Next Wave #1202: Kasien

Seizing the moment as a real-time rockstar, Kasien is stepping into the limelight with a renewed sense of rebellion. The South London rhymer has been reliving the breezy melodies that soundtracked formative years spent in Lagos. “It was definitely a culture shock going back,” he admits, sporting Balenciaga’s signature Wire Cat frames and bulky, silver jewellery on set.

“To see that you can be Black and not the minority was a massive thing for me. That’s all I really knew my whole life.” Kasien references his early ambitious streak, this unerring need to break the cycle and grind hard. “I was in a school with politicians’ kids and kids with billionaire fathers. Seeing that Black people could have this type of wealth made me want more in life than just being in the ends,” he reflects. 

Kasien found himself immersed in London’s alt-rap scene, joining forces with A$AP Mob affiliate Kelvin Krash: the pair’s slick, visceral bars over high-octane production formed the backbone of EP, ‘K2’. Over a series of projects, Kasien has fashioned a hedonistic world he could escape to, exploring the sweet spot between grunge, trap and club-oriented soundscapes. The melodic rapper cites his early releases as works-in-progress. “My old projects sounded that way because I was generally frustrated with life,” he says. “I was pointing the blame at everyone else, rather than looking at myself and being like, how can I change my life?”

For Kasien, forthcoming release ‘ilysfm: i love you so fuckin much’ is an answer to his younger, angsty self. In its current demo form, the project moves between elastic jersey club tempos, vibrant afrobeats hooks and punk-tinged instrumental moments. A sonic demonstration of “love on every spectrum”, Kasien roped in longtime friend Cruel Santino on lead single ‘YAWA’, a groovy, drop-top heater that tussles between romantic encounters.

At the core lies ‘LOST AND FOUND’, a revelatory number that features Kasien’s mother passing down her truths. “My mum is a real, strong woman,” he opens up. “She’s lost a son, my dad passed away, she’s lost p’s and made money back. She’s such an inspiration to me. She’s shown that regardless of what the fuck happened, you’ve still got to push on.” 

Kasien is ready to tell a story of overcoming. “The challenge was trying to let go of the old me,” he says. “It’s me saying this is what I want to do. Regardless of how people feel we’re gonna do it anyway.”

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