Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Kros.
Hi Eric, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Music has been in my life for as long as I can remember.
The earliest memory, I have of my introduction to music is on VHS tape, stored somewhere at my parent’s house. I think I was around the age of 3 or 4 when my father had turned on his sound system and played, “Oye Como Va” by Santana. With that, my father had many genres playing as well. From hip-hop, Pop to RnB, I was around it from sun up till sundown.
Around 1997 or 1998, I was maybe 7 or barely turning 8, there was a music channel called, “The Box Music Network”. It was channel 58 on our local station and it was pretty much everything MTV had but viewers were able to call in and pick which song they wanted to hear next. The selection was endless and I was dialing in everything that had me lip-syncing like I was the one on TV.
I remember my dad walking into the house after his shift and asking why the phone bill was so high. But at that point, my dad realized my love for music was more than anything he thought I was interested in.
I was listening to every mainstream genre but the one that stood out to me most was Hip-hop. At that age, I never understood the meaning behind the lyrics or what they portrayed but I was drawn to them. Around the age of 11, my parents bought me my first CD player and let me pick out whatever CD I wanted. I went straight to the shelf and picked out an album by Ludacris, “Back For The First Time”. The production of this project is what started it all.
I began writing song lyrics from my favorite artists on paper and reciting them to myself. Discovering new artists and music in a ten-year span, I started to understand the words and what message these artists were expressing in a 3-minute song. I was in tune with my emotions and I would find tracks that would relate to how I was feeling.
I didn’t feel the need to write their lyrics anymore because they spoke what I felt and all I had to do was memorize what I was listening to.
Around the age of 24, I was just a music fan just living my life. I experienced many hardships in my 20s and I had gotten to the point where I had nothing. In 2016, I had gotten laid off and my girlfriend left me. I had no money, no job, no transportation, and no place to call my own.
I was at the lowest of lows and moved back to my parent’s basement. I was there a couple of weeks and I just wanted to call it quits. I felt like I had enough and just didn’t feel the need to survive any longer.
Now the thing that’s been with me through everything was music. I pulled up my notepad on my phone and just started typing how I felt in rhyme form. That’s when I realized that I could change everything by expressing my thoughts in rap form. I wrote day and night until I was confident enough to get behind the mic. I had no equipment at the time and my cousin, Hensen did.
He let me record what I had written and I didn’t have any doubt about what I wanted to pursue. Music literally carried me through life and it saved me from ending it.
I was given a second chance to start fresh with a healthier mindset. I released a few tracks and they received positive reviews and I had gotten great feedback from people from all around the world. It was whole new confidence. I’m still a fan of the music but now I get to be on the creative side and experience it from an artist’s perspective.
I was fortunate enough to be part of a couple of groups from Salt Lake and was blessed to have my first live performance alongside them. I’m solo now but without that opportunity and comradery, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I’m far beyond the artist that I was when I started this. My craft has given me a great amount of support, great friends, and an actual recording studio to call my second home. Although I’ve lost plenty along the way, I’ve gained enough back to keep me going.
2021 was the most difficult year, I’ve endured in my life. Deaths, conflicts, and self-doubt is the majority of what brought me down again. I had to put music aside and was out for about a year. I never stopped writing though! I made my return to music on January 24, 2022, two days after a video shoot for my good friend, Shafer. The song is called, “Salted”, featuring LNX and Zac Ivie; also from Utah.
I used that momentum as a comeback and it’s a great time for me to be back!! Along with this interview with VoyageUtah Magazine, I have so many dope things in the works and I’m anxious to announce them to the world. They’ve been anticipating my return and I want to give them everything I got!!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I honestly wish I could say it was a smooth road. I think my biggest challenge is having to balance my family life, work-life, and chasing my dreams. Some days, I have it all in order and some days I lose control but I keep pushing. It’s all or nothing for me.
The other obstacle I let myself get too low on is the amount of support I have. I love the people who’ve supported me after all these years! A majority of them are fans of other artists I’ve met just through music and are friends with me to this day. I’m grateful to have met them.
What used to bring me down is the support from friends and family. I would’ve loved to see them at shows or share my music. My style of music might not be their preferred music style but being someone you’ve grown up with all your life or have a special bond with, it shouldn’t take much to show support.
That goes with negative comments as well. Starting out, I heard people talk and saw DMs stating things that were just out of context. So I’m just at a point where I separate myself from them and make sure I give credit to those who support me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I can proudly say that I’m a rapper! I have a recording studio in South Salt Lake with my good friend Mike. Growing up, I’ve always been inspired by lyricists, so I incorporate that style and delivery when I’m writing. I feel like I’m quite versatile when it comes to my delivery. It really depends on the tempo and feeling I get when I first hear it.
My audience loves when I rap fast but they also love when I switch my flow up and just rap at a steady pace. They can appreciate the fact that no matter how I flow, my message gets across with style and clarity. I’m proud that I’m able to take my life experiences and incorporate those enduring times into my craft hoping the audience will be able to relate to me and what I’ve gone through… Good or bad.
I know there are those who are uncomfortable or have struggled to express themselves so my hope is they can find what they’re looking for when they come across my music. Lastly, What sets me apart from others is the fact that my only competition is the person in the mirror. I don’t find it beneficial for me to be better than anyone else.
I never fit in with any of my peers at any point in my life and I find myself lucky to be part of a movement where I’m able to fit in by standing out.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Being alone isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s the strength to stand strong on your own, and in times of struggle comes a time to celebrate how far you’ve come.
No matter what I put my mind to, there will always be those who will doubt me, those who will speak negatively about me and just intentionally try and tear me down. I’ve learned to let that fuel me and keep chasing this dream. Let your success speak for itself.
Contact Info:
- Email: Krosxbreed@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krosbreed/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/krosbreed
Image Credits
Fed Porras, Ruben Silva, and Joly Yath
