For two decades San Jose native Kung Fu Vampire has batted away record contracts even as he’s charted favorably and toured with the biggest names in horrorcore. Like an undead, white-irised Frankie Blue Eyes, he’s done it his way. In 2016, with Look Alive, he ditched the colored contacts and Bella Lugosi do in favor of chonky shades and a ball cap. He celebrates his latest LP with his first hometown show in three years. Come Dawn finds Kung Fu embracing a neon palate, wild hair and a new electric ride. Album opener “1986” has him rolling up to the party “like Elon Musk.”

Kung Fu Vampire
Fri, 8pm, $15+
The Ritz, San Jose

Ahead of his 24-date U.S.-Canada tour, Kung Fu Vampire is thinking about his hometown.

“There’s all this talent here,” the local horrorcore rapper says. “There are so many great emcees, but no one’s stepping up and saying ‘I’m gonna be that guy.’”

That guy is whoever will stay in San Jose after breaking big, in order to draw national attention to the largest city in Silicon Valley. It’s a concern many local creatives are voicing: who can rise to the top and succeed—in music, or the arts—in this increasingly tech-centric city.

If you haven’t heard of Kung Fu Vampire, you’re probably new to the South Bay. Welcome. The San Jose rapper and producer has been releasing solo records since 2001. Along the way, he’s landed prominent features on tracks by Bay Area legend E-40, horrorcore pioneer Brotha Lynch Hung and underground sensation Tech N9ne. He is currently touring behind his latest effort, Look Alive, and is scheduled to play The Catalyst in Santa Cruz this Saturday.

Over the past decade and a half, Kung Fu Vampire has often seemed to be on the verge of breaking through to the mainstream—inasmuch as horrorcore rappers can be “mainstream,” that is. With 90,000 likes on Facebook, and nearly 23,000 Twitter followers, he stands head and shoulders above most other musicians in San Jose in terms of fanbase and visibility. And, as an independent artist, he’s done it all by himself, on his own terms.

Stylistically, Kung Fu Vampire is San Jose’s one real contribution to “chopper” rap, a fast spitting style that has its origins in the Midwest. And due to his lyrical content and gloomy aesthetic, his music falls loosely into the category of horrorcore—a subgenre hip-hop that favors the cinematic imagery of horror movies and the macabre.

His latest single, “Fire,” features Ubiquitous from Ces Cru, as well as Locksmith—a pair of buzzed-about, up-and-coming rappers—who trade nimble verses with Kung Fu over an ominous beat of strings, swirling synth pads, choirs, and a female vocal hook that lands somewhere between club and trip-hop.

Although he champions a style that originated in the Midwest—and despite his ties to one of the Midwest’s most notorious exports, horrorcore kingpins, the Insane Clown Posse—those familiar with Kung Fu Vampire’s work know that he is fiercely loyal to his hometown. With his new record, Look Alive, the emcee says he aims to shout his allegiance to the South Bay from the rooftops.

“A lot of what I’ve done in the past is mysterious and withdrawn,” says Kung Fu. “I’m kinda coming clean on this album.”

True to his word, the emcee seems eager to lay most of his cards on the table. He still declines to reveal the name on his birth certificate, but he is more than willing to discuss just about everything else. He talks about his family and shares details about his numerous bodily ailments. While he used to maintain an image that might best be described as “club-goth chic”—ghoulish white face paint, red and white contacts, a shaved head and flowing cloak—Kung Fu Vampire has recently adopted a different look. In recent press photos and music videos, he sports a ball cap or beanie, wayfarer sunglasses, a T-shirt, shorts and sneakers. He is dressed similarly when we meet at a Korean barbeque joint in Japantown to chat.

“There’s always a side of me that’s been super goth, and then super cholo—super San Jose,” he says. “I was in a lowrider car club for over a decade.”

In a way, the title of Kung Fu Vampire’s latest album—Look Alive—openly draws attention to this dichotomy.

“What’s a vampire trying to do?” the emcee asks, semi-rhetorically. “He’s trying to look alive. Look Alive is a testament to where I’m at. I do have a crazy life, a crazy upbringing and how I got to this. And I’m showing people a whole other side of the music industry and how it can be done independently. I’m gonna do it for my city.”\

Kung Fu Vampire
Jul 9, 9pm, $12-$15
The Catalyst, Santa Cruz

Kung Fu Vampire’s video output has been sporadic these past couple years. That’s something he plans to change in a major way by releasing a video for every song on his new album, Love Bites, which came out Halloween last year. He starts things off with his first video for the title track.

Fans were clearly eager for Kung Fu Vampire to start releasing videos again. In only a couple days, he racked up over 6,000 views. The video shows a young vampire boy who’s walking down the street carrying a mysterious box, which mesmerizes all the women he passes. They follow him, hypnotized, concluding with a surprise twist that reveals not only where he’s been walking to, but what is inside the box.

The video was directed by local prolific music video director Frank Door, who has shot videos for K.Flay, the Trims, Northern Son, not to mention the infamous sandwich video for Young Science, which Kung Fu Vampire has a very brief cameo in.

The recently released 26-track hip-hop compilation NoiseLab Vol 1, features  a lot of familiar San Jose faces like Kung Fu Vampire, Rey Resurreccion, Sean Blak, Language Arts Crew and Luck Loosh and lesser known locals like newcomer YDMC and rap veteran Joe Cutter.

The compilation, assembled by Blak, is divided between veterans of the South Bay scene on the first half, and newcomers on the latter portion. The second volume is expected out in May.
In addition to San Jose rapper, the mixtape features artists from Santa Cruz (Playz), Half Moon Bay (Araknophobix), San Francisco (San Quinn, Pariah), Oakland (Kafani, Deuce Eclipse) and Watsonville (Xplisit).

Check it out here:

Kung Fu Vampire fans have come to expect the unexpected. He has built a cult following for his theatrical shows, which have included an eight-piece live rap band with drums, cellos, violins and back-up singers. Then, of course, there’s Kung Fu Vampire himself—a bald, pale-white vampire with fangs, goatee, white contact lenses and a lavish emperor’s kimono draped over his body—spitting verses about life, love, sex and death better than many traditional rappers.

Fans may be shocked, however, by what Kung Fu Vampire is up to now, as his current 48-city tour finishes with a flourish at the Blank Club on Dec. 8. This time around, KFV is playing just hard-hitting, no-frills hip-hop—no makeup, no kimono, and only bass player Jeremy Pollett and drummer Chris Paston to back him up.

“Some of these shows, I’ll just straight rock in a fedora and a T-shirt—and people love it,” Kung Fu Vampire says. “They’ve all seen that other guy. They’ve seen that other image. I want people to be blown away by the music.”

Despite doing something so different, Kung Fu Vampire has earned a lot of praise from his fellow San Jose rappers.

“I have a lot of respect for Kung Fu Vampire because as long as I’ve been making and performing music in the South Bay, he has been a driving force, always pushing and creating his vision where others would have given up or changed styles to fit the newest trend,” says Benny Medik from local hip-hop group Language Arts Crew.

It’s been 12 years since he first emerged as Kung Fu Vampire. During that time he has worked around the clock, booking tours, promoting himself, writing music and pressing on even when it didn’t seem like he was getting anywhere. Those who have worked with him know that he is an ambitious, determined performer.

Kung Fu Vampire really started to see an increase in fans over the past three years after he went full throttle with a near constant touring schedule, scoring opening slots for acts like Insane Clown Posse, Twiztid and Tech N9ne. While these groups have come to love and embrace him, he hasn’t signed to any of their well-established labels. Instead he continues to release music on his own label, Mad Insanity Records, which he shares with horrorcore rapper Mars.

Music is always a good Christmas gift, but as record stores continue to disappear, it’s getting harder to find options outside of iTunes download cards. Bands are still making physical albums these days—CDs, vinyl records, and the latest retro trend, cassette tapes. San Jose has lots of bands that have put out stellar albums this year. Here’s our list of suggestions.

Hard Girls
‘Isn’t It Worse w/ EP’
on Cassette, $5 at www.lauren-records.com
Cassette releases are now a thing—maybe not a big thing, but more labels (underground ones, mind you) are putting them out. San Jose’s Hard Girls’ new album, Isn’t It Worse, is coming out on cassette a few months before it arrives out on vinyl. The cassette comes with several bonus songs—their entire first EP, in fact. It’s only been a few years since the Hard Girls released that EP, but it is interesting to listen to listen to the old material side by side with the new. Their debut contained some interesting Jawbreaker-influenced punk-rock songs, while Isn’t It Worse is a downright sophisticated rock album. They mix ’80s post-punk and ’90s indie rock (somewhere between Pavement, Television and Silkworm), all while giving it the urgency of a sweaty basement punk band.

A self-proclaimed “pioneer of Gothic Hip Hop” San Jose’s Kung Fu Vampire had a big year in 2012, booking his longest national tour to date and recording with three industry vets: E-40, Tech N9ne and Brotha Lynch Hung. We caught up with KFV on the road to find out his favorite songs so far from 2012.

Check back soon for updates from other local artist sharing their favorite songs and albums from 2012.

Krizz Kaliko – Kill Sh*T (feat. Tech N9ne & Twista)
I chose this song because it embodies electro, hip hop and the best of the best in fast rapping (choppin’) I love the energy level and how well it’s done.

Gotye – Somebody That I use To Know
This song is beautiful. I feel it has so any universal qualities and speaks to me and the world, it’s definetly a 2012 theme song.

Knife Party – Centipede
While on tour we play this song every night after our set to keep the party going. This shit is super raw and how Dubstep should be. Don’t forget to crank the volume past 10.

Killer Mike – Untitled (feat. Scar)
Killer Mike is hit and miss for me, but this song is a hit, I love the way it mixes old-school hip hop with the new, super dope.

E40 – Zombie (feat. Brotha Lynch Hung & Tech N9ne)
I was featured on this song and it took awhile to grow on me, but now I love it, not to mention it has three of the most unique and influential rappers of all time.

Maroon 5 – Moves Like Jagger
Sure, this song may have came out in 2011, but in 2012, it’s all I hear everywhere I go and I’ve been forced to like it.  At the gym, in cars next to me and clubs, this seems to make everyone happy and it reminds me of the greeat times Iv’e had in 2012.

Three Loco – Neato
Hilarious, care free and no ego, three loco is comprised of man-boy Comedian Andy Milanokis, actor Simon Rex (aka Dirt Nasty) and Rif Raff. These guys don’t give a fuck about anything other than having fun.

Adele – Set Fire to the Fire
Adele is one of those artists that I’m a bit tired of hearing, but I can not deny she is amazing. Everything Adele touches is magic, i am starting to like her even after the last couple years of Clear Channel brain washing.

Kung Fu Vampire performs with Dirtbag Dan, Rey Res, Liquid Assassin, Mr. Greay, Rap is a Joke and Playa Rey & Trey C at the Blank Club on December 8.

Metro Newspaper’s Best of 2012 issue hit new stands today, highlighting a variety of local talent selected online by readers. From cutting-edge DJs, to old-school blues and cover bands, this is the best of Silicon Valley.

READER’S PICKS

Best Local Cover Band
The Peelers
Considering how long it’s been automatic for DJs, it’s remarkable how long it took cover bands to catch on to the mash-up concept. The Peelers were, in fact, the first ones we heard doing it, and according to our readers, they’re still the best. Whether it’s layering T.I. raps over Tim McGraw or sliding from ’80s pop to hip-hop, the Peelers are monster mashers.
Runners-up:
Joe Sharino
Sage

Best Local Original Band
JC Smith Band
It’s about time one of the South Bay’s most talented bluesmen got his due. What’s led to his jump in popularity all of a sudden? We’d be willing to bet it’s Smith’s profile-raising stint as leader of the all-star blues band that grew out of the Metro Fountain Blues Festival. Whether it is his fellow blues artists who sign on to play with him or the fans who vaulted him to the top of this category, the South Bay loves the group.
Runners-up:
Whiskey Avengers
Anya & the Get Down

Best Singer/Songwriter
Anya
Anya Kvitka’s rise in the South Bay scene has been a perfect storm. Her vocal gifts went fully operational at the same time she came into her own as a songwriter, brought together a killer band for Anya and the Get Down, and found the support of some of the most influential people in the hip-hop scene. The songs she has been working on for her album show her new level of confidence, projecting her voice across genre boundaries and creating a sound that’s both classic and electro-futuro.
Runners-up:
Ben Henderson
Justin Morales