Basketball and music have always gone hand-in-hand. Whether it’s NBA superstars such as the late, great Kobe Bryant winning Grammys for their music or players being referenced in other artists’ songs, the game of basketball and the rap genre share a particularly strong connection.
This is the case on campus here at Valpo as well. When they are not commanding the basketball court, seniors, Joe Hedstrom and Kobe King, are expressing themselves through the music they create.
Kobe King, the star guard averaging a team-leading 16 points per game, has over 25 songs currently available for streaming on Apple Music and Spotify. King, under the artist name “KC King,” mainly creates music in the rap genre. He expressed how creating music serves as an escape from the day-to-day grind of the basketball season as well as a way to express himself off the court.
“We [Joe and himself] use it as an escape. Just a way to kind of talk about things going on in your life, hopes, goals, anything. You can just kind of be yourself, create and be creative; it’s definitely an escape… Just escaping the room, getting the mic and all of a sudden it kind of brings you back to center. Makes you realize that things are bigger than basketball,” King said.
Joe Hedstrom, the seven-foot center, also creates music in the rap genre. However, he takes a bit of a different approach to his songwriting. His faith plays a big role in the songs he creates. Hedstrom, while open to branching out into other subgenres and lyrical styles, doesn’t think he will stop putting his faith front-and-center in his songs.
“I think honestly that’s just what comes out of me. I don’t think I can ever get away from that. I think some of my songs, they might not mention the name of God or the name of Jesus or whatever, but that’s just something I’m passionate about and in my storytelling because that’s my life. That’s gonna be authentic to me always,” Hedstrom said.
As previously mentioned, King has over 25 songs available for streaming currently. His last release was a three-song EP titled “Main Character”; this came out on Dec. 15, 2022. King states that he does have a timeline for new releases planned by the end of the year.
“Yeah, I have stuff coming up. I wanted to have one done by the end of the year. I have some promo pages I’ve been using over the last few days, and those will go on playlists that have a hundred-thousand listens, just trying to get my name out there. I got some stuff in the woodwork,” King said.
One thing that was abundantly clear when listening to King and Hedstrom talk was the difficulties in balancing everything going on in their busy lives. Whether it is basketball, school, music or relationships, finding time and balance is always a tough task for the duo.
“I think it is hard. I was just thinking today like, man, I wish I could just create more… I’m in a master’s program, and I got a full basketball season so I’d like to carve out more time. But now, my master’s degree with basketball, it’s hard. But maybe in the off-season, hopefully, I’ll do more,” Hedstrom said.
King followed by saying, “That’s kinda what I think too. Just like doing most of the recording before the season. That was my plan coming into this year to get 20 songs done before this season then just release them. I know it gets busy, and it’s frustrating sometimes because what escapes you is the thing you have to put on the back burner. Obviously, there’s basketball and then schools gotta come first. I also have a girlfriend so there’s so much to balance.”
Finally, King and Hedstrom discussed some of their musical influences and dream features/collaborations.
“For me, J. Cole is my favorite artist. I think that’s because he put me on to really reading the words and understanding the lyrics, the lyrics for sure. Then I went back and listened to all my other favorites growing up like Lil Wayne, Drake and even like a [Justin] Beiber, guys like that,” King said. “Dream feature? I’d have to say Jay-Z just because of the insight that I feel like I could get from a collab also. I know, for sure, he’s a great business guy on top of it. I’m sure he has seen and knows a lot of things that we wouldn’t even believe.”
Hedstrom followed by saying, “I’d say Lecrae, Hulvey, Andy Mineo and Atmosphere. I feel like my sound, when I send stuff to my brothers, I hear a little bit of that. We’re all big on the Christian hip-hop scene.”
“A few people come to my mind [for dream features]. Lecrae, John Bellion, Hulvey or Kanye. Any of those guys, they all kind of shaped me, and I look up to them. John Bellion’s just super creative; he’s super dope,” Hedstrom said.
You can listen to Kobe King’s music on Spotify and Apple Music under the name, KC King. Joe Hedstrom’s music can be found on SoundCloud by searching “Joe Hedstrom.”
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