SEATTLE — Why did you guys come up with the name Kumité?
“Kumité is ultimately an underground tournament of the greatest martial artists coming to compete,” said lead singer Sola Oyelowo. “And we wanted to host a forum for ourselves like that.”
How did this band come together? It’s supposedly dark hip-hop with headbanger rock, which is an interesting combination.
“We had an open mic night in Columbia City that we would host, and that's kind of what the name commentates came from,” said drummer Gianni Cicco.
“We kind of make sense, but not really,” said Oyelowo. “The vibes from the crowd, from old, they're young kids. They fill out energy.”
Is there a message you guys are trying to portray with your music?
“Persevere, I think, is a big message,” said Cicco, “Keep pushing.”
Does your band represent Seattle, or does it represent the northwest?
“We have a gutter sound, a grimy sound,” said Oyelowo. “Turn on the music; it starts raining.”
Is it weird? Or a perfect magic mix— doing hip-hop and rock at the same time?
“I think it's about checking your ego at the door; it's not about what you do and how good you are,” said guitar player Kyle McCormick. “I think the goal for the band, too, is to bring something new to the table, make people be like 'holy cow, what did I just see?'”
“If there's anything we are trying to do as a group, it is to think outside the box,” said a band member of Kumité.
Let's discuss at least one song. Choose your favorite one and tell me a little bit about its subject.
“Chrysalis. It's about coming out of COVID, coming out of this era when people are kind of in their own little social circles, and we get back to a community how it's so divisive it is,” said Oyelowo. “We've spent all this time dealing with these races and their political issues, and we're still at this point as a people. Why haven't we moved on from that?”
You guys are in “Band in Seattle” Season 10; how is it for you guys to be in this show?
“Oh man, this is dope. Pinch me,” said a band member.
Any message that you send to the viewers?
“Get ready to dance, get ready to headbang, and just get ready to feel all the feel of being part of our community,” said Oyelowo. “Family, that's what we're all about.”
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