Senay Kenfe
Senay Kenfe is a bad writer, decent street photographer, and aspiring b-list celebrity from Long Beach, California. A true native to LA street culture as well as a contributor to the local music scene, Senay is here to say something not on the minds of most. When not eating up more space with his consistently growing record collection, he can usually be found in your favorite blog's comment section trolling you.
More by Senay Kenfe
B+ on Staying True, a Photographer's Responsibility, & His Expansive New Book 'Ghostnotes'
11.21.17 — "I always had this notion that somehow, there’s bigger stories to be told that aren’t being told." An unsung hero & real student of the culture, photographer B+ has documented...read more
3rd Ward Representative :: A Conversation with Houston Rap Luminary Fat Tony
04.24.17 — A key figure in shaping Houston's music scene in the past decade, and a champion of DIY, we caught up with first-generation Nigerian-American rapper Fat Tony before his tour with...read more
Surprise! SXSW Is Not for the Culture
03.22.17 — Most A&Rs and music journalists are using this fest as their opportunity to get outside of a chilly New York winter—not to look for the next "big thing." Those days...read more
Group Effort :: The 5 Best DOOM Collaborations
03.06.17 — DOOM has always been able to round up a intimidating crew of rhyming cohorts to come together and beast out on his releases. Here are the best collaborations, from Kurious...read more
By Any Memes Necessary :: KA5SH on the Culture-Pushing Art of Making Memes
02.21.17 — In a world poisoned by fake news, there's only one medium of truth left: The Meme. We talked to memer KA5SH on the divide between black and white Twitter, ownership,...read more
5 Songs that Outline Hip-Hop's Persistent Presence in Politics
01.20.17 — Hip-hop has never had a problem with articulating & impacting social injustice in this country. To remind ourselves of just how much rap will forever have a stake in politics,...read more
DJ/Producers The Martinez Brothers Found Their Beat in the Sounds of the Bronx
01.08.17 — "Bronx people have their own attitude. Whether you make it out or not, it never leaves you." The Martinez Brothers pay homage to their hometown and talk about how DJing...read more
Embrace Vulnerability :: Meet Experimental R&B Artist Arima Ederra
11.28.16 — "I feel like vulnerability is mandatory for an artist. I feel like we are a channel for people who can’t express what we express." Arima Ederra on her Temporary Fixes...read more
Welcome to the Row :: 5 Lost Gems of Death Row Records
11.03.16 — From Lady of Rage's Necessary Roughness to the Christmas on Death Row collaboration, Senay excavates some serious history and revisits Death Row Records' best forgotten/overlooked albums.read more
The Many Faces of Madlib :: 5 Albums that Reveal the Oxnard Native's Genius
11.01.16 — From Madvillainy to Champion Sound, we travel through time, reflecting on the classic records that certified the status of Madlib in the music world—one of the greatest to ever do...read more
From 'Professional Homie' to Interscope A&R, Pusharod's Key to Success
09.12.16 — Inside the mind of Pusharod, an A&R at Interscope who came up from being what he calls a "professional homie" for YG and DJ Mustard. Here's a peek into his...read more
Meet Aplusfilmz, the Crew Behind Schoolboy Q's Striking "John Muir" Video
09.02.16 — We talked to the film crew behind one of our favorite music videos of 2016, in which a car plays a central character in a West Coast hood tragedy.read more
The Two Sides of Q :: A Review of ScHoolboy Q's "Blank Face LP"
07.26.16 — Schoolboy Q's Blank Face LP is the story of a divided man—a ex-gangster who used his experiences in life to make his own rags to riches story, only to simultaneously...read more
"You Gotta Be Hungry, Man, At All Times" :: A Q&A with Azizi Gibson
07.06.16 — "If you can create something other than what we all know, that's beautiful. You just have to create your 360 panoramic world." Rapper Azizi Gibson talks relevance, vanity labels, &...read more
5 Songs That Outline Hip-Hop's Persistent Presence in Politics
04.25.16 — Hip-hop has never had a problem with articulating & impacting social injustice in this country. To remind ourselves of just how much rap will forever have a stake in politics,...read more
Tyrone Bourdain & His Travels Through Egypt, Part 1
02.19.16 — Senay's alias Tyrone Bourdain muses on culture, the economical differences of America and Egypt, and the projected stereotypes of Africa versus its realities as he travels across the African continent.read more
The Progression of Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire
02.02.16 — Misunderstood by the major label that signed him and misrepresented by music media, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire did the only thing he knew best: He consistently stayed true to himself.read more
STAY WOKE :: Meet OSHUN, the New Face of Afro-Futurism + Music Video Premiere
12.17.15 — "It’s not easy, period, to be outward about who you are and just be so bold in your truth. The only way to be able to do that is to...read more
INGLEWOOD'S OWN :: Skeme On His Latest Album & Creative Hustle
12.16.15 — Skeme talks his latest album Ingleworld 3 and goes deep on industry insight, neighborhood politics, creative hustle, and the importance of perfecting a full album in a single-driven industry.read more
MED on His Collaborative Project with Blu and Madlib, BAD NEIGHBOR
12.07.15 — "We're going to do what we want to do—which is good music, man." Oxnard rapper Medaphoar aka MED on witnessing the maturation of his scene; his new project, "Bad Neighbor;"...read more
A Rallying Call :: Kendrick Lamar's Kunta's Groove Sessions in Los Angeles
11.25.15 — "Ten minutes into watching this sold out multicultural young audience at the Wiltern chant the words 'We Gon Be Alright' and I'm beginning to truly appreciate the legacy of the...read more
MR. LA HAS ARRIVED :: A Conversation with RJ
11.24.15 — "When I die, you’re going to know RJ was a genuine motherfucker." Senay Kenfe chops it up with LA rapper RJ on why so many people are "tardy" to what's...read more
The Future of New York :: A Night with Ratking
11.17.15 — Anticipating Sporting Life headlining our SPITSET show this Thursday in New York, we revisit Senay Kenfe's interview with the rap trio from last year during their tour stop in Los...read more
Return of the Neighborhood :: Shafiq Husayn & Krondon's White Boiz Project
10.08.15 — "Life will burn things off of you, that’s the thing that purifies you." Producer Shafiq Husayn and rapper Krondon on their newest music project White Boiz, consciousness, and the hip-hop...read more
L.A.'s OverDoz. on Their Upcoming Album "2008" & Working w/ Pharrell
10.01.15 — We sit down with rap quartet OverDoz., who are headlining our free SPITSET show in LA tomorrow. In the midst of working on their new album at THC studios, we...read more
Sweater Beats on Live Instrumentation & the Evolving EDM Hip-Hop Crossbreed
09.08.15 — "...That’s what I love about electronic music. It keeps evolving and you can do anything you want." Sweater Beats on the relationship between being a producer & beatmaker and why...read more
Welcome to the D :: Guilty Simpson Perseveres in the Rap Game
08.17.15 — "I almost feel like when I’m doing my art, that’s my way of being selfish with what inspires me." Stones Throw signee Guilty Simpson shares wise words in this illuminating...read more
Mutated Bros and the Death of Subculture :: A Weekend at HARD Festival 2015
08.09.15 — "Festivals of today remind me of the slow death of the subcultures in America, and the ability of the Internet to blend and hodgepodge genres that formerly were diametrically opposed...read more
Get to Know Emerging Hip-Hop & Future Music Collective CXSHXNLY
08.03.15 — Meet the working conglomerate of global artists that brought you the "It G Ma" American remix and more: the CXSHXNLY collective.read more
Passion & Perseverance :: Meet the Founder of L.A. Streetwear Brand Above Average
07.30.15 — "You know what? I'm gonna give it a shot." Corey Populus, the founder of Los Angeles streetwear brand Above Average on how perseverance and passion have pushed his brand to...read more
Open Mike Eagle on the Value of Innovation in an Ever-Changing Hip-Hop World
07.17.15 — Senay Kenfe chats with Open Mike Eagle about LA's underground hip-hop community, the significance of song lyrics, and how the definition of hip-hop is constantly changing in this modern age.read more
"Driving While Black," a Socially Conscious Dark Comedy Starring Koreatown Oddity
07.03.15 — Senay attends the LA premiere for politically charged comedy Driving While Black and fills us in now that the film is available for streaming online.read more
Q&A with Dom Kennedy on the Benefits of Being an Independent Artist in 2015
06.04.15 — Senay caught up with Dom Kennedy to talk about the progression of his artistry and self-sufficiency in 2015's music industry. He'll be at The Hundreds Los Angeles this Friday...read more
Choose Your Weapon :: Melbourne Future Soul Group Hiatus Kaiyote Is Taking Over
06.01.15 — We interviewed Melbourne future soul group Hiatus Kaiyote, one of the most buzzed-about bands of 2015, co-signed by the likes of Prince & Erykah Badu, & found out they love...read more
L.A.'s Experimental R&B Duo J*DaVeY Makes Their Big Post-Hiatus Comeback
05.19.15 — Senay sits down with J*DaVeY, the experimental R&B duo whose synth-tinged tracks in the early 2000s proved to be prophetic of future R&B sounds by current artists. Always two steps...read more
Let the Music Speak :: A Conversation with Beatmaker & Producer Knxwledge
05.04.15 — "[Music] is just my version of church." Senay Kenfe spent a day driving through Hollywood with Knxwledge, Stones Throw signee, beatmaker, and one of LA's most deft rising creatives, whose...read more
How The #KylieJennerchallenge Got Me Banned from Facebook
04.26.15 — "Black features are so stylish and in – just don't let it be on a black woman's body." An essay about the underlying racial issues behind trends like the lip-disfiguring...read more
An Interview with the Enigma & Rapper That is Coney Island's Your Old Droog
04.23.15 — We interview the Coney Island rapper that the Internet initially speculated was Nas's alter-ego and turned out to be in a lane of his own. read more
"We Are Storytellers" :: Sub Pop's Seattle Hip-Hop Duo THEESatisfaction
04.14.15 — Afrofuturistic hip-hop duo THEESatisfaction share a refreshing account of how it was growing up as black women in the Pacific Northwest, balancing between artistry and politics, and why their "mission"...read more
9 Must-See Coachella Acts and Why
04.09.15 — Seeing as Coachella weekend 1 is right around the corner, Senay Kenfe compiles the list of acts to keep your eyes on while you're out and about, dying in the...read more
The Mark of a Businessman :: Tyga Partners with L.A. Gear to Release "Liquid Gold"
04.05.15 — Senay Kenfe attended the release party for Tyga's "Liquid Gold" shoe with L.A. Gear and came through with a mini-essay on the rapper as a uniquely clever mogul in an...read more
Post-SXSW Malaise :: The Art of Finessing the Plug
03.31.15 — A week after SXSW 2015, Senay Kenfe reflects "the art of finessing the plug" – aka how to be recognized as "somebody" at festival networking events where perceived social capital...read more
7 SXSW 2015 Acts to Look Out for, from Iman Omari to Your Old Droog
03.14.15 — Our resident music-head Senay Kenfe rounds up his 7 most anticipated acts to watch for at SXSW 2015, including Iman Omari, BJ the Chicago Kid, Hiatus Kaiyote, THEESatisfaction, NxWorries, and...read more
L.A.'s OverDoz. on Their Upcoming Album "2008" & Working w/ Pharrell
03.10.15 — We sit down with rap quartet OverDoz. in the midst of working on their new album "2008" at THC studios, and talk about group dynamics and how the bubbling new...read more
The Life of Rapper Thurz :: Inglewood's Favorite Son
02.17.15 — We sit down with rapper Thurz about his progression as an artist in LA, his conscious effort to move away from sampled material, shifting from mixtape to online, his upcoming...read more
Queens' Finest :: How Homeboy Sandman Sets the Bar for NY Rap
02.03.15 — Senay interviews Queens MC Homeboy Sandman and learns the surprising reason why he's so prolific and his unique take on what makes music "commercial" in 2015.read more