Big Irie at SNS LA

We sat down with SNS LA family member Kendrick Allen aka Big Irie to discuss his passion for music, creative process and his most recent EP "RAPPIN' 4 MY SANITY". He graced us with a performance of selections from of his EP, recorded live at SNS LA.

SNS LA : Who are you, what do you do and what’s your relationship to SNS LA?

Big Irie : Yo! My name is Kendrick Allen aka Big Irie aka the best rapper that you're probably not listening to. If I’m not working on music you can catch me on the sales floor at SNS LA selling shoes and cracking jokes.

SNS LA : How long have you been pursuing your love for music and when did you know you wanted to become a performer?

Big Irie : I've been taking this music thing serious for about 2 years but this has been something I think I’ve wanted forever. There's an A$AP Rocky line that goes "My whole life I just wanted to be a rapper." That's me in a nutshell. I love love love love music. I remember being a kid and stealing my older brothers CD player and listening to 50 cent’s Get Rich and Die Tryin', Kayne's College Dropout, and Eminem's The Eminem Show. Its crazy cause I still can picture myself playing these albums start to finish over and over rapping lyrics to myself at school not knowing what ANY of them really meant. But that feeling that I used to get hearing those songs is that same feeling I get hearing music these days. There's something about hearing words on a beat that just resonates with my soul and takes me away. A few years ago at the Regent Theater, there were these Soulection monthly shows. Feeling that energy and seeing those artists perform was when I knew I wanted to be on that stage.

SNS LA : Walk us through your creative process for Rappin’ 4 My Sanity.

Big Irie : Rappin’ 4 My Sanity was created last year at the start of the Covid lockdown. The lockdown coincided with a time where I was feeling really depressed and just stuck. Felt like my life had no direction or meaning, and I hated feeling like that so I just turned to music and started writing. I’d wake up, pray, turn on my mac and hit the ground running. Everyday for 3 months I was looking for beats and using music as an outlet to heal myself. The studio became like my therapy and rappin’ was my escape from dealing with everything that was so heavy for me last year. From Kobe passing, to police brutality, to me just trying to find my way. Hence the title ‘Rappin’ 4 My Sanity’.

SNS LA : Any final words of encouragement to the people reading?

Big Irie : Chase your dreams, like REALLY chase your dreams. Dedicate your time, energy and love into what you want to do. Stop caring so much about social media and be honest with yourself and your relationships with people. Get up and do things. This world is crazy, hold onto your loved ones.