Black Kasper

For just a moment, imagine being a dark skinned Nigerian kid; with a British accent, growing up in the hoods of East Atlanta. That's exactly the story of Temidayo- Junior Olutunde Ajaka aka Black Kasper; who was born in London, England but moved to Memorial Drive in East Atlanta at the age of 5. The area this England born Nigerian moved into is known for being crime ridden and plagued by drugs and poverty. To grow up on the East Side of Atlanta requires having external toughness and street smarts. Black Kasper turned to rap music to quickly blend in with the new culture around him while developing a hard outer edge for survival. Picked on for being 'fat and black as hell', Kasper turned to poetry as a way to release his fueling emotions. By age 13, when he heard the song 'Cleaning out my Closet' by Eminem, he finally realized rap is what he wanted to do for a living. In spite of circumstances, Black Kasper always remained optimistic by dwelling in gratitude. "Most people argue wether the glass is half empty or half full— I’m just thankful that it’s water in the glass." He says of his views on life. A self proclaimed work a holic, Kasper admits he's sacrificed everything for his dream in his all or nothing approach to success. "I don’t see my family (Mom, Dad,Sis Niece) in ATL as much cuz I’m so busy FUNDING the dream, then I gotta chase it...