Sound Off: AK

With a new released EP titled On Me, and a new single ‘Let Loose’, the rapper Austin Kassabian better known as AK graces PopularTV in a Sound Off interview today! Starting his career doing freestyle on Youtube, AK became a viral sensation after the release of his freestyle to Desiigner’s hit song ‘Panda’ (which now has over 38M views?!) and has since released countless singles and a dope debut EP!

Not only did his freestyle of ‘Panda’ garner him success, but AK has over millions of streams on some of his own hit singles like ‘Now I’m Forever’, ‘Like I Got It, ‘Broken’, and ‘Closed Off’.

Keep reading to find out more about his production process, his favorite song off of the EP, and some of his inspirations as well as listen to some of his tracks below.

1. Tell us about your EP “On Me”! Are you happy with the final result? How was the production process like?
The EP ‘On Me’ is my debut project. I’m definitely happy with the final result sonically. I think I created something definitely worth being proud of. My end goals are still on their way, this project means a lot to me and I know it helped me step closer to the next level I’m striving for.

2. Do you have a favorite song from the EP?
‘Closed Off’ has a special place in my heart because I produced the song myself in my home studio. So, being able to create it from nothing to something feels good. And I learned so much about production in the process of making it.

3. You started your career releasing remixed freestyle covers on YouTube. Do you remember what was the first one?
The first REMIX I ever put on YouTube was to ‘Panda.’

4. Did you imagine it would be so successful and go viral?
I definitely knew it had the potential to. But I didn’t think it’d happen the way it did. Took 6 months of no views on YouTube and then out of nowhere it started gaining insane traction. And from that moment on, I knew I had something to build off of.

5. Tell us about your latest tour that you recently wrapped up. How was everything? Which cities did you play in?
I absolutely loved the tour. I can’t wait to go back on the road. It was such an awesome experience for me. It was easily one of my favorite things to happen so far in my career I can’t wait for my next one

6. Do you have any special trick to warm up before going on stage?
No tricks specifically, but my ritual is kissing my dog tag necklace right before I take the stage. It has the initials of all the people I love – friends and family – on it and when I’m not with them on the road, it makes me feel like they’re present with me during that show.

7. A dream city to perform?
I wanna perform in Dubai. The city looks mad beautiful and it’s always been a place I wanna go. So if I can travel there and perform for fans, I’d be killing two birds with one stone. Definitely a place I’m excited to eventually reach.

8. Who are your musical inspirations?
Hopsin, J. Cole, Kendrick, Lil Wayne

9. If you could work with any artist, who would it be?
Currently? J. Cole or Post Malone.

10. Musically, have you ever fulfilled a dream?
My goal overall is making people feel good. And music, in general, is my vessel for that. But as I grow my dreams evolve. One example could be from when I first got into music and writing and recording. I soon began to want to learn how to produce the beats I rap over and get more into the production side of things. As time went on, I learned more and figured things out, and began producing music myself. But there’s plenty of smaller dreams that make up the big dream I have so I feel like my answer is ‘yes’. But I have so much more to do.

11. Craziest thing a fan made for you?
I wouldn’t say craziest, but I’d say the coolest thing a fan made for me was a blown glass art piece with like an alien face that’s got its tongue sticking out, and there’s a hole on the top so it can be worn as a necklace. But if I wore it, I know at some point it’d end up breaking so I keep it on my desk in my home studio. I’m a huge fan of glass art so the fact that they made me that and brought it to the meet and greet meant a lot.

12. Is there anything special you would like to share with us?
I learned how to do a flip the other day. Pretty cool.

13. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself with at LEAST one platinum plaque and 2 Gold.

14. What does popular mean to you?
To me popular can mean anything. But I feel like a lot of people associate it with how well they’re known or how much people like you. But at the end of the day, just be proud of who you are before you worry about any of those other things. Nothing is more important than how you view yourself.

15. Do you have any upcoming projects?
I have a lot of cool things on the way that I am very stoked about. Things are looking good for the future and I can’t wait to share all my work with the world.

Don’t forget to follow AK on  Instagram, Youtube, and Twitter and check out his EP ‘On Me’ right now: