Kane sets sights on Milwaukee’s hip-hop scene
Hard-working rapper chasing his longtime dream
It was a special day for Kane when he was at the Journal Sentinel studios: He was celebrating his 19th birthday.
But Kane didn’t have any celebratory blowout planned after the filming wrapped.
“I’m going to be somewhere secluded, vibing, coming up with the next good song,” he said.
That dedication to his music is paying off. The young Milwaukee rapper already has the endorsement of WebsterX, one of the city’s most prominent hip-hop artists.
Earlier this month, WebsterX selected Kane for the Journal Sentinel’s latest “Bands to Watch” feature, focusing on “Milwaukee Rappers on the Rise.” All five artists — selected by local rap star IshDARR; bloggers and radio hosts DJ Bizzon and Damon “Jank” Joy; and Journal Sentinel music writer Piet Levy — will play a free concert at the Radio Milwaukee Studios Oct. 7.
“To have a co-sign from him feels good, I appreciate that,” Kane said of WebsterX’s approval. “He’s definitely like a brother to me now. He’s taught me a lot of things and (taught me) about letting the music speak for itself.”
Early experiences: I fell in love with music probably around the age of 5. I saw the Lil Wayne documentary when I was 10 or 12 and knew this is what I wanted to do. I would use YouTube beats and record my voice on my phone. I was in a real studio when I was 13, and when I turned 14, I started dropping songs on SoundCloud. One song got 1,000 plays and I was, like, “We can do something off of this.”
Stage name backstory: I used to watch this movie “Menace II Society” every day when I was 15 going on 16. There was a character in there named Kane, and I was like, “That’s me.” (In the movie,) Kane was just getting out of high school, not sure what the world was offering, so he did what he had to do.
Developing a style: I rap about life, the things that I go through on a daily basis. My flow is unorthodox, unpredictable, and I don’t want to be considered a one-genre artist. I want to be an artist with longevity, that’s my goal.
What’s next: I released loosies (individual songs posted
online) and didn’t release my full-length project, “The Influence,” until July last year. It’s hip-hop, but the production is rock; Kurt Cobain was a huge influence for me.
(Working on the forthcoming album) I was in a dark space, and I wanted to rebrand myself. I just let it all out (in the music). In (the song) “Watch Out,” I’m basically telling people to watch their surroundings; don’t think people are as authentic as they portray themselves to be. “Devil in Blue Boots” is about a figure that comes around, and you think you’ll get everything you ever wanted, but it’s never what it seems. The song (”Expletive) Kane” came about from dealing with a situation; it’s basically like saying, “No one can (expletive) on me, I’m my own worst enemy.”
I want to take over the city; I did most every venue in Milwaukee. We’re going to focus on a tour and keep trying to get this bigger.
See Kane live, for free: Kane is performing at the Journal Sentinel’s free “Bands to Watch: Milwaukee Rappers on the Rise” showcase, at 8 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Radio Milwaukee Studios. For more information, visit the Journal Sentinel’s Facebook page.