King Kino

King Kino

Born on December 23, 1962 in Haiti, King Kino is best known for as Controversial Charismatic Haitian vocalist. The often controversial always charismatic King Kino has emerged on the scene backed by the creative muscle of a new Haitian label with an eye for choosing the right artist at the right time. Kino joins Beethova Obas, Raymond Cajuste and other 'cutting-edge' artistes at the avant-garde label Muzik Arts.

Kino formerly of the group Phantoms has been at the forefront of Haitian music since releasing the classic song "Cowboy" in 1992. The song borrowed the famous "Dirty Harry" whistle and was tinged with country and western beats while openly discussing the right-wing para-military groups that were terrorizing Haiti. "The army did not like the song, they shot people--people died for that song, for playing it. People cried for that song. That song was a revolutionary song in the country. Makes people cry, makes them laugh. It was funny. It was the song of the country." Kino told the Revolutionary Worker in an 1997 interview.

Kino was forced to go into exile after being told that he was a target of the Military regime that had toppled President Aristide. He says of his triumphant return "My first concert back in Haiti was on December 23, 1993, over 60,000 people at the concert. I didn't sing one word of that song. I just start the song, the audience picked it up and finished it."

Kino would find himself in the center of controversy again in Brooklyn, New York. Kino and his band Phantoms were performing every Friday night at Club Rendez-Vous on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. The club was extremly popular for being one of the few places that offered Haitian music on a regular basis. Abner Louima, a young Haitian-immigrant who would frequent the club was speaking to Kino early Saturday morning in front of the club before Louima got picked up by the police who came to the club for an altercation in which he was not involved.

Louima's brutal treatment by the NYPD cops reminded Kino very much of the "cowboys" in Haiti. Kino and the band became very outspoken taking place in rallies and discussing the incident and its implications on U.S. national television. Louima succesfully sued the department.

His first single on Muzik Arts could easily be mistaken for a party song, but as in most songs by Kino there is a message, and a controversial one at that just in time for the 200th anniversary of the Haitian Revolution. Kino a consumate perfectionist continues to tour and record.

Source.afiwi.com

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