“We lost some legends last year, I’m tryna be the replacement” – King Kay
Following on the back of a seminal past few months that has seen King Kay garner support from tastemaker such as Complex, The 405, and Fortitude Magazine, the North London rapper and producer begins 2017 with his aptly titled sophomore mixtape titled Winner’s Winter premiered via The FADER, just in time to lift our spirits through what has certainly been a dreary cold winter.
Drawing his inspiration from a combination of Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo and Notorious B.I.G, as well as the jazz and soul roots he grew up with, King Kay brings a fresh twist to a classic Hip Hop sound, and his new Winner’s Winter project is fresh evidence of this – with his effortless flow and compelling lyrics, delivered over infectious soulful jazz-esque rap musical backdrops.
From the Jodeci-sampling ‘Stay’ which is produced by Bryson Tiller collaborator J Louis, to the bouncy ‘Pork Belly’ featuring fast-rising London rapper Knucks, to the satirical interlude ‘Dstrkt’ which tackles racial discrimination in London nightclubs, to the rousing closing track ‘Stories With May’, King Kay’s Winner’s Winter project makes for essential UK rap listening, from start to finish.
Speaking about the inspiration for his Winner’s Winter mixtape, King Kay says, “this project blends different genres, from hip hop to soul and smooth jazz, to serve as a soundtrack to my winter. I’m using this project as a medium to offload the several challenges I’ve faced in recent winters, ranging from relationship issues explored on ‘Stay’, to the racial and social issues explored on ‘Dstrkt’”.
