K-Rappers: Oxford Twins Introduce Books by Rapping

Oxford residents, Margaret and Katherine King, redefine notions of the typical Southern lady.

Sure, they are warm, well-dressed and have radiant smiles. They laugh at the drop of a hat pin.

Biological twins, only their friends can tell them apart.

Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, they moved to Oxford, Mississippi at the age of one in 1949, and have lived there ever since.

They are authors in a town of writers, but they are also philanthropists – and, rappers.

“If you’ve ever heard of I Love Lucy, that’s Lucy, and I’m Ethel, and that’s how we describe ourselves,” Margaret King said.

The Kings grew up down the street from William Faulkner. They remember him as the man with the “stinky-ole” mule down the street. They regard him as a man who was a lover of animals and children.

The twins published their first book, “Y’all Twins?” In 2012, where they share some stories about their time spent with Faulkner, along with many of stories of their childhood. Their second book “Which is Which?” was named after Faulkner’s favorite guessing game he played with the girls.

Their third and favorite book published is called “Our Josephine.” “She is now 75, but when we met her in 1957, she was 16 and we were 9, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, she was pretty much the first African American we had ever met, and especially had as a friend,” said Katherine King.

In 1957, a time where “it was separate all right, but it was far from equal,” the girls were faced with great confusion when Josephine could not participate in the same activities the two girls could.

“Like when they were to walk in front of a white school, they couldn’t walk in front of a white school, they had to cross the street, walk past the school, then cross back over,” Kat said.

“It saddened us that she was treated like this. We wanted her to walk between us on the sidewalk and she wasn’t even allowed to do that,” continued Margaret.

The Kings claim, however, that their friendship with Josephine was one they would carry with them for the rest of their lives, teaching them to respect every person equally regardless of skin color.

Next, the twins would decide to take the stories from their childhood written in their novels and create children’s books. They then published “The Backyard Campout,” “Boo!,” and “Kicking and Screaming.”

However, it is the way the King Twins have chosen to market their books that sets them apart.

“We started rapping,” Katherine King said, “not everyone is John Grisham, you have to be different to sell a book.”

They call themselves, The King Twin Rappers or K-Rappers for short, and the two even have their first CD.

“We just love to hear people laugh. We love to hear laughter. That’s what we are all about,” Margaret said.

However, their rapping is not only used for their gain but to help the Oxford community.

The Twins use their rapping abilities to host laughter in the workplace seminars, work retreats, entertain classrooms, and more.

“Every week Margaret and I go to Exchange Club, she sits on the Boys and Girls Club board, and I have a brand new grandbaby, and I love to keep her a few hours a day. There are always organizations in town that are raising money for something. We usually donate books along with attending those events,” explained Katherine.

The two have worked with Interfaith Compassion Ministries to start a Backpack for the Homeless initiative.

“You are always striving to make it better,” Kat said.

“And we are striving to do our best to give back in any way we can, because believe It or not, we have struggled in our lives. And we’ve had days in our lives where at the end of the month there’s peanut butter, and hopefully, a cracker left to go with it. We know what it’s like to barely make it,” concluded Margaret.

Along with their philanthropic efforts, the Kings claim their favorite thing is going to schools and being an author to the children. Laughter and children are their favorite things.

The two women are a testament for all who have struggled. Their lives overflow with laughter and triumph as they dedicate their time to writing, serving, and performing.

“I think a part of my blessing is Margaret because I’ve had her support and she’s had mine our whole lives. You know, you have children, and you have grandchildren and you can’t get better than that, but for a lifelong gift, that’s been Margaret to me,” Katherine said.

Hartlee Gabbert is a student at the Meek School of Journalism and New Media. For any questions and comments email hottytoddynews@gmail.com. 

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