Name: Newkid (Alexander JR Ferrer)
Locality: Stockholm, Sweden by way of Uddevalla
Crayon Color:Orange ray--against a black light. Strobes, lasers, headlights, etc.
The Story: 21-year-old Newkid grew up in Uddevalla with obvious US hip hop influence (Lil Wayne), but with the incorporation of world acts as well, such as the young Swedish electro hip-hop duo Lorentz and M.Sakarias. Meeting them at the age of 16 kick-started his career, as he was soon placed on the songs “Lever min dröm (Living My Dream)” and “Swischa forbi.”
Newkid dropped a mixtape in 2009 called “Newkid On The Block” featuring rapping and singing in Swedish and English. He got signed to Sony Music through Baseline Entertainment soon after and released his debut album, Alexander Jr. Ferrer, on April 15, 2011. The album boasts of youthful energy, mistakes and triumphs of growing up, and not wanting to at the same time.
On “Stadium Status” he talks about how he is meant for great things but it wasn’t always an easy road. One of the very people trying to hold him back from a music career was his father. He would tell him to do his homework because he wouldn’t make it in the industry “Det är något jag skämsöver men jag är också stolt över att jag vågade ([The song] is something that I am ashamed of but I am also proud I dared to do)” he tells SvD Kultur.
On “Baby?” Newkid plays God’s gift to women. There seems to be so many, he can’t remember the exact monikers so he asks, “Is it easy if I call you baby? (Är det lugnt om jag kallar dig baby?)"
But a deeper tune is heard on “Jag Gråter Bara I Regnet (I Cry Alone in The Rain)." A girl has done him wrong, tore him to pieces and spit on his wounds (tills du slet mig i stycken spotta på mina sår) but that’s not the worst part. The worst part is she stood with him in the rain only to break down his protected heart. Claiming she did not know exactly what she wanted (hon vil ha vitt, hon vil ha svart… hon vil ha allt [she wants to be white,she wants to be black, she wants it all]), in the end he tells her that she can take off her rain coat—a surrender and a giving-up at the same time.
He has performed with Ryan Leslie and Bobby Valentino in the past. Now Alexander JR. Ferrer aka Newkid is counting all his marbles to see if he will win the coveted golden P3 Guld award (Sveriges Radio) on January 21. He’s nominated for the “Newcomer” and “Hip-Hop/Soul” categories. Good Luck!
Coloring Outside The Lines Because- Hip hop is truly universal (just check out his lint remover “swag!”) Newkid brings two worlds together that you would think are different, but bridges the gap. Flow is on point, with a beautiful accent. Feeling behind the songs? Check. Great songwriting? Check. R&B slim heart-breaker look? Check!
