Jason Kennedy’s fruitless pursuit of music was beginning to seem absolutely silly.
The 33-year-old Centralia native’s desire for hip-hop relevance had collided violently with a depressing wall in Longview, where the death of his father and the absence of money had rendered his dream all but pointless.
“There was nothing for us anymore,” said Kennedy, known on stage as The Krisis. “For me to be doing my music really seemed ridiculous … It was at the expense of jobs. It was at the expense of bills.”
Kennedy may have been short on money. He may have been short of inspiration.
But there’s one thing Kennedy has never lacked: perseverance — a pure, relentless and constant will to see his aspirations molded into reality.
So, when he and his fiancee moved to Pullman, where she now attends Washington State University, the rapper continued to push.
His breakthrough came from the result of what some would describe as a failure.
Scheduled to headline a show, he learned that the venue had been double-booked with a more established act, the Ying Yang Twins.
It was his birthday, and his one wish had been denied.
Years ago, the gritty Centralian with a penchant for foul language and little fear of confrontation would have handled it differently. But this time was different. This was a man who had seen struggle, confronted it and hustled past it.
He paired his aforementioned perseverance with a pinch of professionalism, and it paid off.
“I just decided to run the high road and let it go,” Kennedy said.
A short time later, he received a phone call from the promoter offering him a chance to open for TechN9ne, a veteran of the genre with 15 major album releases under his belt.
Now, he’s scheduled to take the stage in the same show as T-Pain, a two-time Grammy Award-winning artist with a national following, Friday at the Roseland Theatre in Portland. It follows impressive performances with artists such as Whitney Peyton, Cautt Calhoun, the Ying Yang Twins and others.
And none of it would be possible if not for a few choice words from a good friend when Kennedy was pondering a return to Centralia after apparent failure in Longview.
Justin Ames, a Best Bartender of the Year Nominee for his work at The Hub in Centralia, was completely direct in his advice, Kennedy said.
“He told me, ‘If you move back to Centralia, it’s going to be considered a failure. ... Keep doing it. Keep doing it,’” Kennedy recalled.
Those final three words comprise Kennedy’s mission now that he’s digested a taste of success that has redefined his definition of personal accomplishment.
He wants to go bigger. He wants to perform better. He wants to provide inspiration, both for those who listen to his music and those who call Lewis County home.
Many of those people are responsible for his success.
In June, an online fundraising drive amassed $1,100 in three days, allowing him to travel to New York City to audition with Universal Records.
That trip created the framework for contract negotiations currently underway with a subsidiary.
Kennedy’s plan is to eventually bring a big-time artist to perform in Centralia, a gift for the people and places that formed him and allowed him to dream.
His affection for his hometown doesn’t supersede his desire to see his friends escape it, at least temporarily. Traveling elsewhere resulted in his current success, and he wants to see others accomplish the same sense of satisfaction.
“I love my hometown,” he said. “It’s tattooed to my arm. But my hope is that everyone gets out. You should only go back when you’re done.
“I want to continue to give them support and motivation.”
That’s not silly at all.
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Eric Schwartz is the editor at The Chronicle.
