It’s been a little while since our first conversation with King Anu, and he’s got a lot going on. We caught up with King Anu again to check-in and discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, dream collaborations, tips for emerging artists, and more.
Hey, King Anu! How have you been since we last talked?
Hey people! I have to be honest. I was having trouble answering this question but if I were to be honest I haven’t been in the best of spirits and that sucks but I think that’s kinda been the general mood over this last year and a half for everyone and that gives me a feeling of solidarity and hope. At least I’m not alone I’m feeling like things are rough right now.
Tell us more about where your artist name comes from.
To go really into it would be doing a lot and I don’t want to boor anyone … but in a nutshell, the name comes from the god Anu who is the King of the Sumerian pantheon. Look it up, shit gets deep quick. But in regards to me, I was always drawn to the name and the power it holds. I feel like it fits me. King of all things good or bad. I love the duality.
What was your biggest accomplishment this year so far?
Honestly, I haven’t gotten that far yet. Stay tuned for Rambles 4!
How has COVID-19 affected your creative output?
We’ll I’m big on physically working in the studio and meeting new artists to work with while I’m out and about but COVID kinda stops all that immediately so it’s been hard trying to work with people and catching a vibe. There’s no emotion over the internet so that’s hard to deal with when working with people and just being creative in general. On the plus side, the isolation has forced me to be more creative on my own so I suppose it’s not all bad.
What new music of yours do your fans need to hear?
Back Up On My Shit and The Great Question are the two I’m most proud of at the moment. On two different ends of the spectrum for lyrical content but both are incredible and at the moment are my favorite songs of mine. Who knows how long that’ll last though.
What advice do you have for artists trying to make a lane for themselves like you have?
Don’t do this unless you feel like you absolutely have to. And if you do feel that way, do what you do no matter what and never stop. You got it.
Who are your dream collaborations with and why?
Lupe Fiasco—he’s my favorite rapper, Tame Impala—makes incredible music, Mariah the Scientists—my favorite R&B talent at the moment, and Frank Ocean—my favorite R&B talent of all time. I’ll leave it there for now.
What are your plans for the rest of 2021 and 2022?
I would love to perform more gigs, release Rambles 4, and a few other things I’m working on. I got some plans y’all no worries.
If you want more from King Anu, follow him on social media at @TheGreatKingAnu or head over to his Spotify page to listen to his full discography.