Long before Kwae pursued music professionally, he was already obsessed with it. As a kid, he spent hours listening to the radio and burning CDs at his grandmother’s house, exploring different genres and artists. Freestyle battles with friends at home and school eventually made him realize he wanted to be part of the music himself.
His creative process is just as experimental. When working alone, Kwae may pull up 10 beats, narrow them down to three and create hooks until one becomes the most fun to work on. For him, that feeling often determines which song moves forward.
The SoundCloud era also played an important role in shaping his sound. Kwae frequently listened to unreleased Playboi Carti records, an influence he says can be heard in his beat selection and approach to production.
For new listeners, he recommends “Church Piano,” a record where he moves between rapping and melodic performances while showing different sides of his personality.
Vulnerability has also become an important part of Kwae’s music. What was once difficult eventually became therapeutic. He can take something that happened that day, put it into a song and move past the emotion. Hearing listeners relate to those same experiences has made that process even more meaningful.
Kwae believes hip hop is in a good place overall. While some music may feel watered down, he believes the strongest sounds eventually separate themselves. He also doesn’t feel limited by genre or style, believing he can exist on different beats and in different rooms.
That’s reflected in his biggest goal: refusing to stay inside a box.
Kwae wants his music to be remembered as timeless and authentic to his own creative standards. His next chapter includes the upcoming single “Sippin,” followed by an album, along with a performance scheduled for October 24 at 8 p.m. at The Artistry in Greenville, South Carolina.
For Kwae, the goal isn’t simply to make songs. It’s to create an experience and establish his own lane.
