On Wednesday, December 5, young artists gathered in the small stereo store, Noho Sound — off of Cooper Square in New York City — for an intimate evening with Brooklyn-based singer and songwriter, Kojo Stone, to celebrate the anniversary of his EP ‘Ego Trip.’
The project was released a little over a year ago after back and forth between recording studios, struggling relationships, and a period of homelessness. Without a doubt, Kojo put his all into ‘Ego Trip’ and it was the perfect setting to relive the creative process that went into the development of this project.
The ‘Ego Trip’ Concert Anniversary was curated by Flisadam Pointer, founder and editor-in-chief of Envert Entertainment. Some thought the environment resembled that of NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert series, and they couldn’t be more correct. As people were filing into the studio, they were greeted by musicians tuning their instruments and camera men taking test shots.
Once the room was settled, the event commenced with an interview conducted by Flisadam introducing everyone in the room to Kojo Stone and his accomplishments thus far. The interview itself was thought provoking not just for Kojo, but for all of the self-identifying artists in the room.
“Where is your mind set now?” she asked the artist. As he was thinking about a response, Kojo grimaced and you were sitting at the edge of your seat to hear his response. Essentially, the artist wants “a core fan base and to sell out shows.” The answer was so simple, but when you think about any recording artist, all they want is to have a good show, and for people to come and support. “When I perform it’s not for me, music was always bigger than me. Ego Trip gives you a story, an experience,” Kojo adds.
And an experience is what we received on that crisp evening, because what followed after the interview was a live performance. For those who were in that room, they understood what Kojo meant when he said, “‘Ego Trip’ was more of a reality.” Coming from a Black man who is experiencing life, everything is derived off of ego and that’s where the title emerged from. You heard it in the lyrics as he sang so angelically, and during the short interludes between each song.
If you missed the ‘Ego Trip’ Concert Anniversary, lucky for you it was recorded live and you find it online at Envert Entertainment. You can also listen to ‘Ego Trip’ on all streaming platforms including iTunes, Tidal, and Spotify.