KayCyy Comes Into His Own on ‘BEFORE I WAS BORN’

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KayCyy has been one of contemporary hip-hop’s favorite featured artists.

Born in Kenya and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this rapper has amassed a vast network of high-profile endorsements within the music industry. Among these notable achievements, KayCyy made significant contributions to Kanye West’s album, Donda, in 2021, having collaborated closely with the artist since they were introduced through mutual friend and record executive Abou “Bu” Thiam. Thiam later served as both artists’ managers. At just 27 years old, KayCyy received a prestigious Grammy nomination for Album of the Year for his work on Donda and went on to win the award for Best Melodic Rap Performance for his backing vocals on “Hurricane.

Following his impressive showcase of production skills on “Donda”, KayCyy maintained the pace with a series of noteworthy singles, such as “Stay Up” featuring Lancey Foux. This was followed by his debut collaborative EP with Gesaffelstein, titled “TW20 50”, which was released in March 2022 and consisted of three tracks. This project showcased their seemingly effortless creative synergy, as KayCyy’s smooth vocals harmonized well with the distinctive melodies provided by Gesaffelstein. This collaboration paved the way for their second joint EP, “TW2052”, which dropped in May 2023. This was preceded by another impressive mixtape from KayCyy, titled “Get Used To It”, released in June 2022, which featured Lancey Foux and 070 Shake among others.

Instead of collaborating only with established artists such as Lil Keed and Joey Bada$$, KayCyy also selects lesser-known talents, like Annahstasia and Nigerian-London artist Steven Bamidele, to work with on the track “Get Used To It.

2023 drew to a close, and as a devoted fan, I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with Travis Scott on his project, “UTOPIA.” Specifically, I lent my voice to the track “THANK GOD,” where KayCyy wasn’t given credit. This oversight led me to release my own single, “My Jeans,” accompanied by original cover art that boldly declared “I’M NOT NO BACKGROUND SINGER.” Following this, I teamed up with Westside Gunn on the title track of his album “And Then You Pray For Me,” titled “AND THEN YOU PRAY FOR ME,” concluding his compelling album on a powerful note.

Over the past year, he’s been refining his musical style, appearing on numerous tracks by lesser-known artists and approximately two months ago, he released a collaborative mixtape titled “BEFORE I WAS BORN.” Prior to this, he dropped another joint project with Irish musician sign crushes motorist under the name HIIBRYD. Nicknamed “SADDEST TRUTH,” this tape features a more indie-inspired rap sound and serves as further proof of KayCyy’s collaborative skills and the adaptability of his ever-evolving musical persona.

To put it simply, every collaborative project such as mixtapes, singles, and production work that he’s been involved in before my time has significantly contributed to his success, which was already established by the time I was born.

On his own, almost entirely, the 13-track album serves as a tribute to KayCyy’s self-reliance, an achievement made possible only by the path he walked to reach this point. Straddling the line between being a quiet powerhouse from behind the scenes and fully emerging into the limelight, this might be the most understated KayCyy has ever been. Moving seamlessly from R&B-inspired tracks with a nostalgic feel to ballads that have a trap vibe, BEFORE I WAS BORN showcases KayCyy’s remarkable artistic versatility.

https://open.spotify.com/watch?v=album/2JFUfsrtn3A3WzovXRIzk8https://embed.music.apple.com/us/album/before-i-was-born/1817007483

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2025-06-18 19:26