Today’s world of rap/hip-hop and popular music has become abundantly over saturated with plagiarism, personality and living facades, along with the average rapper having an overall displaced love for their craft. Los Angeles native Rajon “RJ” Durant sincerely illustrates his genuine adoration for music, while captivating his audience with original innovative cadences and articulated lyricism.

RJ began his unexpected leap into writing and rapping after the sudden passing of a dear friend at the age of 18. Feeling as if no one would completely understand his intimate thoughts due to his rough background, RJ found refuge and comfort in his notebook, thoroughly providing him the platform needed to express himself. After having several run-ins with the law, RJ’s days of running the streets came to an unanticipated pause when police kicked down the doors of where he and his friend sold illegal narcotics placing his friend in custody. Faced with the dilemma of whether to stay in LA and remain in the same environment or change his scenery completely, RJ decided to uproot and move to Atlanta, Georgia where he finally started to find his own style and place in rap music. In the spring of 2012 RJ decided to move back home to Los Angeles to begin diligently pursuing his music career. There, good friend Lemmie recognized his talent and assisted in granting him the company of acclaimed producers such as; DJ Mustard, Trend (producer of E-40’s “Function”), D. Nice (producer of Tyga’s “Faded”), Skinnyman,  T. Flamez & T. Wells (Atlanta, Georgia).

Currently, RJ is working on promoting his new single “*itchez” w/ fellow rapper YG, as well as working with the aforementioned producers and continuing work with various upcoming and established artist.

“I approach the game with a players mind and a lovers heart, making music for my family first, then friends and fans.”

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.

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."

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