in reaching their core audience.

“ We love to promote ourselves and do the right thing and try to be a new version of this. How do we make it now and how do we make it fresh. One day we looked at each other and said we’re trying too hard. We just got to be us. We were going through so many growing pains that I just started writing. Our experiences whether it was group related, personal, or a best friend’s, was put on paper. We were able to reach our audiences because they knew who we were. They fell in love with us because they understood where we came from and our struggle, what we were going through and they got to know us better. They knew the lyrics of our songs, etc.”

Artists create many songs and are defined by signature songs but the artists usually have a personal favorite.
“Louder than Love” and “Scars of Love” were my personal favorites. “Scars of Love” because it was my first record and the one that changed our lives and “Louder than Love” because it marked the end of what the Freestyle era really was at the time. Also our Last hit “Maria” really defined the ending of the old Freestyle era”, says K-7.

The breakup of TKA was a sad moment in freestyle history but they went out with a bang with one of the greatest hits in the genres history. K-7 expounded on that moment. “At the time musically we tried to record an album with Warner Brothers at the time and we wanted to venture out and do our own thing. I started recording my own ideas for a solo album. Maria was part of that. We were going to do a greatest hits package but we needed a couple of new songs. Maria just happened to be the song I gave which ended up being on my solo project which later was on the K-7 album. It transcended our expectations. I wasn’t sore or angry that I gave it away. It was a perfect closing song. We came in on a high note with “One way love” and I felt that we should leave with a bang. Luckily “Maria” was that song for us.”

As the freestyle sun was setting for many, a few managed to cross that bridge to the next period of their careers. K-7 was one of them. The hits from the “Swing Batta Swing” album included the classic “Come Baby Come”. How did Kayel transform himself from a group setting to this new solo phenomenon known as K-7?

“ I wish that I had the perfect word or answer. I think that God was guiding me at that point and I got lucky. I don’t see it as I have the magic formula. I was writing songs and was able to do something with what my talent was. Other artists like George Lamond went on to a successful career doing Salsa. Lisette went on a successful run doing more Hip-Hop based music. I was the first to branch out and I chalk it up to like the first time around having the right thing at the right time. Sometimes its like Chance, a roll of the dice.”

Why did the freestyle train suddenly come to a halt? One of freestyles greatest gives his thoughts on that. “ To be honest with you a lot of people said there was a decline. The only decline was that radio didn’t embrace it and in addition we didn’t record any brand new music for a ten-year period. Some of us have continued to work on a regular basis in clubs in New York, Philadelphia, Florida, Chicago, Texas, and California where we have been able to continue to work on a constant basis. Many grew up and the desire that they had when they were younger faded. But for the most part all of us return and we go out there and get the same response. George Lamond came out with a Salsa album and was promoting it yet he still was doing freestyle shows, getting the same embrace he always did.”

The fan base that preserved the music and these artists for this extended period was the elixir of youth that maintained the genre through trying times. K-7 tells us why that is, “The popularity of the street and on radio was limited until KTU came back on the air. All the formats changed were changed to freestyle music. Our fan base stayed intact. As we grew up we saved it for a special occasion. We have fans that really stuck by us. We do a major event every year at Beatstock for KTU. The highlight of those shows is that they sell it as the cream of the crop with a surprise. One year Sweet Sensation came back together. And in 2000 TKA was reformed. It helped maintain us and build us. As far as Freestyle we never had great publicity, that machine to open it up.”

The rivalry between freestyle and Hip-Hop is not mentioned often. However it is there under the surface. K-7 is one of the few to tackle the topic, “Freestyle is basically Hip-Hop. The thing is that early on in the game Freestyle and Hip-Hop became distant family members of a dysfunctional family. It basically catered to Latin’s, there weren’t a lot of blacks that embraced it automatically. It did not really appeal to them in a sense because it was a bit too fast at the time. They respected it. I spoke with Africa Bambatta and Planet Rock is the base of most freestyle music. Listening to Planet Rock you could practically hum every freestyle record known to man. He was a mentor to me when I was young. He asked me, “You know where all this comes from?” I responded, "I know exactly where it comes from, it comes from Hip-Hop." It emerged from all the different facets of it. He responded, “So long as you know that then you will have all the colors you will ever need knowing where it came from before and where it could lead”. A lot of producers out there knew what it was and mixed it with dance music, it became more danceable but its still Hip-Hop. It has the attitude of Hip-Hop, the balls, and in some cases the anger of Hip-Hop, all the passion if you will. It is a distant family member to Hip-Hop. A lot of diehard fans won’t like it being referred to it as such, but as an artist I know where it came from.”

The Legacy of Freestyle means different things to different people. K-7 is no different, “
The Legacy is before you already. Freestyle has gone back to its original roots. You hear the melodies; you hear the same type of passion, the same kind of vocal tones as Reggaeton. Reggaeton is yet again another child of what Hip-Hop was. It went back home with its brand new kid, Reggaeton.”

“This is the kind of Garden performance that I’ve always wanted my entire life. I get to perform in the big room. It’s all about Freestyle. It’s been a long time coming and I can’t wait to see what it feels like.” These were his words a week before what would be a classic evening at Madison Square Garden and TKA/K-7 tore the house down as they always do. It confirmed what it means to us all, the fans and the performers alike as they were linked in History forever. We at elBoricua.com like to thank K-7 for taking the time to speak to us. As for myself it is was an honor to speak to a legend of Freestyle music.