K984 performing at the Panorama Mall in Vilnius last month for an EU tolerance program. Photo by Nathan Greenhalgh.
VILNIUS — Kimo Arbas is a L.A. rapper that relocated to Vilnius.
Let me say that again. Kimo Arbas is a L.A. rapper/conceptual artist/filmmaker that relocated to Vilnius. Needless to say, he’s unique.
Lithuania isn’t usually associated with the likes of Snoop Dogg and 2-Pac, but then again Arbas isn’t either. He’s quick to differentiate the kind of music he makes from gangsta rap.
“Hip-hop is a movement with music, dance, art, etc. The rap music that I make there is hip-hop mentality, it’s not gangsta rap,” Arbas told Baltic Reports. “There’s a lot of Baltic metaphysics.”
Arbas’ hip-hop moniker is K984, and he’s got two albums out called Urban Jungle Green Vol. 1 “Sonic Burners” and Urban Jungle Green Vol. 2 “Cultural Warriors.” If you pop Vol. 2 into your CD player, from the first track his Lithuanian heritage is obvious.
Instead of a sultry R&B croon, it starts with a female trio singing a traditional Lithuanian folk melody and then a harsh drum machine beat accentuated with turntable scratches kicks in.
Born in Hawaii, raised in Los Angeles, Arbas says this heritage from his mother’s side brought him here.
“I’m in Lithuania for, now that I think of it, mostly spiritual reasons. My grandparents were in the underground resistance against the Germans and Russians during WWII,” Arbas said. “It’s partly my duty to bring something to Lithuania that’s positive because Lithuania is an extremely injured nation which has suffered genocide and in order for Lithuania to become healthy again it will take every little bit of positive energy, knowledge and experience to reintegrate into the world.”
Unable to confine himself to one genre or art form, the CalArts grad is bringing not just hip-hop but experimental electronica, conceptual art and film to the land of his ancestors.
He produces whacked-out industrial mixes with “shaman” vocals with his project Anti-Matter Cyclone and jazz-fusion hip-hop with the Devastators.
He traveled around Europe creating installation and performance art with the Ministry of Culture.
Arbas made a splash on the Lithuanian television show “Artothlon” last year putting together conceptual art on a team.
However, the experience left a bad taste in his mouth.
“It was an interesting experience, but it was a letdown in the end with falsified scores and other corruption,” Arbas said. “It was a good behind-the-scenes eye-opener of what goes on in post-Soviet Lithuanian television.”
Then there’s his films, which he directs and writes. Arbas has made music videos and is now working on what he hopes will turn into a feature-length film. The concept is a bit science fiction, fantasy and pop culture.
“That one’s about a young graffiti artist who has disturbing visions and it turns out there’s doppelgangers entering his world from parallel dimensions,” Arbas said.
The soundtrack will feature members of Dilated Peoples, Fort Minor and local Lithuanian jazz artists.
Arbas does not currently have any upcoming K984 shows, but when he does the dates will be posted on his MySpace page. His film work can be seen here.
This man, Kimo Arbas, is too rarely out in public, because his work is really worth seeing.
Kimo is a style guy. He isn’t brash, or about the bling. He’s a real, intelligent, and contemplative man. He also speaks great Lithuanian.
He may not “look” Lithuanian at first glance, but once you talk to him, you realize he is, and actually belongs in Lithuania.