To say that The International Brotherhood of Consequential Truth (IBCT) label was born on a rainy day in West Hollywood in 2007 would only be part of the story. It is true that, on that day, Walter Adam Kibby, II and Kris J. Kraus, Esq. (KJK) sat on the patio of a well-known tea house, hashed out the name, and agreed on the basic tenets. So, that is the most convenient and popular story. But the real story is more complex.
The irony that KJK was finally able to start a record label on a rainy day in Los Angeles is not lost on him. Since the age of eleven or twelve, he had wanted to produce records. While some kids dream of being rock stars, KJK wasn’t interested in playing instruments or attracting fame. Yes, he played the drums in the grammar school band, and later took piano lessons while in high school, but those endeavors bored him. He was fascinated by the liner notes and the concepts of albums. The people behind the scenes who put records together. The Russell Simmonses, Rick Rubins, Quincy Joneses, and Prince Pauls. The album itself was a piece of art to KJK, as valid as any Warhol or Basquiat.
Upon starting college, he quickly started working at the school’s radio station which, at the time, broadcast internationally and was the only “alternative” station for hundreds of miles. That led to club DJ gigs, promoting shows and managing bands. But by the time he was 24, KJK was burned out. He went back to school and graduated with a BA in Theatre, then an MA in American Studies and a JD.
KJK was in his office late one Friday night in the summer of 2007, when he received a cryptic email with the subject “members of fishbone”. Now, Fishbone was one of KJK’s favorite bands, and he had seen them numerous times over the years, but he wasn’t sure what they had been up to in the past few years. The body of the message was even more cryptic. It only said “seeking management”. Unclear why they were contacting him, KJK replied and a meeting was set up at the Urth Café in West Hollywood. There, he met Roderick “Rodcore” Palmer and Dirty Walt and shortly thereafter, the partnership began. At the time, the two were co-leaders of Year of The Dragon (YOTD) which was under contract with a local LA label with which they weren’t happy. KJK’s first order of business was to get the band released from that label. Once that was done, he needed to create a vehicle to release the band’s music and related projects. That’s when the amorphous concept that had been rattling around in the back of KJK’s head since grammar school a few thousand miles away in NY finally found its way into existence, as The IBCT.
The premise was that The IBCT would create events, mentor artists, produce recordings, visual, and print works, as well as promote The IBCT lifestyle of questioning the status quo, challenging accepted norms and cultivating quality art. The seeds for YOTD's sophomore record, Blunt Force Karma, produced by Grammy winner Darryl Swann, were planted. Dirty Walt completed his second solo album, Still Smokin’, and The IBCT started working with independent artists throughout the United States. One of these, Seattle’s experimental noise/jazz quartet, Uncle Pooch, released three records on The IBCT with Rodcore and Dirty Walt appearing on one. Meanwhile, KJK promoted three South By Southwest (SXSW) showcases and brought Black Rock Coalition pioneering members 24-7 Spyz to Los Angeles for the first time in 20 years, while YOTD toured for over a year in support of Blunt Force Karma and provided direct support for artists as diverse as One Hundred Monkeys, King's X, and Unwritten Law.
After the BFK tour, and a short stint on tour with Fishbone after Dirty Walt rejoined, KJK stepped down as YOTD’s manager to focus on The IBCT’s other projects, produce/manage Uncle Pooch, and become a law professor. At the same time, YOTD was taking off with opening slots for Living Colour, Bad Brains, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Dirty Walt and Rodcore were focusing more of their time on their band. The three agreed to amicably part ways with KJK retaining full ownership and control of the label and its releases while YOTD retained their masters. Despite the break, the bond between the three continues as YOTD and DW still rocks The IBCT’s distinctive black fez and the label’s logo remains a silhouette of DW shaking his fist.