Interview with Anthony “Akim” Kim

Anthony “Akim” Kim is currently a full time law school student who also happens to be one half of the independent hip hop duo Vox Merger.

Born to a Korean father and Filipino mother, this Southern California born and raised MC is relatively new to the hip hop industry but has already worked with many well known Asian American artists and producers such as the Far East Movement, Chan, Bambu and Illmind.

Akim is hard at work finishing his law degree and also putting the finishing touches on the Vox Merger’s first album titled Mighty Ro Young & Akim Present…, which is slated to be released later this year.

We are pleased to present this interview with Akim to learn about him, his music and what he has in store for the future.

Please note that HalfKorean.com comments/questions are in BOLD.

Who is Akim?

Where were you born, raised and currently reside?
I was born in Gardena and raised in Norwalk, which I consider my hometown. I recently moved to San Diego for school.

How did your parents meet?
They met each other while working at the post office in Marina Del Rey.

Do you have any brothers and/or sisters?
No.

What is your level of knowledge of the Korean language?
My grandparents immigrated to Thailand around World War II so most of the relatives on my Korean side speak Thai, and not Korean. I actually spoke Korean pretty well as a kid though because my grandmother helped raise me and she always spoke to me in Korean. Unfortunately, as I got older, I was in a situation where I saw her very seldom, which resulted in me speaking less and less Korean, and I eventually forgot the language.

What is your favorite Korean food?
You can never go wrong with kalbi or bulgogi. We’ll have to go sometime!

Did you grow up around other mixed Koreans or people of mixed heritage in general?
I don’t recall growing up around any mixed-race Koreans. And you could probably count the number of Koreans at my high school on one hand. But after high school, I did meet a few.

Did you ever experience any identity issues while growing up?
When I was growing up, kids would often split up by race and I identified myself as just Filipino, not only for the sake of belonging to a group, but also because I was raised in a Filipino family. Since I’m also Korean and Chinese, some Filipino kids would say I wasn’t really Filipino. Korean kids would make similar remarks about me not being Korean. But, as I got older, I stopped feeling the need to fit into a particular group and started to appreciate all of the cultures that birthed me. But even in embracing these cultures, I don’t feel as if I have a true homeland. I’m just this Asian kid who grew up in America. It’s like, I’ve been so influenced by Western culture that I will probably never feel fully connected to Asia. And, at the same time, the racial realities that pervade so much of American life will probably make it so that I’ll always feel like I’m different here as well. In a lot of ways I feel stuck between these societies and not being completely a part of either one, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Hopefully, it has given me a broader worldview.

In general, do you think that the Korean & Korean-American communities are accepting of Koreans of mixed heritage?
I can’t speak for the Korean community but most Korean-American people I’ve met don’t seem to have a problem with me.

Have you been to Korea?
No, but it’s at the top of the list of places I’d like to visit.

What do people who meet/see you think your ethnicity is?
Usually Chinese or Korean. I’ve also had people ask if I was Vietnamese. Rarely does anyone think I’m Filipino. I was just in China and most everyone I met there thought I was Chinese.

Hip Hop & Law Student

What made you decide to rap & create hip hop music?
I’ve always been drawn to hip-hop and I can’t even remember a time when I wasn’t listening to rap music. I just remember being a young kid never being able to turn away when I seen cats rhyming, DJing, or breaking. I feel like I’ve always been in love with hip-hop. But for some reason, I just never had it in me to express myself through rhyme until after high school. When I finally laid a track, it sounded straight and I’ve been doing it since.

How long have you been rapping?
On and off for about 7 years.

How supportive are your parents/family in your music career pursuit?
My mom is pretty supportive of whatever I do. She didn’t put a lot of pressure on me to perform well in school or to follow a particular career path. This gave me a lot of latitude in finding myself as a person and allowed me to make life choices for myself, and not for someone else. But, at the same time, I also lacked the discipline that a lot of Asian kids are taught which made me one of the laziest people you’d have known. At the end though, I’ve still been able to find my way and how I was raised is something I’m grateful for.

What is Vox Merger and how was the group created? How about Illamental Entertainment?
Back in college, I was working at a Jamba Juice type shop in the gym. Ro would come in on Saturdays to ball and he’d stop by the shop before leaving. This was around the time I started laying tracks and he saw me writing and asked me if I spit. We chopped it up for a bit and he gave me a CD he recorded from back in the day and I was feeling it. We got together a little after that and laid our first track together called “Reasons”, which Todd Angkasuwan shot the video for. It’s been on ever since.

As for our name, the Vox Merger means a vocal merger. It comes from Ro and me having different vocal styles. He has a stronger voice while I’m a lot more laid back. Plus, we come from two different backgrounds and experiences. So our name comes from us just taking these differences and trying to merge them in a way that’s pleasurable for the listener.

Illamental Entertainment is our label. Check it out at www.illamental.com. Also check us out at www.kamikaziairlines.com. Big up to my man Dizzy Dustin of Ugly Duckling for backing the Vox Merger as well.

How would you describe the Vox Merger sound?
Like Jesus coming back!

What are some of your musical influences?
Just life and whatever is happening in the world around me. My mind gets so caught up in a lot of these issues that I can’t help but write about them. Also, whatever is going on in my personal life dictates what I write about. Most importantly though, whenever laying a track, I try to be as true to myself as possible even if what’s true for me today might not be true for me tomorrow.

As an up and coming artist, what is your take on the current hip hop scene as well as the music industry as a whole?
I’m not on the same page as the people who are constantly bashing hip hop saying it isn’t what it used to be. I’m a big fan of a lot of the newer artists. Fashawn is a beast. Blu is a beast. You can’t deny Drake. And there are so many more people out there killing it right now. I might not like everything that’s out but I don’t think me, or anyone else, is in a position to determine what kind of music should be made. Other than that though, I do wish there was more variety on hip hop stations. I can’t even listen any more cause it’s the same thing all the time.

What are some of your goals as far as with music? What do you want to accomplish?
To be honest, when I started doing this I didn’t really have any goals. I didn’t get into a studio until I was 22 or 23 and I only kept going with it cause the first thing I recorded sounded decent. I’m even happy just to say I’ve been on tracks with people that I’m a fan of. Anything else has been a bonus for me. Of course it’d be great to get our music out there more but considering the chances of actually making a living from music, I could never bring myself to pin my hopes on a rap career. That’s why I always kept going with school and other things in my life.

Has it been difficult to gain respect outside of the “Asian American/Pacific Islander” hip hop circle?
Not really. I think it’s different today, but even up to just a few years ago, more people would probably assume an Asian emcee was wack based on his or her race. But there are so many dope spitters that are Asian nowadays, less people make that assumption.

You’ve already worked with some fairly well known artists/producers (FM, Chan, Illmind, etc.). Is there anybody else that you are trying to hook up with?
I’m a big fan of the Blue Scholars so it’d be dope to do a track with Geologic. I discovered them a while back and they’ve been in my iPod’s playlist since.

When does the Vox Merger album drop?
Hopefully by Winter 2010!

Can you share with us anything about the album?
Most of the album is produced by Bamm Tronics. We got tracks on there with Illmind, FM, Bambu, Chan, and my label mates Triple Helix. We also got a track from the homie Kato from the ATL. Look out for him, he’s a beast.

Are there plans to tour at all once the Vox Merger album drops?
That’s the plan. My man Dizzy does an annual European tour. I’m gonna make him take us.

Do you have any plans to try to collaborate with artists in Asia (Korea, Philippines, etc.)?
No immediate plans but I’m all for the idea.

Do you happen to listen to any Korean hip hop?
No, but I probably would if I could understand the language.

How did you come up with “Akim” as your MC name? I take it that it is the first letter of your first name plus your last name. Is there anything deeper to it?
Haha, that’s pretty much it. There isn’t any deeper meaning to it.

Now, what is it like to be holding it down on the mic but at the same time also going to law/grad school?
CRAZY! Haha. Seriously though, it gets really difficult at times trying to do both but I still wouldn’t change a thing. I love music and it gives me an escape from school. I love the law but law school can get really stressful and can be a bit over-competitive for my tastes. People get so crazy about their grades, class rank, etc. and I don’t want to see my life be just about that. All I can do is balance my life, try as best I can in each area, and hope it’s enough to get me by.

What made you decide to pursue a law degree and once you graduate what do you plan to do?

For one, it’s interesting to study. We live in a complex society that demands certain things of its legal system. We have laws that are meant to punish criminals, deter potential criminals, and that are meant to protect the general public. To achieve all of these things, in a fair way, is no easy task and I have a greater appreciation for how difficult that can be. At the same time, we also have blatantly discriminatory laws that, by their very nature, negatively affect certain groups. Because of such laws, we can see why, for instance, black men are incarcerated at 6 times the rate of white men or why there is a gender gap in wages.

Ultimately, I think studying the law has provided me the opportunity to examine the law’s role in society, and has given me the ability to analyze certain social issues on a deeper level. I’m very grateful that I can pursue knowledge in this way because not everyone is given the chance to do so.

When I graduate, I’d like to pursue a career in criminal defense. But with the market the way it is, I may have to take whatever comes my way.

Random

What is your current relationship status? And do/did you have any specific preferences/attractions?
I’m currently in a relationship. I wouldn’t say I have any specific preferences but I have generally gravitated toward dating Asian women. I think similarities in culture and our shared experiences help me communicate with them on another level. However, I’m for people dating whoever they want.

Do you have any hobbies or interests that you do to relax?
I love eating good food so you might catch me at a nice restaurant with some friends to relax. Other than that, I’m probably reading or on the PS3 schooling cats on FIFA, Madden, NBA2K, or the Show.

Anybody you respect/look up to?
My parents. My grandparents. I also got an aunt and uncle that work pretty much 24/7 to support their entire family. I got so many strong people in my family with enough stories to fill this entire interview that I just won’t even go into it.

Do you drink/like soju?
Who doesn’t?

Since you share the same name, do people confuse you with pro golfer Anthony Kim at all?
I wish! Then I wouldn’t have to wait in line at the club.

I’ve seen pictures of you and Manny Pacquiao together. Are you and Pacman homies?
Haha. I don’t know him personally but the homegirl does. She trains at the Wildcard Gym and knows Freddie Roach pretty well so that’s how I met him. I was actually able to meet him twice. The first time was at his 30th B-day party at JLounge. The second time was at his house before the second Barrera fight, I believe. He has a ridiculous entourage!

How do you feel about other prominent mixed Koreans and have you met any of them?
I can’t really think of any. I know you! Also, I met Lisa Kim Fleming at Prohgress’s (FM) birthday party but she doesn’t know who I am so I don’t think that counts.

What was your take on Korea’s reaction to Hines Ward after he was MVP of Super Bowl XL?
I think it’s great that they’ve embraced him.

Do you get on the Internet often and, if so, what are some of your favorite websites?
Yeah. I’m usually logged into g-chat all day. When I’m online, I’m usually reading the news or on a social networking site.

How involved are you in the Vox Merger website/blog?
I’m not involved at all. All credit goes to Bamm Tronics, who is also my producer. He’s a dope emcee as well.

How did you find out about HalfKorean.com and what did you think about HalfKorean.com when you first saw it?
To be honest, it’s been so long ago that I can’t remember how I found out about it. But I think it’s a great site and much props to you for keeping it going.

Any words that you would like to pass on to the community?
Thank you to anyone and everyone that showed me love throughout the years. If you see me in the street, say whatup!

Be sure to check out Akim and the Vox Merger for information regarding their upcoming album via their official site VoxMerger.com, label websites Illamental Entertainment & Kamikazi Airlines and Vox Merger’s MySpace.

You can also connect directly with Akim at his personal MySpace and Twitter.

Interview by: David Lee Sanders

Posted: 7/16/2010

Back to Interviews

Vox Merger – “Reasons” music video

Vox Merger – “American Pie” music video