London born and bred music producer takes New York City and shares his plans for the near future
It is not everyday that one finds themselves in Brooklyn on a fine Wednesday afternoon. Even less in the area where one can hear a biker playing Taylor Swift while passing by and groups of determined runners take turns to disappear and reappear from all directions. So when the opportunity presents itself and Young Songs’ first publishing signee and A&R Kwes Darko invites you for a conversation at a studio location where the outside streets are as clean as Christmas Eve, you do not hesitate.
Although you could trace Kwes’ journey back as early as 2009 with his most known EP series ‘Blue Daisy’, and when he was still mainly operating as the front runner; nowadays, the Camden music composer and producer prefers to work in the background. Needless to say, his impact does not come unnoticed at all, even in the shadows of somebody else. And the sector of artist development he has mastered played a vital role in shaping the UK music scene (& beyond) of modern age. From the likes of Northampton born rapper Slowtai, Zambian singer Sampa the Great, Coventry’s finest Pa Salieu and now John Glacier, Kwes truly knows no boundaries. With a carefully-curated selection of production and a variety of sound that stretches as wide as the Nile, it does bring one to ponder; how does Kwes Darko tick? And what are his motives behind every move? Without question, Kwesi is one of the few producers that urges you not only to listen to the music but also, feel it.
As I make my way to the reception of the building, I let Kwesi know that I have arrived. It didn't take him long to direct me to the fifth floor while reassuring me that he would be waiting at the elevator’ doors. Perhaps out of shock, it takes me a minute to recognize the man standing in front of me; however it’s the black 110s (Air Max 95 in UK slang) that gives his identity away, a London classic trainers that never gets old in the hearts of those who’ve grown in them. His overall look is much more subtle and a far cry from the days of huge black shades and dreads styled in the form of a vertical cross. As we pass through wooden halls, Kwes explains a little bit about the reason for his stay in the vibrant city of New York. We are met by Kwes’ friend and worker at this studio office who welcomes me in with open arms. Finally, we end up in the studio to our left which at first glance, might seem too bright for a recording room. Instruments and production equipment are pressed against each corner of the studio’s walls, while a satin-like sofa next to the entrance faces the music of it all. I choose to sit on the sofa while Kwes makes himself comfortable on a desk chair close by.
“There is a new energy here.”
Although New York may not be his home, or his second home at best, it is one of the cities that Kwes Darko has been thoroughly visiting since 2019 and makes him feel this spark he describes, that perhaps even he does not fully understand yet. From its large creative community to the never-ending subgenres that roam in the thick of it, New York truly is a city of endless opportunities. “There is a new energy here,” are the words Kwes chooses to start his sentence with when asked what brings him to the opposite side of the Atlantic ocean. “For a while, I’ve been looking for that new challenge,” he proceeds to explain his side of the story. You see, Kwesi is not unfamiliar to displacement and one may say that a nomadic lifestyle is ingrained in him. From an early age, the music producer went from the humbling years of Ghana to the white-dominant London zone of Camden. Not everything was bad though, as he got to witness Camden's golden age where one could still see the late Amy Whinehouse just walking by or Chris Martin “right across the street,” he remembers. Like that energy that once used to pull him to the grounds of London has now transpired to the city that never sleeps; New York.
Kwes Darko lays it down clear that he is far from a newcomer in the East Coast scene. Like the music lover and A&R he is, nothing doesn’t make it to his ears and while he is gliding his way through New York’s music landscape, so is his interest and curiosity. On his radar is none other than AJRadico who certainly is making some exceptional noise in the NY rap world. Kwes also makes mention of Ishmael (or Ishmael Raps), a talented fashionable entity from Rochester who has dedicated himself to his craft for almost a decade. A few others appear to have set a mark in his roster as well such as Selah Marley that he’s been introduced to, Surf Gang, MIKE and a fair amount more. “Similarly to London, New York has the soil that every few years, it breeds something exciting,” is the mood he decides to end his list on. When Kwesi said he is a diamond digger, it surely isn’t an over-exaggeration, showing praise to the Harlem-Senegalese rapper Joe West who has since polished his unique sound to the point it is hard to ignore.
In a time where the UK music scene is as active and diverse as ever before, it is hard to believe that Kwes Darko wouldn’t be tapped in with its up and coming and exciting acts building up their core audience such as the likes of Jim Legxacy. To which he gladly responds: “It is all about divine timing” and giving us hope that the link up between them two is only a question of time. To be fair, Kwesi is not here to ride a wave, his mission is to develop artists. “No shade on the London scene but, when I’m in my own world, my blink is on,” referring to his prodigy John Glacier and their newest release ‘Found’. Something that Kwesi has demonstrated over and over again throughout his career; when he chooses to work with an artist, is to create a world in which both can grow from, and not just a few credits on selected songs. This organic get-together is one of the tools that makes him stand out from the crowd and which explains why his touch on artists such as Obongjayar is curated rather than saturated. From the tone and demeanour towards acts such as Bxks and Chy Cartier, it becomes clear that Kwesi has found comfort as a supporter rather than a collaborator to London’s rising community.
Speaking of comfort, this brings us to the reason for his biggest move yet; transitioning from London to New York. “Comfort is a crippling thing,” he admits while setting out his realisation. “Of course, mastering your craft is important but, in order to better your craft, you need to face challenges,” he adds for more clarity. For many decades, there has been the argument whether the UK holds a glass ceiling to how far one can go and the furthest one can achieve. This is why when you see successful artists such as Skepta, Lancey and now Central Cee catering more and more to an American audience, it does beg the question if there is only so much one can do due to the system in place only allowing UK artists to dream to a certain extent. This is a similar sentiment Kwesi seems to share, recounting artists who’ve reached the top and then, in retrospect, lost the spark that had made them in the first place.
Kwes Darko sees himself as the bridge from the booming scene of London to the Eastern coast of North America. Much like the late Quincy Jones who spent a large amount of his time exploring Western Europe to learn and gain inspiration for its distinctive music origin and its even more distinctive artisans, so is Kwesi on a quest not only to exchange with New Yorkers but grow with them, in hopes it will birth a new nation, so to speak. “I think it is key for us artists to travel through the storm,” he acknowledges with pure lights in his eyes. It is undeniable that adventure flows in Kwesi’s veins, and what better city to test your muscles than New York. And so, his ever-changing journey has brought him to this new chapter in life where he hopes to bring all of his expertise thus far to the East Coast and shift the paradigm as he is known to do very well. We, Deeds Magazine wish him nothing but the best on the start of a new era; Kwes Darko’s global take over.
