When it comes to words and social commentary, rapper, poet and producer I.K.P. has no shortage of them or ways to express them. The Infamous King of Positivity (the full name of the artist known by his initials “I.K.P.”) possesses a rhyme style that is informed in equal parts by the multi-layered sophistication of hip-hop culture’s New York golden and platinum-era generation of the mid to late 1990s and by the stylistic diversity found in his Virginian roots.
 

Born, Kenny M. Alvarez in the East New York section of Brooklyn in New York City, he is the last child to a family of Central American origin. Growing up in Norfolk, Virginia, I.K.P. began writing rap songs in his teens, being heavily inspired by the likes of pioneers such as KRS-One and Ice Cube, legendary MCs like, Nas, The Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z, and style-shifting rhymers like T.I., Ludacris and Eminem. I.K.P. cites his high school English teachers as early influences and motivators for strengthening his writing abilities due to his penchant for succinct sentence formation.
 

During his five-year service in the United States Marines Corps, I.K.P. continued to hone his performance and recording skills. His moniker, “The Infamous King of Positivity”, is a dual meaning that represents a devotion to creating music that focuses on positivity and sharing his compassion for the communities affected by HIV and AIDS. After being discharged honorably in 2008, I.K.P. moved to Florida to attend Full Sail University, studying Recording Arts and graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Business. The skills he learned while in school have allowed him to plant the seeds in developing his own entertainment enterprises.
 

On September 26, 2011, I.K.P. released his official debut album, Ignoring the Known Protocol, which includes the single, “Let It B. Known”, which was nominated at the 7th Annual OutMusic Awards, an honor that is presented to top talent in the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) community. The full-length album also includes the singles “Hunt Me Down” and “Novocaine (Push & Pull)”. After the release of his album, I.K.P. has shifted his focus to working with a plethora of collaborators for their projects and has decidedly continued to focus even more on music production. His next project, the I.K.P. 4 President series boasts an all-star cast of urban LGBT artists that have aligned with him to help push forward the importance of unity in the culture.

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The message in the music is simple: Positivity trumps pain, and Positivity is key to progression.



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