Essentials: Kirko Bangz

In the past five years, Houston crooner Kirko Bangz has been deadset on grinding until he reaches the upper echelon of hip-hop and R&B. The 24-year-old already has eight mixtapes to his name, several chart-climbing singles and a debut full-length album entitled Bigger Than Me on its way. In the midst of all the madness surrounding the up-and-comer’s whirlwind of interviews, tours and studio sessions, we caught up with him for another installment of our Essentials series. Like many others before him, his list of must-haves is short and selective, yet with the appropriate touches of luxury to let those around him now life is good. His tech necessities include a Beats Pill for when he’s playing basketball, a Nike Fuel Band to keep his health a priority and some basic Apple headphones for when he just wants to lose himself in music. For clothing, his prized possessions are a set of “vintage frames,” a Versace belt, a 40 Oz Van jersey, a minimal-yet-luxe pair of white Margiela sneakers and of course, a gold Rolex, because “every H-Town don should have a mean wrist game.” Rounding off his essentials, the Lone Star singer makes sure he always “smells good no matter where” or “what” he’s doing with Tom Ford’s “Oud Wood” cologne, and keeps a bottle of Hennessy V.S. Cognac, because, well, it’s his go-to way to have fun.