We recently connected with Shakeem Thomas and have shared our conversation below.

Shakeem, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

The kindest thing anyone has ever done for me was give me hope when mine was so so so so so so far gone. The ones who had Invited me into their home, took care of me when I had almost nothing to my name. The ones who cooked me a meal when I was literally starving. Got me set up in life. Taught me things I needed to know. Would listen to my stories. Supported me. The ones who washed my clothes, even bought me new ones as my old ones were torn up. The ones who pulled me off the streets. Those 5 specifically never had to do any of that. Some barely even knew me but I was mad close with their sons from high school school that they put some trust in me. They know who they are without mentioning names and I cannot ever thank said 5 people enough. Shoutout to them. I love you 5 the most in life aside my own siblings of course. Couldn’t even express my appreciation. They’re diamonds in this world full of ash.

Initials are M, S, B, T and P.

You guys gave me a family when I barely had one myself plus so so so much more. Thank you.

Shakeem, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Aside my name Shakeem, my artist name is Koinless. A name meaning “broke” as I grew up very much in. I write, record, edit, mix and master music from raw pain and trauma that don’t seem to leave. From life events I’ve gone through. I’ve been writing since I was 13 years old. I don’t censor as I go into details in every song pretty intensely. See, I grew up very very very poor and I’ve personally have had a quite difficult life ontop of that. It was never easy. From all forms of abuse to being burned alive as a child that lead me to the ER for awhile, betrayal, drugs, regrets, constant moving, being homeless, self harming and the loss of many people and things in which I’ve held close to me and more that the list goes on. Too much to put here. I put my all into writing these songs. The amount of tears I’ve had to shed and blood spilt from myself to create them have been a blessing and a burden for me. Music is therapy. It warms my heart that just about everyone on earth knows that. When I first started to write, I was just writing my feelings into suicide notes at school, at home, and in public that I then turned into rhymes. Started piecing it all together and created stories for each song. Always 110% the truth in anything I create. Being real and judged for them is better than trying to be relatable and fake. I owe music my life as when I was on the many verges of taking mine, it held me close. When music spoke to me, I knew what I had to do for myself and if it reaches people with similar stories, I just hope it helps them as much as it does for me. Whether it’s my songs helping them or their own comfort songs, I just hope it works for everyone. The main thing I’m most proud of this this music life is to have people listen to these songs that came from suicide notes. Songs that I couldn’t let anyone read. Songs that I wrote while crying, while bleeding and even while on the verge. Always stay true to yourself, you’ll learn more that way as I have. Took a long time, but I’m still here. I hope whoever reads this can find their passion and have it help them as it helps me. Truly.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is how I can vent and get things off my mind all while helping others through song for everyone to be better. It’s a win-win. Music is very powerful. We all listen to it everyday in any mood. Once those conversations started to roll in towards my songs, they had hit me different. I’ve been an awful and mean guy too ontop of the awful things I’ve been through in life. I live with a lot of regrets from pain I’ve caused people aside my own traumas, believe me. So from how my life went, ontop of my own wrong doings, music has done its best to push me to be better. To do better. Those conversations with people telling me how my songs have helped and me getting things off my chest to be better, is rewarding. The money will hit me one day but if you’re only on this game for the money, then you shouldn’t be in it at all. Passion comes from the heart and soul.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Oh yeah, forsure. Back when I was doing rap battles in middle school with my crew at the time, I wish we all coulda done something more. Learn instruments instead of being bullies. Learn how to mix and master instead of tryna run the streets due to all of us having hard lives. Learn everything about music and everything music related instead of just rhyming to roast one another for jokes too. I do almost everything on my own with my songs now and I wish I was doing this back in those days too with the execution part. It is what it is now, I’m just glad to be doing it instead of not or else i woulda lost my life then too to nonsense or even myself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @koinless.xxv
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/errorcodexxv
• Youtube: youtube.com/@koinless
• Other: YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCVRBV0a7quXwg-qhj53YjtQ?si=SdZLU_LzvrFk89Nc Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/68FfE5D9iHQnLcPb7pqfZQ?si=Aa1QmTfeSB6Bcx7cOU6mEQ SoundCloud: SoundCloud.com/koinlessmusic Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/koinless/1695661165 Tidal: https://tidal.com/artist/41605751 TikTok: @koinlessxxv