Kyle Knight, an artist who is walking a path less traveled, knows what he wants and is working to get there

Kyle Knight, an up-and-coming hip-hop artist, stopped by the What’s The 411 studio for a wide-ranging interview with Keisha Wilson and to talk about his latest single, “Hey Sister”.

Dubbed a conscious rapper/lyricist, Knight equates conscious to life, and therefore, considers himself to be a life artist.

“The word conscious stands for the word life to which I am a life artist, a life rapper,” Knight stated. “I feel content and I feel strong and I feel confident enough to really work my niche, which is being a conscious artist. Now, I am not saying that everything I do is going to be conscious. There is going to be a lot of material that I write and things that I do. But, it is important that a young man such as myself comes out the gate right as an artist, in terms of songwriting, in terms of recording ability… that’s not to say I may not do something in today's radio type of feel, but where it is now, is really coming out the gate as strong as possible, as a life artist, as a conscious artist, conscious rapper.”

Knight’s father (David Knight) is also a musician; his production credits include a remix of SVW's (Right Here) and work with iconic rap legend Chuck D. Through his father’s influence and mentoring, Kyle got started in music at an early age. He also avoided “street pull” in his adolescent years because he found his individuality early and because he loved songwriting.

Fed on a wide variety of musical genres from classical leanings and influences like Motown to Nas, Michael Jackson, and Tupac; Kyle Knight's exposure to music broadened quickly. As his own interest in performing grew, so did his lessons on the gears and mechanics behind the craft. Areas of study included artist development, proper lyric writing, and artistry in recording vocals. Even his digging into the crates of old-school techniques became a foundation for his unique sound.

Knight, not concerned about going his own way, found inspiration when he traveled to Morocco and Ghana, two countries in Africa. What struck Knight most about Morocco and Ghana was the poverty, the history of the people, the music, and, of course, the people. This visit influenced Knight’s worldview and by extension, his perspective on life and songwriting.

Although just getting started as a professional, Knight sees in his future writing for other artists, expanding his song catalog, modeling street fashion with a GQ look, and acting in movies and TV, particularly street and activist roles.

You can stay in contact with Kyle Knight and purchase his latest single, “Hey Sister,” and his previous single, “The Truth” on his website, https://www.kyleknightmusic.com, and from there you can connect with him on social media.

TMZ is reporting that the artist that we all know and love, Prince, died today. Prince Rogers Nelson's body was discovered at his Paisley Park compound in Minnesota early Thursday morning.

The sheriff's office says they are conducting a death investigation currently and are notifying next of kin before releasing the name of the individual who died. An update is that his publicist has now confirmed the 57-year-old star's death.

Prince was renowned as an innovator and was widely known for his eclectic work, flamboyant stage presence, and wide vocal range. He was widely regarded as the pioneer of Minneapolis sound. His music combines rock, R&B, soul, funk, hip-hop, disco, psychedelia, jazz, and pop.

Prince's debut album, For You, was released in 1978, and his first platinum album, Prince featured the singles Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? and I Wanna Be Your Lover. His next three records—Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982)—continued his success, showcasing Prince's trademark of prominently sexual lyrics and incorporation of elements of funk, dance, and rock music. In 1984, he began referring to his backup band as The Revolution and released Purple Rain, which served as the soundtrack to his film debut of the same name. A prolific songwriter, Prince in the 1980s wrote songs for and produced work by many other acts, often under pseudonyms.

Last week, reports surfaced that the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was suffering from flu-like symptoms and had canceled two concerts on April 7, but he made it a point to perform a concert in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 14, even though he wasn't feeling well. On the way home, early on April 15, Prince started to feel worse so his plane made an emergency landing at Quad City International Airport in Moline, Illinois and he was rushed to a hospital by ambulance. Prince was treated and released three hours later, got back on his plane and went home.

Later on April 15, probably to calm down his fans, Prince tweeted: "#NowPlaying "Controversy (Single Version)" by @Prince in @TIDALHiFi : ) : )."

Of course, there is speculation that Prince's death is connected to his previous illness; however, it has not been confirmed.

Ironically, Prince protégé and former lover, Denise Matthews, aka Vanity, of Vanity 6, also died earlier this year on February 15, 2016, at age 57.

Prince Rogers Nelson was born on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota; he was 57. RIP