Paris Alston: This is GBH’s Morning Edition. Boston Calling kicks off today, and this year the annual festival is featuring 21 local artists. One of them is rapper kei.
kei [recorded]: How I come in just so effortless I got you hooked I know you wonder how I jug & finesse The truth is everything I do, I never do to impress
Alston: The Dorchester native says she’s only been making music for three years.
kei: It’s really, really surreal, especially about how fast I’ve been able to climb, within my notability, within my community. I’m super blessed and just honored to be able to have an opportunity like this.
Alston: Like many female rappers today, kei channels an expressive freedom in her music, artistically and emotionally.
kei [recorded]: I don’t do discussions Wanna cause disruption Gonna reap the repercussions Cussions Bow, Aye Buss your head concussion Blast through your speaker Do you hear this percussion?
kei: A lot of people will classify some of my music as like rage or a trap or pop. But I feel like if you really listen to the content matter of my songs, there’s a running theme of progression and growth and progress that I talk about in such a fun, funky way. I like to make music that people can connect to sonically and move them, whether that’s emotionally or physically. Have them dance, have them mad, have them just feel a whole bunch of things.
Alston: Why rap? Why is that such a big outlet for you?
kei: I think rap kind of transpired from just me writing poetry and spoken word as a kid. I used to have a journal where I would just write little songs and things that my dad just inspired, just listening to, like, his music in his production. And I would goof around and make little things with him, but a lot of my expression just came from just writing in general. And being able to do that in a poetic way kind of transformed into rapping over time. Yeah.
Alston: Now, Boston is not really like a rap city. When you think about the top places for hip hop, Boston doesn’t always come to mind.
kei: Right.
Alston: But tell me a little bit about your journey through the local hip hop scene.
kei: I’m fairly new, so I feel like there’s still a lot of history that, you know, I’m becoming, or acknowledging. I have the OGs, like Cousin Stizz and Millyz and Bia, but you know, Bobby Brown’s from here. And just learning a lot of the history and people that came before me, like Oompa and Maye Star, and even like my friends like Clark D, just being inspired by those who set a foundation, Vintage Lee. There’s so many names that --- not a lot of local people may know, unless they really like, delve deep into the history of, you know, hip hop and just the culture of music here in Boston. It’s something I’m still learning and still inspired by, to this day, so it’s really cool.
Alston: And you’re not the only Black woman rapper who’s going to be at Boston Calling. I mean, of course, there’s Meg the Stallion headlining, but there’s also Cakeswagg, another local rapper, and non-binary rapper Billy Dean Thomas and others. And this is a festival that’s been criticized in the past for not being diverse enough. Do you think that that’s improved, given that you and the other artists I mentioned will be there?
kei: Yeah, I think that’s something I even -- I remember taking the T my freshman year of college when I went to Northeastern. And even the years after that, when I went to RCC and I would see the fliers of Boston Calling, never really knew what it was until like, recent years. But I think they’re doing an amazing job at highlighting locals, like Cakeswagg and ToriTori and Zola Simone and Stefan Thev, and a whole bunch of others of my peers and the collective here. It’s really, really dope. And I’m so honored to be a part of those individuals who are being highlighted on such a large stage and platform. And I’m looking forward to them highlighting more artists and, you know, becoming more knowledgeable of the amazing dope creatives that are here in Boston.
Alston: Just judging from your music videos, this performance is about to be lit, right? Like you look at the videos, it’s color, it’s patterns it’s a lot of experimentation. Not only with the background, right, but with you and your hair and your clothes, all of that. How will that translate on stage?
kei: I think my music --- and outside of the music, I’m really about providing my audience and my listeners an experience. I feel like last year I did BAMS Fest, and that was the first time I was able to do something where I had elements with my physical appearance, my hair. I styled myself, I had dancers, I had the backdrop, I had a live band. And I feel like Boston Calling will be that, but times ten: More dancers. I have a new experience with the live band. And I really want to send a message that Boston has culture. There’s a lot of people coming from different states, probably around the country, coming here to experience these artists. And there’s this stigma that, you know, Boston doesn’t have Black culture, they don’t have minorities. And I found a page on Instagram called Boston Urban Archive, and I was heavily inspired by the fashion and just the music and some of the artists that are on that page. And I wanted to bring an element of that to the stage. So I’m really, really excited to give everyone an experience that they’ll never forget. I think it’s going to be super amazing. I’m really, really excited.
Alston: kei, before you leave, you’re going to perform for us in studio?
kei: Yes. I have a verse that I wrote for a song with one of my fellow friends, also artists, by the name of Maye Star. I’m going to be doing my verse acapella to our song "Numbers Is Off." It really really don’t make sense to me. Rocketing, please don’t act like you can’t see my trajectory. I talked to God and he told me it’s written for destiny. I got my angels protecting me. Blessed to be given a chance to influence, inspire the lives of so many identitties. Know I’m the ish, legit, can’t quit. Sometimes it consumes it be messing me, mentally. I set the boundaries, you can’t round to me. Said what I said, Imma need my respect. Imma need all of my payments in full, no checks, straight cash, thats what I expect. Don’t think you can step to me, nobody checkin’ me. Come and you better be coming correct. If you try to put me in a box then I’m taking that shoe and I’m stomping and steppin’ on necks. I am up next, straight to the top. None of you people Can walk how I walk. None of you people Can talk how I talk When I rockin’ that fashion, aint worried what it cost. Soon I’ll be whipping these foreigns and cars, vacation to Bali and flying’ abroad. I’m the OG that can step in the room and immediately have all these people applaud.
Alston: Okay, so cue the applause. Yes. Thank you, thank you, thank you. That was awesome, kei. Thank you so much for stopping by.
kei: Of course I appreciate you.
