If you want to get a sense of how deeply respected Kalan is among his peers, just look at the shortlist of his collaborators, a who’s who of modern West Coast hip-hop and R&B: Ohgeesy, Blxst, G Perico, Mozzy, Dom Kennedy, BlueBucks Clan, 1TakeJay, and Westside Boogie. As Pitchfork once said: “when you’re talking about L.A.’s new wave of shit-talking, designer- obsessed rappers, Kalan.FrFr should be included....”

On the Los Angeles asphalt, he’s a mythological figure who has somehow avoided corny myth-making. We can list his hits starting from when “Right Wit It” became a mandatory drop at every house party from San Diego to Seattle or mention the “Hot N’ Ready Freestyle,” where Kalan proved that he could spit as hard as any rapper in your Top 5. We can talk about his scene-stealing performance on Destiny Rogers’ “West Like,” where Kalan comes off like a young Roger Troutman. We can cite his melodic reveries on the Puma Mixtape. But when new album drops, the overarching vision will become crystal clear. The story of how he got here isn’t as important as where he’s going.

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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.”

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