Some albums transcend music, weaving philosophy, art, and introspection into an immersive experience. Son Kuma's What Goes Around... is precisely that—an exploration of life's cyclical nature, blending physics, karma, and raw human emotion into a genre-defying soundscape.
Hailing from Inglewood, California, Son Kuma has always been one to challenge conventions. From being suspended at Stanford and channeling his emotions into music to graduating with a physics degree and crafting an album inspired by the forces that govern the universe, his journey is anything but ordinary.
What Goes Around... reflects this path, merging scientific theory with spiritual insight and translating both into deeply personal storytelling. The album's sonic palette is as expansive as its themes. Ethereal soundscapes, cinematic production, and hard-hitting beats seamlessly fuse elements of hip-hop, alternative R&B, and electronic soul.
Tracks like Love Everlasting balance hypnotic melodies with introspective lyricism, while Go Pro and Home Run showcase his ability to turn deep philosophical musings into compelling narratives. There are echoes of Kid Cudi's dreamlike introspection, Kanye West's sonic ambition, and Frank Ocean's emotive storytelling, yet Son Kuma's sound remains distinctly his own.
At its core, What Goes Around... is a meditation on energy, mindset, and self-discovery. As Kuma puts it, "The thing all of us are looking for is a sense of intrinsic value — well, you find that from unlocking the potential within yourself."
With this album, he invites listeners to embark on that journey with him. For LA fans, don't miss Son Kuma's free show at High Tide in Downtown LA on March 21st at 9 PM for Poetry and Passionfruit—a perfect opportunity to experience his music in its rawest form.
Your new album What Goes Around... blends themes of physics, spirituality, and human emotion in a way that feels both grand and deeply personal. What inspired you to merge these concepts into your music?
Everything I create stems from a deep desire to understand and fulfill a greater purpose. No matter our backgrounds, each of us eventually confronts questions about the meaning of our existence. By looking inward and exploring emotions like joy, desire, love, and even hate, we move closer to discovering our own truths. Conversely, by looking outward and noticing the omnipresence of nature, we begin to understand our place within the broader universe.
Without diving too deep into the complexities, quantum mechanics presents fascinating insights into the relationship between observation, consciousness, and reality. Essentially, it suggests that we play an integral role in shaping our own experiences and perceptions of reality. These scientific revelations inspired me to weave physics into my music, hoping to encourage listeners to explore their own deeper purpose and recognize their power to shape reality.
On a spiritual level, I feel strongly that there's an intangible connection binding all of us together. There's something uniquely powerful about making eye contact—both individuals immediately recognize what they're seeing, creating a shared moment of understanding. It's intriguing because, under any other circumstances, you can’t truly know exactly what someone else is focused on without asking.
They say the eyes are windows to the soul, and that resonates deeply with me. In fact, our eyes are kind of enigmatic, especially considering the pupil—a dark opening where light enters but doesn't escape, remarkably similar to black holes in space.
From this, you might draw one of two conclusions: either we're all walking around with tiny black holes inside us, or perhaps the universe itself possesses eyes. Personally, I find comfort in believing that the universe is indeed watching back.
The album artwork and themes reference Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. Can you break down how this ties into the album’s message and what it symbolizes for you?
Galaxies evolve slowly, typically revolving around a central quasar or supermassive black hole. The album’s overarching message is that everything in the universe moves in cycles—what goes around inevitably comes around. Incorporating the theme of black holes representing the universe’s eyes led me to reflect on Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way's center. Given that we recently obtained the clearest image of Sagittarius A* and considering my personal connection as a Sagittarius, it felt symbolic to visually place myself within this cosmic phenomenon on the album cover.
In the artwork, the color shift from blue to red symbolizes the concept of redshift, the phenomenon where a black hole gradually stretches the wavelength of the reflected light. Additionally, I drew inspiration from Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, a figure depicted simultaneously within a circle and a square.
To me, this iconic image illustrates two ways of perceiving reality—linearly (represented by the square) and cyclically (represented by the circle). Our habitual focus on linear progression often causes us to overlook the cyclical nature of existence. Ultimately, this reinforces the album's central theme: the energy we put out into the universe eventually returns to us, a truth evident even at cosmic scales within galaxies and solar systems.
Sonically, this project blends hip-hop, alternative R&B, and electronic elements in a way that defies traditional genre boundaries. How did you approach the production and songwriting to achieve this unique sound?
I was heavily involved in producing most of the tracks on this album, aiming for a diverse and expansive sonic experience. My goal was to blend unexpected instruments and textures to craft unique soundscapes that defy traditional genre boundaries. For instance, I experimented by pairing Caribbean steel drums with brass sections and violins—an unconventional combination in hip-hop that added a fresh and distinctive vibe.
Additionally, I deliberately ensured that no two songs sounded alike by varying drum rhythms throughout the project. Tracks like "Go Pro" and "Love Everlasting" feature hard-hitting trap beats, "Halloween" draws from Afrobeat rhythms, and "No Way!" embraces a vibrant Reggaeton influence. This intentional diversity helps the album maintain an exciting unpredictability while staying cohesive in its overall sonic vision.
Your journey—from a suspended Stanford student recording in exile to a physics graduate making music that reaches millions—is a wild one. How has this path shaped your perspective as an artist?
Throughout my life, I've frequently encountered people who tried to place limitations on what they believed I could achieve. In high school, teachers told my parents I wasn't good at math—when, in reality, I just wasn't applying myself. Growing up, there weren't many visible role models of black scientists or mathematicians, aside from Neil DeGrasse Tyson, who deeply inspired me. Once I began to fully apply myself and got accepted to Stanford to study physics, which was the top university in the U.S. at the time, people finally acknowledged my talent in math and science.
However, I resisted being confined by expectations. My love for music was just as strong as my passion for science, but people found it hard to imagine that someone could excel in both worlds. How many rappers do you know hold a physics degree or have published research alongside Nobel Prize-winning scientists?
When my first mixtape, "Indica," unexpectedly gained significant attention, I took it as a message from the universe: pursue this unconventional journey—not just for myself, but also to inspire others. I want to show black youth around the world that they, too, can defy expectations. Don't ever allow someone else to define your potential or put you in a box.
With What Goes Around... now out and a live show coming up in LA, what’s next for Son Kuma? Any upcoming projects, collaborations, or surprises fans should look forward to?
I'm currently working on several exciting collaborations with artists whom I deeply admire, and I'm eager for fans to hear these new songs in the upcoming months. Additionally, I've begun the early stages of my next project, tentatively titled "Keep That Same Energy." I'm committed to further exploring and blending themes of physics, spirituality, and personal growth in my music. I'm genuinely excited to see what new inspirations and experiences the universe brings my way next.