Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: The Buzz

In an era where much of life is defined in a black and white context, an artist has emerged who chooses not to confine himself to these limited terms. Hence the name. Gray Kid feels that his music - just like his charismatic personality - is made up of shades of gray.

"My music is about what is going on right now," Gray Kid said. "The idea is to make something that people can relate to. Something that's accessible."

Raised on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., Gray Kid said he became interested in music at an early age.

"In second grade my bus driver would play WEPC, an urban station in the D.C. area," he said. "I was surrounded by it."

Gray Kid said in high school he would meet with a group of 10 to 15 people before first period and at lunch to freestyle.

He received his first beat machine as a high school graduation present from his parents. Once he got into college, he began teaching himself the guitar.

"Since then, its just been about acquiring new skills," Gray Kid said.

Although his parents were supportive of his ambitions to become a musician, they did not always agree with some of his lyrics.

"[My parents] wish I didn't curse," he said. "But I think they have come to realize that it is part of the job, so they understand it more."

Gray Kid has previously released two albums, 5,6,7,8 and Vultures, both were self-produced and self-recorded.

"There are a lot of drawbacks to creating music by myself, but it is rewarding when you make something on your own," Gray Kid said.

Fans have compared him to artists like Eminem, OutKast and Prince.

"I think he's really good," said Melissa Renee, 28, from Los Angeles. "I booked him at the Viper Room and I am looking to book him again. There is a real theatrical aspect to his stage performance. He is enigmatic and enrapturing."

The inspiration for his sound has come from a variety of artists, both old and new.

"When I was a freshman in college, I used to listen to straight rap," Gray Kid said. "My influences shifted all at once and still continue shifting. I listen to Bjork, the Beatles, some peer groups with favorite musicians. I feed off what they're making. I even got ideas from some old blues - front porch kind of stuff."

Other artists who have helped mold Gray Kid into the musician he is today are Jodeci, Andre 2000 and Radiohead.

Performing with only an iPod and a wireless mic, the Gray Kid spent several years as a solo artist capturing the attention of crowds in the cities of New York and Los Angeles.

Continued...

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