Rapper Big K.R.I.T. hosts Christmas benefit concert at Terminal West
In 2005, rapper and producer Justin “Big K.R.I.T.” Scott, who’s from Meridian, Mississippi, started visiting Atlanta after the release of his debut mixtape, “See Me on Top.”
The project featured “They Gone Hate,” his first local hit that led to appearances at talent showcases at music venues the Royal Peacock Lounge and Poole Palace, where he earned a reputation for his deep Southern accent and stage presence. Still, he felt he had more to offer musically.
The performer connected with Atlanta rapper Big Floaty, got his first production credit and was confident he could become successful on his own terms and use music to express his humanity.
“It was a huge accomplishment for me and the first time I actually started producing something for people outside of Meridian, Mississippi,” K.R.I.T. told UATL.
Two decades later, K.R.I.T. — an acronym for King Remembered in Time — is hosting “Merry Kritmas,” a Christmas benefit concert, at Terminal West on Wednesday.
The sold-out show is hosted by comedian Karlous Miller, has surprise guest performances and donates a portion of proceeds from ticket sales to Goodr, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization that fights food insecurity. K.R.I.T. said the concert expresses his gratitude to fans.
“It’s being able to celebrate 20 years of me dropping music. I’m stepping back out, because a lot of people haven’t seen me rock out in a long time,” he said.
This month, K.R.I.T. released “Dedicated to Cadalee Biarritz,” an album of subwoofer-friendly bangers, soulful hooks and melodies named after his vintage 1985 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz. It’s his first project since 2022’s “Digital Roses Don’t Die.”
K.R.I.T. said he made tracks that paid tribute to his appreciation for Texas hip-hop and car culture. “This project was a dream come true. I grew up hearing Slim Thug, E.S.G. and Screwed Up Click mixtapes, and it made me want a slab (classic car) with neon lights and a trunk that pop up,” he said.
Time management, self-investment, perseverance and knowing your worth are themes K.R.I.T. addresses in song lyrics on “Dedicated to Cadalee Biarritz. The album — hosted by Miller — is sequenced like a radio broadcast with commercials between short songs.
K.R.I.T. was inspired to record new music after Miller tweeted about searching for music he could drive to. He said the car analogy is a way to give music substance and replay value.
“All of my music has been based on helping people get from point A to point B in their lives and create theme music in the moment for what they’re dealing with,” he said.
In 1998, K.R.I.T. started rapping and producing with MTV Music Generator, a sequencer program for Sony PlayStation. He later switched to trial versions of music software Fruity Loops, because he couldn’t afford to pay for tracks.
In 2010, K.R.I.T. was signed to hip-hop label, Def Jam Recordings. The prolific artist released his debut album, “Live from the Underground” two years later.
In 2014, he decided to leave Def Jam following the release of his second album, “Cadillactica” to start an independent record label, Multi Alumni. He said record executives weren’t certain how to market his music.
“I was super competitive, willing to prove myself and show what Mississippi was all about. Two weeks after I signed, people that were there were gone, so I had to reprove myself to an establishment that didn’t really know what my music was capable of doing,” he said.
K.R.I.T. credits his grandmother for instilling in him pride and confidence.
“She always kept it real, assured me that I could make music happen but to not fall into any traps. Her morals and what she stands for is what I put into my music,” he said.
K.R.I.T continued to release albums, tour and produce for rappers Lil Wayne and Wiz Khalifa. He said producing is less stressful than performing.
“It gives me the opportunity to work with artists. I don’t have to be part of the song initially, and it removes the competitive nature that happens when you write a verse,” he said.
K.R.I.T. has renewed energy after taking two years off and is committed to changing narratives around music from the Deep South.
“I can’t change how people view Mississippi, but I can shine a positive light on where I’m from. Once I figured it out, it made it easier for me to maneuver as an artist,” he said.
“I feel like talking about music again, because I now write from happiness, enjoyment and show that people still want to hear what I got to say.”
Big K.R.I.T.’s “Merry Kritmas” Album Release Benefit Concert. 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Sold out. Terminal West, 887 West Marietta Street NW, Atlanta. terminalwestatl.com
About the Author
Christopher A. Daniel is a Black Culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is an Atlanta-based, award-winning journalist, cultural critic and ethnomusicologist. He previously taught courses at Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University.
