Kinky Elevator Music is a Record Label and Event Production house based in Chicago and the brainchild of DJ + Producer, SKOLi.
K.E.M strives to showcase experimental artists and help them build their brands individually and collectively through distribution and events.
K.E.M strives to showcase experimental artists and help them build their brands individually and collectively through distribution and events.
K.E.M is a concept I came up with in 2012. The birthplace was at the Palms Place in Las Vegas, NV. I had just watched DJ Jazzy Jeff perform at a pool party and was feeling so excited. Kinky was a word me and my friends used jokinhgly to respond to things we thought were funny, interesting, unique etc. as a joke. We knew the roots of kinky and just thought it was a super funny way to describe things (style, cowboy boots, vest, music). When I was in the elevator at the palms place the music was so captivating to me. Very ambient, lofi but a bit uptempo at the same time. I said outlound this elevator music is kinky as hell! Lmao and everyone stared cracking up laughing. In my mind I knew I had an amazing idea which interestingly enough set off a chain of events that really leveled up my creative explosion. That night I made the soundcloud and uploaded my debut ep "SKOLi" using a lot of samples I actually discovered in that very same elevator.
Soulection was a huge influence for me. I really wanted to be a part of that collective I thought it was increbile how they promoted their artists initially and I found that it gave all those artists/producers credibility. It told their stories individaully and collectively as Soulection. I was obsessed and most of the artists were black or of color which was very interesting to me making unique electronic music. So the lightbulfb went off in my mind Kinky Elevator Music can be my equivalent of this. It can be a tool to market my music and potentially others that share that similar vibe in the future.
Quintessentially thats what I have been doing for the brand. We have released numerous projects featuring some very talented artist (majority black). I am proud of what we have accomplished, but I must say we are at an interesting level in the Kinky Elevator. I feel like it is interesting and avant garde but also bootleg which I think maya limit the growth not to mention the word kinky which a lot of companies look as being sexual and inappropriate. Also Elevator Music and the og ELEVATOR brands and new viral sensation is popping now so I personally feel it is even more difficult to differentiate. But I love this challenge I love the brand and very proud of it I still want to grow it and look forward to continue innovating and doing our thing with shows, merch, new releases and fresh content.