KayCyy is Making His Mark
As KayCyy finishes his U.S. and international tour and prepares for his newly-announced China tour, there is no sign of stopping anytime soon. Back in May, KayCyy released “TW2052,” a collaborated album with DJ and producer Gesaffelstein. So far, three songs from the project have gone viral, including “THE SUN” with almost 10 million streams and “ROLL THE DICE” with almost two million streams.
“We’re (Gesaffelstein) actually on the same label and we also worked on ‘Donda,’” KayCyy says. “We didn’t get a chance to meet while working on that album. It was dope that we were fortunate enough to link because it sparked a whole new vibe and formed a relationship. I look at him like a guru. I’ll ask him for certain advice and he’ll just text me or send me a beat out of the blue.”
KayCyy is building a community within his worldwide fanbase and collaborators. Whether they've been longtime fans or have never heard of one another, KayCyy is all about being genuine when working with other artists. He also emphasizes the importance of his Kenyan culture as a main contributor to his success.
“I think my African culture makes me unique,” KayCyy says. “There aren’t many Kenyans in the music space outside of Kenya…I include both cultures in my music. Whether it’s my Kenyan culture or growing up in America, I never take away from them. I speak Swahili, English, and my tribal language, so I feel like those dialects help with my music in a way that I can’t explain. It comes from God. Whenever I hear a beat, I’m always going to sing about it in a different way. I feel like my melodies are what take me there.”
Like many artists getting their jumpstart in the music industry, KayCyy was unfortunately one faced with some wrongdoings. He sang the original vocals on Kanye West’s hit “Hurricane” from “Donda.” Without explanation or warning, West took KayCyy out of the song and replaced his vocals with The Weeknd’s.
In addition, the vocals you hear on “THANK GOD” from Travis Scott’s album “UTOPIA” are also KayCyy. He was the only artist on the entire album who was not credited in the song title. Reasonably, KayCyy was frustrated. A fan tweeted, “Why tf is KayCyy’s feature still hidden? He literally wrote a large part of it and sings the entire chorus.” KayCyy quoted the Tweet saying “Y’all keep sending me these messages…Y’all kno what I do .. ! I’m not no background singer…Fuck Trav!!!”
It’s always discouraging when collaborators, especially those who are notable figures, don’t give artists the proper credit they deserve. However, the situation didn’t break KayCyy’s spirits. Instead, it encouraged him and allowed him to process how to move forward.
“It’s always bigger than one person,” KayCyy says. “The industry is so big, there are so many big artists and new artists working. When we get the chance to work with those big artists, it’s a dream come true for most of us. It’s life-changing. When you get a certain moment taken away, it could be hurtful in a way and it makes you not want to give. We already give so much, the least I could get is that (credit). There are a lot of creatives out there that put blood, sweat, and tears into it – and there are predators too.”
There is also speculation that the cover for his newest hit “My Jeans” is a hit at Travis Scott. The cover reads “I’m not no background singer.” Aside from the cover, the song actually reflects KayCyy’s fantasy of creating a beautiful life with a woman in his life. Speaking of which, “My Jeans,” will be on his upcoming mixtape “Never Been So Sure.”
“That project is just filled with vibes like those from ‘My Jeans,’” he says. “There are live instruments and jazzy vibes. I got inspiration from older albums. A lot of it is ‘Off The Wall’ influenced by Michael Jackson – but it’s not as fast. It’s how it would sound today in my eyes and mixing that with my African style. I feel like it’s probably the most true I’ve been to my singing voice, my true talent, and my producing side too. It’s really dope. It’s my best work yet.”
KayCyy has some big, but easily-achievable goals. He says he wants to continue knocking down doors, dive deeper into the fashion realm, and make groundbreaking music.
“I have time and I have God,” he says. “I’ve never been so sure in my life.”
