King Anu is a remarkable artist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who creates a modern, yet nostalgic blend of reflective, lyrical hip hop. In this interview, King Anu discusses his Lupe Fiasco influences, his upcoming EP, and more.
Hey! Introduce yourself. Where are you from?
What’s the word, beautiful people? I’m known as The Great King Anu and I’m a musician from the Kingdom of Anu, also known as Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
When did you start making music?
I started making music during my senior year of high school, although I wouldn’t have considered myself professional until January of 2020.
Who inspired you to start making music?
I draw inspiration from a lot of different areas in music and life but if I had to put it all in two places, I would say the majority of my inspiration to make music would have to come from my mother and my favorite rapper of all time – Lupe Fiasco!
How would you describe your music style?
If I absolutely had to categorize my music, I would call it a simplistic yet bar-heavy look into the mind of one who lives a bad guy while wanting to die a good man and beloved king.
Who are you listening to now?
At the moment, I’m listening to a wide assortment of different genres and artists. Mostly rap though. J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Lil XenoLight, Saba, Smio, all of Griselda Records, Pusha T, Freddie Gibbs, Tyler, The Creator, Flee Lord, Lupe Fiasco – obviously, Healy, James Blake, Frank Ocean, Chance The Rapper, Cleo Sol, Rapsody, Doja Cat, Tame Impala, J.I.D, EarthGang, all of Dreamville, especially Ari Lennox, Kadhja Bonet, Kali Uchis, and many more.
What’s your best project or single so far?
I haven’t put out my best work yet. It’s coming soon though.
Any upcoming releases from you to look out for?
I’ve got a new EP I’m working on. It’s a nice little something.
Have any shout-outs?
I want to give a shout-out to my brother Nate, Nick, SCCCN a.k.a. Scott, and Lil XenoLight!
Want to learn more about King Anu? Check out his official website and discography at https://thegreatkinganu.com/ and stay tuned for more releases.