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It’s not everyday you get the opportunity to sign to DaBaby, one of the biggest artists of our generation, and Kayykilo is proud to be part of the Billion Dollar Entertainment family. Hailing from Baton Rouge, the rising star prides herself in the authenticity of both herself and her lyrics — which originally started as a passion for poetry and has since turned into a full-blown music career.

Thanks to the greats such as Nicki Minaj, Lauryn Hill, and Missy Elliott, Kayykilo was inspired to take her craft to the next level, going viral with her single “Freestyle” aftering moving to Houston, Texas. Suddenly, she became the talk of the town as the record was played in every major club throughout the city. 

After releasing her debut EP titled You Ain’t Heard Yet, Kayykilo was hit up by DaBaby via Instagram DM, who went on to sign her. Together, they released a crazy record and visual for “Yeah B*tch.” 

Now off the heels of her previous single “Bend It,” Kayykilo returns with “PSA,” declaring her place in the rap game once and for all. Sheen Magazine caught up with Kayykilo, who was in high spirits on a beautiful Friday in Houston. Read below as we discuss her roots in Baton Rouge, when she started doing music, “Freestyle” garnering her buzz, what sets her apart, her favorite artists, remixing Coi and Nicki’s “Blick Blick,” new release “PSA,” working with HD4president, and more!

For those who don’t know, who is Kayykilo?

That bitch! Funny, outgoing. Louisiana, raw, animated, hard… all those above. [laughs]

What was it like growing up in Baton Rouge? A lot of legends come out of there, especially in hip-hop.

I love being from Baton Rouge. I love being from Louisiana period, we just got a different type of culture. We got a different type of standard that we hold ourselves accountable of. I really like being from there. I love the fact that I came up listening to Boosie and Webbie, them being from the same period as Lil Wayne. I really like the culture, we’re very confident and very strong. That’s probably where I get a lot of my confidence from.

When did you start recording? 

I’ve been writing all my life since I was 8 years old, but I started rapping for real in 2019. I did a freestyle, basically how girls do a freestyle on Instagram. I posted the “Freestyle” on Instagram, and the DJs out here in Houston liked it when they heard it. They asked me for it and started playing it, so it happened very fast for me.

“Freestyle” went crazy!

Yeah, it was lit. It was super lit and they started playing in the clubs, so I kept going crazy after that. I just kept going. It was really fast for me though.

What were you doing before that? Were you working anywhere?

I was actually into fitness: just working out, being a trainer. I always write poems and stuff, but I was really on another type of vibe. Life kind of happened to me, and I really wanted to focus on music and what I really like.

What’d you do after you gained a buzz?

Yeah, I just started going crazy. I kept promoting myself, kept doing more freestyles. Doing songs, doing videos, just showing my personality.

What would you say makes you different from other artists? Because the female rap game is crazy strong right now.

I just really be in my own lane. The way I rap, I rap very aggressive but I’m still sexy. I got a lot of bars. I write my own bars. I work hard. I got a new hairstyle every other day. If I walk into the room, I’ma take over the room. My energy is really magnetic, you gotta really be around me or be in the same room with me to really feel it.

Any female artists that you look up to?

I look up to a lot of female artists. I really like Nikki, I really like Cardi. I look up to Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliot, stuff like that. I listened to them growing up,

I know you remixed Coi Leray and Nicki Minaj’s “Blick Blick.”

Yeah, that was so fun. I really liked the beat in the song, it was so fire. I said “I’m about jump on here!” I really had fun with the video, had fun with just rapping and being an artist period. I like to show my creativity, my talent every chance I get.

What made you name it “Batman”?

Because if you listen to it, I got a part where I say “Batman, Batman, you running from the Batman.” So I just named it that, it’s in the middle of the freestyle. I love Batman, it’s my favorite Marvel character.

Did you like the newest Batman movie?

I liked the new one. If you’re a real fan, no matter what they put out, you gon’ like it.

 

 

Talk about your new single,“PSA”!

“PSA” is out. I’m so excited about it. We’ve been starting the promo. I’ve been doing radio runs, starting the TikToks. I’m starting to really go crazy with it. A lot of my fans are really hyped and ready for it, and I’m really hyped and ready for it. It’s a summer record, so I’m ready to kill it. Everybody’s like “hurry up! hurry up!” I’m coming!

I know the video’s going to be a movie, what can we expect?

The video is very cinematic. You can expect funness in it. It’s a storyline. I’m not really standing in front of the camera, just rapping. It’s a real, very cinematic type of video.

What is the PSA?

The PSA is basically we outside this summer. We’re not having nobody’s babies. We’re not crying, we’re not stressed out. We’re not tweeting about you, we not sitting on IG LIVE being miserable. We living our best life, and it’s a PSA like it’s a bad bitch alert.

I love it. I’m on that energy too!.

Right, you’re going to be able to feel it as soon as it drops.

How has TikTok been? Because that’s been a huge tool in marketing music.

Yeah. I haven’t even really been pushing it that much on TikTok yet. But on TikTok, I be lit on there. I be the real me on TikTok, it’s so funny. I be doing crazy shit on TikTok.

Can we expect a PSA challenge?

Yes, most definitely. I want it to happen organically though. I don’t really want to force anything. I want it to happen organically, fun, and lit.

Why is this song the one? 

I feel like every one of my songs is the one. I just love the energy on the song. I love the energy that it brings out of people when people hear it. I’m like okay, let’s go for this. It’s super fun, but every song I do is the one.

Can we expect the project or anything in the works? 

I have more singles coming out right after “PSA,” with features from other artists. I’m ready, I’m ready to drop a tape at any day now. When the time is right, then I’ll give them a tape. Timing is everything. I’ll give them a tape tomorrow if the timing’s right. But as far as features, I got a phone with Muni Long. I have a song with HD4president, so it’s gonna go crazy.

What does it mean to work with a fellow Louisiana native? It’s a certain energy y’all got. 

It’s dope when we connect, because a lot of people try not to let Louisiana artists in the door. Nobody, they don’t really try to let Louisiana be mainstream. We haven’t really seen a big mainstream one in a while, they try to blackball us a lot. With us sticking together, it’s the best to let them know that there is talent in Louisiana. It’s a lot of talent there, it’s a lot of culture there. It’s a lot of waves there.

You find yourself missing home?

No, I go home all the time. [laughs]

What’s your favorite part about Houston?

Sunday Fundays, the nightlife. The way that the promoters and the DJs love me and support me, the love I get out here. All you gotta do is keep going crazy everywhere and it’s going to be lit.