Jerrely Slijger (born June 18, 1986), known by his stage name Kempi, is a Dutch rapper of Antillean descent.
From 2006 to 2012, Kempi was signed at Dutch label TopNotch. He released two studio albums, four EP's and seven mixtapes to date. In 2008, Kempi was named "Best Hip-Hop Artist" in the Netherlands at the prestigious State Awards. Beside his artistic activities, Kempi is also notorious for his extensive criminal record.
Kempi was born in Helmond and grew up in Woensel-West, a deprived neighborhood in Eindhoven, as the fourth of seven children. As a teenager he went to a school for children with behavioral problems and started to participate in criminal activities, such as dealing cocaine and heroin. He built a very extensive criminal record, including various prison sentences.
Influenced by Tupac Shakur, Lil Wayne, and Dutch rapper Duvel, Kempi began to write down his street-life experiences, but wasn't seriously into hip-hop yet. However, after performing in a hip-hop group named Drama, Kempi got encouraged to make his own music, and subsequently recorded his own mixtape Tsss Kempi in 2006 which was downloaded at least forty thousand times from the Internet. Kempi began to gain national prominence and was noticed by record label owner Kees de Koning, who offered him a contract on his label TopNotch which Kempi signed in jail. When Kempi signed the contract (September 2006) he was under suspicion of complicity in a stabbing; he was later found guilty. Kempi came out of custody after his second mixtape Rap 'N Borie (English: Rap 'N Crack) and third mixtape Mixtape 3.1 were released.
Here in the dark
I stand before you
Knowing this is my chance to show you my heart
This is the start
This is the start
I have so much to say and I'm hopin'
That your arms are open
Don't turn away, I want you near me
But you have to hear me
Here's where I stand
Here's who I am
Love me, but don't tell me who I have to be
Here's who I am, I'm what you see
You said I had to change and I was tryin'
But my heart was lyin'
I'm not that child any longer
I am stronger
Here's where I stand
Here's who I am
Help me to move on but please don't tell me how
I'm on my way, I'm movin' now
In this life we've come so far
But we're only who we are
With the courage of love
To show us the way
We've got the power to stand up and say
Here's where I stand
Here's where I am
Stand up and be counted, I'm counting on you
If you're with me
We'll make it through
Here's where I stand
Here's who I am
Love me, love me, love me and we'll make it through
Here's where I stand
Baby, baby, baby I'm counting on you
Here's where I stand
Love me, love me, love me and we'll make it through
I'm counting
I'm counting