Name: Kevin Rawls
Photography: IG, FB, Twitter: @kandidsxkev
Organization: Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.
- What does "Distinguished Gentleman" mean to you?
“Distinguished Gentleman”
to me is the status every upstanding man envisions himself reaching at some
point in life, and it’s the model all young men should aspire to be and live by
as they mature.
2. What is your brand and how did you get started? (If you do not have a brand, you could talk about moves you’ve made to make a difference in your community, job/career, etc and how it has helped you)
My brand right now is K A N D I
D S X K E V which is for my photography. I go by “killakev” on all my social
handles and my photography logo has two K’s. So eventually I plan to
incorporate that logo with my photography and my name.
To be fair,
“Killakev” started in college. A friend of mine named Christopher Norris would
always call me that when I ran into him, and at first I didn’t think anything
of it. Over the years I always remembered that and decided to adopt it one day. When I ran the Houston Rocket’s snapchat
during the 2017-18 season, I went by Killakev and the fans loved it, so it has
stuck with me ever since.
The journey for my
photography brand had a more organic path. I and a friend of mine named Kevin
Walker decided we wanted to make it big by creating dope and original content,
but we couldn’t do that without a professional DSLR camera. So we ordered our
very first camera and split the cost, a Canon EOS Rebel t6i. I always had a
premature interest in the art of photography, from how to work a camera to
capturing the right moment at the right angle, but I never took it seriously. I
knew cameras were expensive and that’s money I didn’t have. I also knew if I
ever got one that would mean another skill I’d have to learn, and that’s time I
didn’t have. Regardless, we had finally owned one so I figured I might as well
learn to use it. Working for the radio station definitely put me on the fast
track to falling in love with the camera. I can recall all the endless events
and concerts I worked where it came in handy. It wasn’t before long that I
found a true passion for the art, especially concert photography. My friend
asked me why I never posted any of the artists I took pictures of on social
media, and I didn’t have an answer for him. So that’s when I came up with K A N
D I D S X K E V. I’ve always had a thing for catching moments that are
unplanned but natural, whether it’s a smile while someone isn’t looking, a
laugh, a conversation between a group of friends. I believe your best moments
are when you aren’t looking, the candids, and that’s how I created my brand
name.
- What is your dream goal and how do you plan on achieving it?
My dream goal is
to one day finally find true happiness doing what I love to do. That could be
one profession or multiple. I’m tired of working for someone or some company.
I’ve found over the years I’ve given a lot of my precious time and talents to
others who have benefited from it more than I have. I plan to put that to a
stop somehow and work for myself. I want to build up my brand and grow it large
enough to where it can support me and my future endeavors down the road. I
ultimately just wish to live out all my passions, all the things that make me
truly happy, and somehow bring them all together into a job that I can do for
the rest of my life. Something where I can interact with people and make an
impact. THAT is my dream goal. - Name a moment that you
feel helped shape you into the young man that you are today.
I’d like to think the moment that
shaped me into who I am today was the time I got baptized for the second
time. It was significant because as opposed to the first time, this was a
decision I made on my own to personally make a commitment to follow Christ.
I’ve always had a great understanding of who God was my parents raised me well
to understand He is my Lord & Savior, and at that particular time I feel
like I truly had developed my own personal relationship with Him, which served
and still serve as the fundamental building blocks of our relationship going
forward in my life.
- Name a person (dead or
alive) that you look up to & why?
Recently, one of
my idols has been a well-known photographer out of Houston named Greg Noire.
He’s an absolute BEAST when it comes to concert photography and that’s exactly
what I like to do. I admire his diverse shooting style, angles, and ability to
manipulate B&W’s in his edits to bring out the emotions of a photo. I got
the chance to meet him at AstroWorld when I was shooting in between sets and he
was so nice! It was one of the most surreal moments of my life, not only
inhabiting the same photo pit as a legend, but also getting to meet them. He
takes his line of work very serious and that’s how I approach every day when I
pick up a camera. Even though he is my idol, he's also my rival, and his product
of work is what continues to motivate me to get better at my craft every day
until I surpass him.
- When it comes to being a
man, what do you feel should be the three core values that a gentleman
should uphold?
Respect, Chivalry, Work Ethic
- What is a quote that you live by and how do you live up to it?
One of my
favorite quotes is from 1st Peter 5:6 which reads, “Humble yourselves therefore
under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” I love this
quote because it reminds me no matter how high or low you get, to remember that
God is forever watching and will bless you if you simply praise Him in and out
of season. I live up to this by trying to not be discouraged when things aren’t
going my way and practicing patience. It’s important to have faith in the plan
God has for you. It may not happen for you when you want it, but when it
happens you realize that God’s timing is always perfect.
8. Piece of advice that you would give to young men of color
who do not believe in themselves or lack role models?
The biggest piece of
advice I can give to young black men growing up is that you should take PRIDE
in who you are and where you come from. I wake up every day thanking God for
making me who I am. Being a person of color is a privilege, not a burden, and
don’t let anyone tell you different. From the moment you exit the womb, you’re
judged and viewed under a microscope. Being born with melanin in your skin,
we’re subject to an adverse reality that those without can never imagine, and
it’s because of those challenges that make us STRONGER, not weaker. We
are more prepared to take on whatever the world throws our way and face those
challenges head on. You can do and be anything you put your mind to in this
world. There are so many accomplished men of color who came before us that we
can look up to, and there will be many more after them. Be self-motivated and
strive to be that next great black man of the generation.
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