KayCyy Comes Into His Own on 'BEFORE I WAS BORN'
Establishing a credible groundwork of cosigns and collaborations, the shape-shifting Nigerian artist proves he’s able to do it all by himself on his striking new studio album.
KayCyy has been one of contemporary hip-hop’s favorite featured artists.
The Kenya-born, Saint Paul, Minnesota-bred rapper has racked up a Rolodex of industry-wide A-list co-signs and credits. Most notably, just when he started gaining momentum as a rising artist, KayCyy contributed production and writing to Ye‘s Donda in 2021, having worked closely with the rapper since connecting through mutual friend and record executive Abou “Bu” Thiam, who later went on to become both artists’ managers. Now 27 years old, KayCyy earned a coveted Grammy nom for for Album of the Year for his work on Donda, nabbing the Grammy win for Best Melodic Rap Performance for his backing vocals on “Hurricane.”
After proving his production prowess on Donda, KayCyy continued his momentum with some more standout singles (including “Stay Up” with Lancey Foux), followed by his first-ever collaborative EP with Gesaffelstein, TW20 50, which spanned a trio of tracks and dropped on streaming services in March of 2022. The project established the pair’s unexpectedly effortless-sounding ease of creative collaboration, KayCyy’s slick vocals sliding over the distinctly smooth Gesaffelstein melodies, laying the groundwork for the duo’s second collaborative EP, TW2052, in May of 2023, which came after another impressive KayCyy mixtape, Get Used To It, which dropped in June of 2022 and features Foux and 070 Shake among others.
It’s not just the heavyweights, the Lil Keeds and Joey Bada$$es, that KayCyy chooses to tap in with; on Get Used To It, the malleable musician chooses to champion other emerging talent like Annahstasia and Nigerian-London singer Steven Bamidele.
To close out 2023, the rapper hopped on Travis Scott‘s UTOPIA, offering up vocals to “THANK GOD,” on which KayCyy wasn’t credited, which prompted him to drop “My Jeans” with original cover art that read “I’M NOT NO BACKGROUND SINGER.” Shortly thereafter, he assisted Westside Gunn with And Then You Pray For Me title track, “AND THEN YOU PRAY FOR ME,” closing out Gunn’s captivating album on a high note.
He’s spent the last year or so continuing to dial in his sound, showing out on more small artist features and just over two months before dropping BEFORE I WAS BORN, he dropped another collaborative mixtape with Irish musician sign crushes motorist, curating a duo they called HIIBRYD. Dubbed SADDEST TRUTH, the tape leans into a more indie-inspired rap sound and arrives as another prime example of KayCyy’s collaborative capabilities and the versatility of his shape-shifting sonic persona.
That’s all to say that each one of these collaborative mixtapes, singles, and production credits has paved the way for BEFORE I WAS BORN.
Handled almost completely solo, the 13-track project is an ode to KayCyy’s independence – something only made possible by the journey he took to get here. Still toeing the line between being a behind-the-scenes force from the shadows and stepping fully into the mainstream, this is likely the most lowkey KayCyy will ever be. Swerving from nostalgic R&B-influenced cuts to trap-turned ballads, BEFORE I WAS BORN puts KayCyy’s artistic adaptability center stage.
Stream BEFORE I WAS BORN – out everywhere now.
