Honey Head is a six-piece snack pack from Sydney, inspired by the greats of funk and soul.

Before his untimely death at the age of 28 in December 2021, Drakeo the Ruler was unequivocally the voice of Los Angeles street rap. Born Darrell Caldwell, Drakeo earned his first round of buzz from 2015's I Am Mr. Mosely tape, but established himself as a force whose impact would be felt far beyond Los Angeles city limits with 2017's Cold Devil. Drakeo's rap style was both menacing and conversational, the MC rarely emoting beyond a
sort of ransom-call Whisper. His reign as the voice of LA was marked by intervals of incarceration, Cold Devil having been recorded in 10 days of freedom that followed a nearly year-long stint in jail. Another bout of incarceration, ending in November 2020, sparked a remarkably consistent creative tear for the MC, with Drakeo releasing We Know the Truth, Because Y'all Asked, The Truth Hurts, A Cold Day in Hell, Ain't That the Truth, and So Cold I Do Em 2 in the span of a year. Drakeo the Ruler's voice could be found alongside any number of his LA contemporaries (Ralfy The Plug, 03 Greedo, Bino Rideaux, Blxst), but he also counted some of the biggest names in hip-hop among his fans-like Drake, who, in learning of The Ruler's
fatal stabbing, posted a picture from the MC's time modeling for his OVO
clothing label, writing that his "Talk to Me" collaborator had "always picked
my spirit up with your energy. RIP Drakeo."

KB Mike never disguises how he feels on a track. Instead, he lets you know exactly what’s on his mind loud and clear. He could reflect with a skyscraping soul vocal, or he’ll get cocky and go hard on the beat with a punchy flow. A melody meant to numb pain might find him in his feelings, or a heartfelt ballad will double as an expression of love too pure for conversation even. This versatility has placed him on the fast track out of his native Chicago and on the way to worldwide stardom. He came up out of the infamously rough South Side. Addiction, violence, crime, and other traps of the street life surrounded him and almost swallowed him whole. As the story goes, he popped off thanks to internet freestyles (recorded and uploaded during house arrest). A series of popular singles followed, including “Distant,” “Addicted,” “Deep In Love,” “Blue Skies,” and more. 2021’s “Used To” amassed over 20.7 million Spotify streams as he signed to Republic Records. It bulldozed the way for his 2022 full-length debut, Old Wounds, which yielded “Thru Worse N Thru Better,” “Insecure,” and “Keep Yo Head Up.” Between earning praise from Revolt, HotNewHipHop, and more, he performed to packed houses on tour with Tink. Everything just set the stage for his most versatile, vibrant, and vital project yet, Euphoria.


“I’m a male from Chicago who’s expressing his feelings,” he exclaims. “Chicago means everything to me, but it has some bad things that come with it. It’s important to my music, because it makes me talk about what I’ve gone through. It also shows me I want to be better than where I come from. Most artists from my town are talking about gangs, drill, and all of that. I’m talking about heartbreaks, and I’m not scared to admit a female actually hurt me.”

He’s endured his fair share of pain and gained wisdom and perspective as a result…

Growing up on the city’s notorious Southside, he watched friends and family fall prey to violence and drugs. At the same time, he gained popularity throughout his high school and community. Stuck at home on house arrest, he honed his voice through a series of freestyles online. During 2020, he established himself as a mold-breaking outlier with a combination of smooth swagger and raw emotion. He brought his Spotify stream tally into the millions on the back of “Addicted” and initial breakthrough “Deep In Love.” He maintained this momentum in 2021 with “Used To.” Perfecting his simmering style with otherworldly melodies and an instantly unshakable hook, it racked up 3.2 million Spotify streams independently as he inked a deal with Republic Records. 

The song itself holds a special significance as it illuminates his penchant for unbridled honesty.

“I was messing with somebody special, and I felt we were becoming distant,” he admits. “I didn’t want that to happen, so I wrote the song to let her know I DIDN’T want us to end up like that. That song means a lot to me, because it made everything in my music career really start up.”

He’s only gaining momentum with his forthcoming debut project and much more to come as he gives Chicago and the game a new kind of leader.

“I’m just a singer and songwriter from Chicago who’s on the path to greatness,” he leaves off. “I’m somebody who came from a bad situation and used it to make something of himself. I appreciate everybody who has showed me genuine love. Music is where I belong.”

Chanera Lollis is following