KAI WAY – Proud

Kai-Way’s debut EP, Kai-Way 99 is a voyage through his on-going evolution as an artist. Together, the tracks chronicle his move from New York City to Atlanta and the people he has met and music he heard along the way. Produced by long-time collaborator Danny “Dopeness” Ambrose, the EP is an effortless blend of styles, with songs that mingle all colors of rap, hip-hop and R&B with pop, rock and even West African music. Kai-Way 99 celebrates the exhilarating road trip of life and everything that feels good: partying; love; success and the connective power of music.

Kai-Way was raised in Staten Island, in the heart of New York City’s legendary rap and hip-hop culture. He started experimenting with rhythms and rhymes in elementary school and continued to perfect his skills throughout his teen years, dropping freestyles every chance he got and collaborating on melodies, rhythms and lyrics with other young artists in his tight-knit community. Kai-Way drew inspiration from hometown artists like Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G. and epic storytellers like 2Pac, 50 Cent and Nas, but felt very connected to the melodically-driven sound of Akon. Moved by rhythm and deep grooves, he also took up the drums, focusing in on the primal feel of the bongos as a way to enrich his sound. By the time he was 13, Kai-Way was already in the studio lending his distinctive voice to other artist’s tracks. His first professional release was “It’s Been Too Long,” a track he was asked to rap on by Juicy, a female rapper from his neighborhood. From that moment on, he committed to becoming a professional artist.

Always up for a fresh challenge, Kai-Way continues to push the boundaries of his work and expand his abilities as a songwriter, constantly creating fresh music that illustrates his reality. His first single off Kai-Way 99, “Rocket” is coming soon.