Atlanta-based label, Generation Now has shown time after time, that they know how to spot a potential star when they see it. It’s overly apparent that their latest signee, Kai Ca$h has all the tangibles to continue that tradition. Invest in all the Kai Ca$h stock that you can buy, because he’s setting himself up for an upcoming breakout 2024 year.
This charismatic lyricist is an enigma of energy that refuses to be complacent. Far from an overnight success, it took Kai Ca$h some time to reach where he is today. As one of the core members of the NY-based collective, “C.Y.N.,” they built a name for themselves thanks to their viral freestyle videos. Now in 2023, Kai Ca$h is still working towards his original mission of dominating the rap game. The only difference is he’s much wiser and has even more assistance than before to take that next step.
With everything that has transpired, Kai Ca$h has still maintained his freezing-cool demeanor. Hoping to gain a better understanding of his mindset, we recently got the chance to sit down with the emerging artist. You can read all about it below.
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Full interview below with Kai Ca$h
Today, I’m here with Brooklyn’s own, Kai Ca$h. Mentally and just overall, how are you doing?
Thanks for having me and thanks for asking that question. That’s a very important question. Mentally, I’m just ready to get so many things done. I feel good. I don’t let things stress me, I don’t like to take on the term stress, I don’t like stress to enter my mind. I’m good, I’m alive, I’m fed and in a place of business, I’m blessed.
I’m sure you’ve noticed during your time as an artist/rapper, there are different stages that you go through. So for my first question, I’m curious about what chapter of your career would you say that you’re in right now? Like how would you describe it?
It’s crazy because me and my manager were just having a conversation about this, a month ago in LA. This is my grad night, really rookie season for real. Like you know when you put in all the work from AAU and high school, then you go D1, D2, or D3 to get drafted? That’s what phase I feel like I’m in right now. I appreciate and cherish all the hard work that I put in beforehand. And today, I just feel like it’s (my) rookie season.
And like one thing, I’ve noticed about you, is that you’re always in the studio and just perfecting your craft. What are some random things that have been recently giving you inspiration to continue making dope music?
Really, just going outside and basking in nature. I know that’s cliche to say, but I like being by myself a lot. I like listening to old music and just different vibes. Music inspires me to make music, but outside of that, just living life and doing things. Some days I just want to be dolo. Some days I might be in the mood to go out. Other days I might be in the mood to draw, watch certain movies, or watch a (TV) series like I’m doing right now. Everyday life inspires me musically. That’s why I like to take breaks, from time to time. I can get more inspiration and experience more life so that I can come back and make great records.
With you originally coming from New York, and now that you’re based in Atlanta, what’s the difference between both cities, and what has been the biggest transition for you?
The difference is, that Atlanta is slightly slower than New York. It’s still fast-paced. But you know New York is bright lights, a lot of chaos, people piling on top of each other, and loud. In Atlanta, you can find peace and tranquility, because it’s not all city. I’m from New York City, not upstate. It’s loud all the time and chaotic. Atlanta is a little bit different and has a heavier music scene. Even the hang-out spots are based on music.
The Atlanta music scene is bigger, which is why Atlanta has been dominating music. The hardest transition early on was getting to space of adapting to how different it was in its entirety. I was born and raised in New York and didn’t move out of NY til I was 21. So my whole life, I’ve been living there. For me to up and jump, and to come somewhere where it’s totally foreign to me. At first, it was kind of hard to adjust. But once I started getting outside and getting back to working and rubbing shoulders, it got easier for me to move around. I love Atlanta now.
Musically, do you think being in Atlanta has changed your musical style and just how you approach music?
Yeah for sure. It has made me a lot more comfortable with my versatility. Being out here, (I have been) tapping in with so many people from so many different states. Not even just Atlanta. A lot of the producers and the creatives I meet are from totally different spaces, and we all came out here with the same goal in mind. We all just want to follow our dreams and it’s dope. Being that I’m from New York, the people that I tap in with, are people that I’ve known for so long.
You kind of don’t get out of that space and that realm, which is not a bad thing for when I go back. But when you living there 24/7, and if you not moving around, you get stuck in that. Being out here it’s always new things. It’s always new producers, new artists, and new everything in Atlanta. Being out here really made me a lot more comfortable with a lot more in my process of recording. Maybe I’m not writing as much and just flowing with what comes to my mind and freestyling more. Granted I still write. But those are the things that Atlanta has an impact on me musically.
This a weird question I’m about to ask but in regards to freestyling, do you ever think you will get tired of freestyling? The way I look at it, it’s very similar to how people will go up to comedians and ask them to tell a joke on the spot. So with being a key part of your origin story and coming up, I have to wonder if it bothers you now.
Hell yeah. I’ve already spoken about that earlier this year (to my manager). I only want to do it for like maybe my next single release, I want to freestyle for like maybe three of the biggest platforms. I want to go to the platforms I know that people are going to pay attention to and it’s going to do something.
It’s so many platforms now, it’s more than ever. Like we could do a freestyle segment right here, right now. A lot of the times, there are very few people that come to these platforms and actually freestyle. Juice WRLD was one of them. A lot of people not doing that. Some are reciting written (verses) and some n*ggas are reciting verses from songs they about to drop. It’s like when Vince Staples said, “you promoting a project and y’all telling me to go spit a 16. Y’all are gonna say I heard that 16 when the project drop.” I’ve already been in a space, where I don’t want to freestyle for everybody. That’s not the type of time, I’m on.
Speaking of new releases, I recently noticed you previewed your upcoming new single, ‘Madison Ave.’ What’s the significance of the title and who produced it? Just walk me through the process of making that song.
The craziest thing is, that’s one of them joints that I recorded in here, one day. And I believe the original beat was named Madison Drive. Madison Ave is a block in Manhattan, NY. It’s like the luxurious part of town. Instead of naming it Madison Drive, I just named it ‘Madison Ave’ because it caters to where I’m from.
But I had switched the beat out, shout-out to AVB, he produced the beat. Really the process for that, was that this was one of those instances that I heard the beat, and I immediately said “I gotta do this.” I didn’t write nothing, whatever came to my mind, I just let it be. The inspiration behind it is really the beat in itself. Sometimes the music inspires to create music. And when it’s so great I feel like I have to do something greater, to be apart of that greatness.
I also peeped in the video that you incorporated Spike Lee’s dolly shot. Was there a sentimental reason you chose that?
‘Do The Right Thing’ was one of my favorite movies. (To me) ‘Crooklyn’ was above ‘Do The Right Thing’ for me. But that dolly shot has always been something that I wanted to do. And I’ve been wanting to do it for years. And I’ve never got the right moment to do it. But that was the perfect moment and I feel like I’m probably going to do it again in a video. The dolly shot is hard to me. It’s timeless, anybody that does a dolly shot, it automatically is going to go crazy.
For the people who don’t know, we are at the HQ of Generation Now. Of course, congratulations for partnering up with them. With that all going down, does that add more pressure?
Silently, yea. Because it’s like you know when you’re a new kid in school? You know how gifted you are and you know what you’re about to bring to school. But you really don’t know how the school operates, you don’t know what’s what, or who’s who. So you have to get acclimated with what’s going on in the school. At the same time, I know why I got accepted at this school. So yeah it’s silent pressure, because they have a great roster and they’ve done some great things in these past few years.
And I want to contribute and add even more to that. And more so, I’m not pressured by the system, I be pressured by myself, because I’m getting into the system now. I’ve waited so long to become apart of the system that’s as grand as this. Now that I’m coming apart of the system, it’s real. I’m used to being independent and things being a lot more lax and you can just take a breather. But nah this a system, this is a real machine. You got to be prepped and ready to go. But it’s silent, it’s not a lot of pressure. I don’t feel a lot of pressure.
What’s next for you music wise and what details can you share with us? Especially that we are heading into 2024.
2024, I’m about to drop my first single early. We just got the treatment back and I ain’t gonna lie, that video is about to be so crazy. That’s like my lead focus right now, that single, ‘Superseding My Expectations.’ From there, a release of a project. I’ve kind of only dropped maybe 2 or 3 records this year. (Mainly) because it’s been a growing year/working year for me. But 2024 is when I get to releasing, being outside, and rubbing shoulders more. Going to be tapping in with everything that I need to be tapping in with and just doing things that’s outside of music.
It’s outside of just the music, because the music is already made and it’s being made everyday. But it’s more so the year of me being back outside, in a productive way. Not just doing anything and being anywhere, like losing my exclusivity, but intentional and purposeful. Getting out there and doing what I need to do. But i’m not gonna lie, the music is going to be the force that brings me into every room. And it’s a force, that’s not gonna be f*cked with. I kid you not, nobody’s f*cking with the sh*t, I’m about to put out. They’re gonna love it. And that’s the goal for me at the end of the day.
