#YMZCOVERS: KEVI KEV
MADE POSSIBLE BY MILLER GENUINE DRAFT
FOR MILLER MUSIC DROP
Interviewed By Thabo & Thabiso Modiselle
Photography By Art Villain
Styled By Wes Thesis & Simba
Make-up By Lindiwe Chabalala
Part of the well-orchestrated one night only musical experience along with Lil Yachty, Tshego, Nikki Newlands, Ms Cosmo, Flame and more.
Rapper, Kevi Kev is one the freshest talent in the scene who has been picked by Miller to be part of their exclusive event; Miller Music Drop. Growing up in Soweto, Kevi Kev made his way through organizing events and finding the right connections to solidify his music career and become an influential personality. His musical influences can be credited to South African iconic artists like PROkid and HHP who took our own language and made it fashionable through Hip-Hop - and that's what he carries through his style of music.
Kevi Kev describes his music as a story about his life, experiences and life lessons he comes across. In 2019 he debuted an EP project T.I.M (This is Me) to give his fans a complete sound.
The EP is about the rapper introducing himself to the industry while revealing his own story.
Having such a fruitful journey, Miller selected Kevi Kev to be part of the well-orchestrated one night only musical experience along with Lil Yachty, Tshego, Nikki Newlands, Ms Cosmo, and Flame to name a few.
KEVI KEV , KEVI KHUSTA , IT’S NOT A CHICKEN IT’S A ROOSTER. MAU SHOT’ NGIZOK’ BOOSTER .
For those who don't know you who's Kevi Kev?
Kevi Kev: Kevi Kev is a Hip-Hop artist born and bred in Soweto and started making music from years back. I was involved in a lot of events, where I also met a lot of people and that’s where my musical journey began.
Who are some of the artists that influenced you when growing up?
Kevi Kev: Definitely PROKid and HHP, I like how they made our language sound so nice on Hip-Hop. When they rap in English they sounded international and they also got their sound from the Kwaito influence. And obviously the new guys, AKA, Cassper [Nyovest] and the young ones; The Big Hash, A-Reece.
Tell us about the EP T.I.M and how long you got to put it out?
Kevi Kev: The EP...it didn’t take me long to make, I was already in the zone and I was already writing and had verses. And once Muzi came to Joburg I started recording and I had like once a month to record.
I didn’t have a mindset of making the EP, all I just wanted to do is make the music and it came to a point where’s like there’s 20 songs and which songs am I putting on.
So once the songs were there, and I was ready to drop the project, I did the intro, so the intro basically tells you welcome to my life, this is me, hence I called it T.I.M (This is Me).
So I felt like it will only make sense since I’m introducing myself to music let me give you who I am. So that’s why you hear different elements of my daily life, where I wanna go, what I do.
"I DIDN’T HAVE A MINDSET OF MAKING THE EP, ALL I JUST WANTED TO DO IS MAKE THE MUSIC"
And are you working on new music already?
Kevi Kev: Right now I’m still trying to push more traction and I’m looking at dropping freestyles hopefully this month.
I’m looking at dropping a deluxe for T.I.M, it’s still gonna be predominantly me, but it’s just to add on.
The aim is to drop a mixtape called Welcome to the South, so I’m gonna start featuring people who are not from the South. So if you’re from Rustenburg, it will be like bringing Rustenburg to the South, that’s me welcoming people from your hood to the South.
I’m hoping next year we’ll still drop T.O.M which is the alternative sound to T.I.M.
And how has Social Media advanced you?
Kevi Kev: Everything has its benefits and disadvantages. The nice thing about it is you can get the brands directly. Before you didn’t know where to go when you want to work with a brand, but now you can just tag them and if they mess with what you have - it’s a partnership.
So It’s also been helpful because it doesn’t limit me to only doing music.
Tell us about some of the partnerships you have with other brands?
Kevi Kev: I think early this year I started doing a lot of influencing work. I’ve done a lot of work with Heineken as a whole which is for Miller, Amstel and they just launched a new beer, Desperados. They flew me to London to go launch the beer, and I’m part of the team that has to influence it and get it to the streets.
I’ve started doing work with SuperDry, also The Fix which launched a Man’s line recently.
THE MUSIC MILLER DROP
You will be performing at the Miller Music Drop, what do such an opportunity and platform mean to you?
Kevi Kev: It’s really hitting me now that I’m gonna performing there, coz I’m like the newest guy there with everyone who’s on the lineup.
But for me, few months in the game and dropping music and now I’m sharing a stage with an international act... that’s like one of the best achievements ever, that means what we’re doing actually people can see it.
It’s things like this that makes me believe in the music honestly, because sometimes I do so many things all at once I can’t really have time to celebrate.
And what can your fans expect from you on the night of the performance?
Kevi Kev: Since it’s Miller Music Drop, I’m looking at dropping at least two new songs for the people who will be there. I know a lot of them will be their first hearing my music.
Future plans?
Kevi Kev: Definitely more videos to be out, more collaborations and more work from me.
- THE END -
CLOTHING
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