In the vibrant landscape of hip-hop, a new voice is emerging from the streets of Baltimore. Meet Kiko Blac, the rapper with a passion for anime, video games, and a unique sound that’s setting her apart in the crowded music industry.
Kiko’s journey into the music world began at a young age. Growing up as an introverted girl, she found it hard to express her desire for music. But after moving to Atlanta at 19, she started doing music videos for bigger artists like Jacquees and 2chainz. While working as a dancer and later in bottle service, she built friendships with different DJs and eventually linked up with her producer Lilkeybo4rd. After a long year of developing her sound, she released her first single “Funeral” in 2018 and has been on the go ever since.
Kiko’s music is a reflection of her eclectic inspirations, from the lyrics of Nicki Minaj to the creative freedom of Doja Cat, the iconic looks of Cardi B, the hustle of JT and Latto, Future’s creativity, Uzi’s versatility, and more. She’s inspired by artists who observe and stay true to themselves. Her creative process involves locking in the studio with good vibes, creating beats with her producers, brainstorming ideas, and writing with the help of writers who can bounce ideas off of her.
As an artist, Kiko is all about overcoming her introverted nature and staying true to herself. Her music is anime and video game-inspired because that’s a big part of who she is. Growing up in Baltimore wasn’t easy, so anime and games were always her escape. She’s determined to mix these passions with her music in a way that feels authentic and real. Even doing music in general is a meaning behind her songs – being able to overcome her shyness and knowing she’s being true to herself and making her grandmother proud.
Kiko loves collaborating with others, whether it’s linking in the studio with producers to create something from scratch or vibing with artists to find the right direction for a song. She’s all about building a community with her supporters, responding to comments, running a Discord server, streaming, listening to unreleased music, watching anime, taking game advice, and even gaming together. To her, music takes a village and those who support her are another reason she wants to show them the real her.
Performing is Kiko’s favorite part of being an artist. After SXSW and Trap Sushi, she knew it was real. Her first show was in South Korea, which was surreal. Her least favorite part is getting over her anxiety and shyness – sometimes it can be overstimulating. But once the mic is in her hand, she’s so excited to show everyone her music. She does get anxiety when dropping music because you never know which one will really blow like “Bunny Girl Senpai Freestyle” hitting a million streams.
To anyone trying to get started with music, Kiko would say find what makes you different, content creation helps if you’re independent, and invest money into yourself. Stay true to yourself, observe, and keep pushing forward.
Follow Kiko Blac on social media to keep up with her latest music, anime obsessions, and video game passions. Her story is one of perseverance, self-discovery, and the power of staying true to yourself. From Baltimore to the world, Kiko Blac is a name you won’t soon forget.
