A Q&A with Mr. Kinetic
One of WQRT’s most beloved weekly shows ‘The Purple Crown’ celebrates 6 years this month. Mr. Kinetik is a DJ, emcee, singer-songwriter, musician, and producer who has been making music in Indianapolis since 2008 — thirty projects and counting. His influences run deep into the tradition he calls “The One,” that foundational groove running through blues, funk, soul, hip-hop, and jazz. He is the creator and host of The Purple Crown Show, airing every Saturday night at 9pm on WQRT-LP 99.1 Indianapolis, and the writer and publisher of the newsletter Exist In The Infinite. A featured artist with Red Bull House of Art and the Arts Council of Indianapolis, he has also been the in-game emcee for Butler University Men’s Basketball since 2009. March 28 marks the sixth anniversary of The Purple Crown Show.
Shauta Marsh: The name — The Purple Crown Show. Where does it come from and what does it mean to you?
Mr. Kinetik: Ok so, the name is interesting. I’d go to some of my family member’s houses, and I remember seeing these purple and gold bags with drawstrings. The bag said “Crown Royal” but I really didn’t know what that meant. I just liked the bags. So I found out that it was a drink that some of my family members liked. I remember seeing it at family parties and so on. So when I got ready to do the show, I wanted a name that reminded me of those parties. I obviously can’t call it the Crown Royal Show, so I flipped it to “The Purple Crown” because I liked the way that sounds. It’s a nod to my family, drinkers and non-drinkers, and all of our parties as family.
SM: Six years in, how has the show changed from what you originally imagined it would be?
MK: It’s taken on a life of its own. It is something that has become a greater part of my career than I could’ve realized. I didn’t know what to expect. I just wanted to keep going so I could have a way to connect with people. I think of it as having a conversation, sharing thoughts and feelings through the music I play.
SM: The Purple Crown Show launched in April (actually March 28, 2020) 2020, at the start of the pandemic. What was the impulse behind starting it at that particular moment — what need were you trying to meet, in yourself or in the community?
MK: I had a DJ gig at Luna Music the Saturday before most places started to close. It became very clear to me that I wouldn’t be DJing in public for an indefinite amount of time. The show became my outlet for DJing. I needed to be able to continue my craft because I love DJing. It became a meeting place, an opportunity for people to come kick it for a bit and listen to some funkysoul music. I figured somebody would dig it and need it the same as me.
SM: You describe your major influences as “The One” — that foundational groove that runs through blues, funk, soul, hip-hop, and jazz. How do you hear “The One” in the music you play, and how do you build a show around it?
MK: “The One” is that funk, that landing, that energy that keeps coming back. It’s an infinite thing. “The One” sets everything else in motion while holding it together. I want my shows to give energy to listeners and create a connection. I’m always thinking about music that can do that and how I can arrange it so the experience is on “The One.”
SM: You’re an emcee, singer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and DJ. When you’re behind the board on The Purple Crown Show, which of those selves is most present?
MK: The producer. Putting everything together in the way it should be, in that moment, is how I see myself as a producer. The other selves are tools to make the show work.
SM: You’ve built your own cosmology — LoveTron, the Highlands, #existintheinfinite, #jaaamaccordingly. How does that world connect to the show, and what does it mean to broadcast from it every week?
MK: The Purple Crown Show is my way of sharing where I’m from, how I hear and how I feel music. Broadcasting is a direct way of connecting with other people. The show is a signal that I’m living well, nourished by “The One” and funkysoul music. And I’m inviting folks to come spend some time with me for a bit.
SM: Six years is a long time to show up every Saturday night. What keeps you coming back?
MK: The response from listeners is what makes the show worth doing. Yes, it fulfills a part of myself and I’m very thankful for that. But ultimately, it wouldn’t mean anything without the listeners and the community that has been built via the show.
