Klassik Archives | Milwaukee Record

My First Band: Kellen Abston (Klassik)

November 8, 2019

Listeners throughout Milwaukee, all around the Midwest, and in Rob Gronkowski's car know Kellen Abston for his extensive, eclectic, and altogether impressive body of work he's released under the name Klassik. O...

Backline selects Kaylee Crossfire, Klassik, REYNA for latest music accelerator program

Matt Wild

May 28, 2019

Tuesday night, Backline—a grant and educational initiative from 88Nine Radio Milwaukee and startup accelerator gener8tor—announced the recipients of its latest music accelerator and grant program. Rapper Kaylee...

Hear Klassik reinterpret time-tested material on his ‘American Klassiks’ live album

Tyler Maas

March 7, 2019

On November 16, a sold-out crowd packed Cactus Club to hear Milwaukee singer, rapper, producer, multi-instrumentalist and all-around visionary Klassik reinterpret time-tested spirituals, hymns, and anthems in w...

Join us at The Cooperage for our Milwaukee Day Showcase

Tyler Maas

February 25, 2019

About a decade ago, a group of friends realized Milwaukee's 414 area code had a striking resemblance to the numerals in April 14 (or 4/14) and decided to turn that coincidence into a full-blown local holiday. S...

Hear Klassik and Johanna Rose turn Woody Guthrie’s “Ship In The Sky” into an “American Klassik”

Tyler Maas

November 13, 2018

When Milwaukee rapper, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and all-around visionary Klassik isn’t busy crafting eclectic and incomparable music of his own, he’s reinterpreting time-tested spirituals, hymns, and anth...

Public Domain: Klassik performs “Amazing Grace”

Milwaukee Record Staff

August 2, 2017

Milwaukee Record is proud to present Public Domain. The monthly video series features Milwaukee musicians setting up at Colectivo Coffee to adapt some of the world’s best-known songs in ways they’ve never been ...

“Tribe UNCOVERED” redefines A Tribe Called Quest, showcases an eclectic Milwaukee music scene

Cal Roach

January 21, 2017

There are good reasons you don't hear a lot of rappers covering other rappers. Much of hip-hop's success lies in the idiosyncrasies of its MCs; individuality is job one, and the self-referential bent of rap ly...

Klassik uncovers the story behind Friday’s “Tribe UNCOVERED” show at Turner Hall

Matt Wild

January 17, 2017

Back in early 2016, Alverno College's long-running performing arts series, Alverno Presents, announced its current season would be its last. Among the many casualties of the announcement was Alverno Presents' ...

Alverno Presents’ UNCOVERED will return with reinterpretations of A Tribe Called Quest and Stevie Wonder

Matt Wild

December 5, 2016

Great news, fans of incredible one-night-only shows featuring some of Milwaukee's top talent reimagining the works of some of the world's top talent: Alverno Presents' previously defunct UNCOVERED series will...

Klassik completes the seasonal cycle with Autumn EP

Matt Wild

June 16, 2015

Klassik has always been a man for all seasons—he’s a musician, rapper, producer, and video director, among other things—but now he’s literally a man for all seasons. With the release of his new Autumn EP, Klass...

Exclusive: Listen to the Dashcam remix of Klassik’s “STAGESlayer”

Matt Wild

June 12, 2015

Klassik has always been a man ahead of the curve. Since bursting on the scene with 2012’s In The Making and 2013’s YRP (Young Rising Phenoms), the rapper/singer/musician/producer has continually raised the bar ...

Apparently Rob Gronkowski likes Klassik

Tyler Maas

March 27, 2015

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 Al...

Beat the winter blues with Klassik’s soul-warming Winter EP

Matt Wild

January 15, 2015

Milwaukeeans love to boast about their heartiness and resolve when it comes to the seemingly endless seasonal drag known as winter. We’re a tough and resilient people, we tell ourselves, able to endure the kind...

Listen to “Andromeda,” a spacey track from Klassik’s upcoming Winter EP

Matt Wild

January 5, 2015

We’ve already told you about the big year awaiting Milwaukee rapper/musician/producer/video director Kellen “Klassik” Abston, a year that will see the release of four EPs that will eventually lead to a new albu...

Klassik is poised for big things in 2015

Tyler Maas

December 26, 2014

Since hitting the scene in 2011, Kellen Abston (better known by his hip-hop moniker of "Klassik") has been in a state of perpetual motion. After making a name for himself in Milwaukee by way of 2012's In The Ma...

Watch Dana Coppafeel, SPEAK Easy, and Klassik in the video for “Wait”

Milwaukee Record Staff

July 10, 2014

What happens when Milwaukee rappers Dana Coppafeel, SPEAK Easy, and Klassik get together for a night on the town? If the new video for “Wait” is any indication, they hang out in photo booths, bowl a few games, ...

Watch Klassik search for a “Light” in new video

Matt Wild

June 17, 2014

In just a few short years, Klassik has established himself as one of the city’s best (and most versatile) artists, deftly mixing hip-hop, R&B, jazz, and pop into a smooth, crowd-pleasing cocktail. 2012’s In...

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