After a calculatedly quiet 2014, this year has already been a crazy one for Klassik. The Milwaukee rapper and multi-instrumentalist just got back from SXSW (where he performed solo and as one of Group Of The Altos’ 16-members). Saturday night, he’ll release Summer, the third EP of four seasonal releases he’ll put out in 2015. The Spring installment has garnered well-deserved praise both locally and from noted national publications. On Monday, Huffington Post‘s Brandi Andres gave the release a glowing review, saying, “Spring has everything it needs to launch this Milwaukee artist into the next-level stratosphere.”
That’s nothing compared to the recent attention Klassik received from an unlikely and awesome source. Yes, apparently New England Patriots All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski listens to Klassik.
This week, a blog called BLKMNDS leaked a mix CD Gronk reportedly gave to a reporter who was interviewing him. One of the songs was off the Spring EP.
Kellen “Klassik” Abston calls it “a random occurrence of the Internet” but was happy to learn Gronk had somehow stumbled across his music.
“It is admittedly pretty awesome to have a Super Bowl champion listening to my stuff, for sure,” Abston tells Milwaukee Record. “And it does make you wonder how many more of those instances exist and are occurring now.”
Klassik will release his Summer EP at mad Planet tomorrow night. The show begins at 9 p.m. and costs $7. No word on whether Rob Gronkowski plans to attend.