Redlight King is the songwriting project of Mark Kasperczk, an Ontario native whose music combines rock with hip-hop samples. Kasperczk, or “Kaz” for short, began recording music as a 16 year-old, modeling his sound after a wide range of influences that included Bruce Springsteen, A Tribe Called Quest, and Nas. He also practiced judo, eventually gaining admittance into Canada’s Olympic training center to ready himself for the 2000 Games. He didn’t make the team, though, and returned his focus to music by releasing a June Award-nominated album in Canada. Kaz’s rejection from the Olympic Games continued to haunt him, however, and he battled his demons by turning to substance abuse. After two years, he cleaned up his act and relocated to Los Angeles, where he began writing the songs that would comprise his American debut, Something for the Pain. The album’s centerpiece was “Old Man,” a song that sampled Neil Young’s 1972 classic, and set it to an aggressive hip-hop beat.
With the debut Hollywood Records album, Something For The Pain includes the
hit "Old Man" sampling Neil Young's 1972 song with a twist enveloped by
Redlight King's adaptation plus Comeback & Bullet In My Hand.
--
Allmusic
