“I Hear A Lot Of OutKast, 8Ball, MJG & UGK In Him But He’s Doing It All In His Own Way”

With the buzz still building off Big K.R.I.T.'s recent Live from the Underground release, fellow Southern rapper rap veteran 8Ball talked to SOHH and offered his take on the emcee's rising popularity.

In 8Ball’s perspective, K.R.I.T.’s style contains traces of his pioneers on the records he drops.

“Yeah, definitely man, like I said, I really didn’t know K.R.I.T. before a lot of the world got aware of him, so I didn’t really witness a lot of his struggle. But from the first mixtape I heard up until now, and looking at his fan base, and if you look at all the people he’s worked with, from The Roots to 8Ball & MJG and everything in between, that’s like a big [accomplishment]. He’s done stuff with a lot of people. It’s all good music and I can’t be nothing but proud of him because he’s another Southern pioneer. He reminds me of such much I love in my world of hip-hop. I hear a lot of OutKast in him, I hear a lot of 8Ball & MJG in him, I hear a lot of UGK in him but he’s doing it all in his own way. And you can’t do nothing but respect it.” (SOHH)

Last year, UGK’s Bun B discussed the evolution of K.R.I.T. as an artist.

“K.R.I.T. is just somebody that we’ve been watching for a while now, where they evolve into who he’s becoming, and I just had a lot of support for him in the background,” Bun B told XXL. “This is one of the first opportunities we had to work together, and I think it’s important when we recognize your upcoming talent like the Big K.R.I.T.s in the world.” (XXL Mag)

Recently, the Mississippi rhyme spitter told SOHH he hoped to do a few joint projects in the future.

“It’s crazy. I’m definitely going to do a [project] with two people. It’s three people I say [I want to do something with]. Me and Big Sean definitely will have a project because we’re already a group, technically. His album is dropping first. He’s going to drop a project and then we’re going to start working on a group project. Of course, Yelawolf. He’s my country cousin. Me and him going to do a project together. And then I would definitely [want] do a project with Bun B.” (SOHH)

His Live from the Underground studio release debuted at No. 5 last month.

Leading the pack this week is Big K.R.I.T.’s Live From The Underground at No. 5 . According to Nielsen SoundScan, the Mississippi-bred emcee’s long-awaited LP has sold 41,300 copies after seven days in stores. (SOHH Sales Wrap)

Check out some recent Big K.R.I.T. footage below: