Kaydee

Mississauga collective From The City are starting to make waves in the GTA. Rapper John River caught a MuchMusic Video Award nomination for “Hope CIty II” earlier this year, and it looks like FTC affiliate and ‘Sauga’s best kept secret Kaydee could be up next.

Kwesi “Kaydee” Williams’ previous project The Transition saw him exploring a more classic boom-bap sound, but on “Mission Statement,” he unleashes more aggressive flow on top of a blazing instrumental by Sammir Beats. Lyrically, this is Kaydee’s call to arms. “It’s my way of letting the game know that me and my crew are coming to stake our claim,” he told Complex.

The Steffi Tupe-directed visual offsets the song’s emphatic lyrical message, and keeps things light with bike rides, Super Soakers, and inexplicably, Kaydee in full soccer gear. “We wanted the video to encompass a fun, summery vibe,” he says. Mission accomplished.

Watch Kaydee’s “Mission Statement” above, and watch for a brand new EP dropping sometime in 2015. - Complex

Mississauga rapper Kaydee has been pretty quiet since dropping the video for “Mission Statement” back in July, but he seems re-energized, and ready to come correct in 2016.

Known for his freestyling skills, Kaydee’s rhymes sound fluid enough to be off the dome, but a deeper lyrical narrative reveals an artist wrestling with the contemporary marginalization and exclusion of youth: “It sounds catchy when you put it in a rap/But I’m stuck here, that’s why they call it the trap/I know it’s driving me crazy, my neighbourhood hate me/Fuck you, society made me, I said ‘You can’t even blame me, I’m America’s baby.’” On top of a solemn instrumental, Kaydee speaks tough truths, telling an all too relatable story.

"I just wanted to say my piece from the perspective of a kid who feels trapped in the ghetto,” Kaydee explained via email. “A lot of the issues going on are because of a lack of resources in the community, and lack of help from the government to implement programs. The list goes on. I want to be a voice for the ones who can't speak."

Listen to “AmeriKKKa’s Baby” by Kaydee below. Expect a new 4-song EP, dropping sometime in February. - Complex

Toronto artists, Kaydee and Jazz Cartier opened for Joey Bada$$. This audience was not familiar with their material, but became well acquainted by the end of their sets. The fans seemed to warm up and participate more with every song that dropped, but one thing was clear, the restless crowd came to see Joey. Between each set, the crowd loudly chanted “Joey! Joey! Joey!” - The Come Up Show

Young emcee cites Biggie, Nas and Tupac as his main influences

“It was crazy! I love this venue; I went to a couple shows here last year. To do a show at Tattoo is like a dream come true,” explains rapper Kaydee excitedly.

The Mississauga, Ontario born artist, whose real name is Kwesi Williams, is reminiscing about the days he would go to Tattoo to watch shows, not knowing in a few years he would be on stage there too.

Though he may be unknown to most people right now, Kaydee is aiming to change that. And if he keeps performing like he did during a showcase at this year’s Canadian Music Week (CMW), people are surely about to know his name.

“A lot of guys try to go on stage and act cool, I just have as much fun as I can and do what I got to do.”
Kaydee’s CMW set is unlike most rap performances you’d see from a young emcee; where some are timid and still figuring out how to capture a crowd, Kaydee is a natural.

He isn’t just rapping to songs you’d hear in the club, he takes the audience on a musical journey of up-tempo to mid-tempo songs. Maybe it’s the inspiration he says he gets from some of rap’s classic artists like Biggie, Nas, Tupac that has made him into a well-rounded performer and emcee.

“I don’t try to emulate their styles, but that’s what inspires me, because that’s when I feel like rap was at its illest!” explains Kaydee. “So I just try to take it back to that feeling and that era.”



After putting out the mixtape, 90’s Baby, in 2013, and the 21-track project entitled, The Transition, in 2014, Kaydee has been hard at work in the studio and touring with the Flatbush Zombies. He has a single out now “Mission Statement” and remains focused on putting out new music and doing shows.

During his set he is joined on stage by fellow Toronto emcee John River and a few background singers, which isn’t something many rappers do anymore. While still an up and coming artist, Kaydee seems to understand what it takes to create an experience for audiences, which is surely something that will have him in the game for a long time.

“Whenever I have a show, my game plan is to give it everything I’ve got!” says Kaydee. “A lot of guys try to go on stage and act cool, I just have as much fun as I can and do what I got to do.” - Urbanology

CMW features an obnoxiously large variety of artists over 10 days, across nearly a hundred venues, so not every new artist you come across is a sure shot of impressive entertainment. Every now and then, however, you get to be surprised.

Kaydee at Tattoo Queen West: A local rapper coming from nowhere other than Mississauga – which we’ve noticed over the last couple years is a home base to many of Toronto’s wordsmiths. Born as Kwesi Williams, Kaydee was introduced to hip hop as a kid by his older brother. He recently released a 21-track album called The Transition, featuring arms-length artists like BKS members JAI.R and WXLA.

We walked into the show just as Williams hit the stage at the half-filled Tattoo. It was immediately clear that Kaydee has a lot of passion for what he does and for his community. His hard-hitting lyrical rapping style lives on much better in a live show, there is something about his voice that does not translate as impressive on record, though that could be the fault of a budget production. Working the stage from side to side with occasional melodic back up singers, Kaydee quickly gained respect of that stiff audience, inviting them to join him on stage near the end. This kid is a golden child, in his mama’s words, and he’s living up to it. Let’s wait and see who he grows up to be as an artist. - Laura Eley & Kateryna Topol

Kaydee just hit us with some fresh new good good with his latest video release for “Mission Statement.” While y’all are probably familiar with Kaydee as more of a boom-bap artist, this track is a huge switch for the homie.

After dropping The Transition in November 2014, Kaydee took a bit of a hiatus. Usually I’m not too fond of hiatuses because I find artists tend to lose steam when they stay away from the rap game for too long. But I’m reeling over this video right now. It feels like the last few months of Kaydee’s absence all got crushed and condensed into this one joint. There’s so much energy on here. Kaydee fires off his mission statement as a hungry warning to the rest of the rap game: Sauga is coming.

Mississauga artist Kaydee delivers his




Kaydee compared this new flow and sound to the likes of Joey Bada$$ and I definitely see the comparison. This joint reminds me a lot of the first time I heard Joey’s “95 Til Infinity.” The beat started things off all wavy and vibey. And as soon as Joey went in on his first verse, he took the most MASSIVE LYRICAL SHIT ON THE WORLD: “And we smoking, toking potent herb/ Preaching spoken words that just might poke your nerves.” Remember that? It just went off and everyone lost their mind.

When Kaydee comes in on “Mission Statement,” it’s the exact same magnificent lyrical dump: “YO/ YOU READY FOR ACTION?/ I’M READY FOR WAR/ THE BOOGEYMAN CLIMBED FROM UNDER MY BED/ JUMPED OUT OF THE WINDOW AND RAN TO YOUR DOOR.” He goes hard over top of a synth-laced futuristic Sammir beat, and hits us with what are probably his hungriest bars ever.

Right off the bat, homie is coming at us on a bicycle. And he’s wearing a bathrobe, and it’s nutso. And then he’s suited up and waving around a briefcase. And then he’s coming at us on a bike again. And then he’s running at us with a soccer ball. So basically the common denominator here is that Kaydee is coming at us. He’s running and bicycling and soccer-ing right at us. And you can’t avoid the homie. You gots to pay attention. Shout-out to Steffi Tupe on the video direction. This is one of the slickest, simplest rap game revivals of the summer. I’m ‘a stay watching. - Sarah Sussman

Finally it is upon us! The Transition – the brand new album coming from The Music Brewery favourite Kaydee – has finally been released and I am happy to say it doesn’t disappoint. Excellent production supports the impressive up and comer Kaydee in telling his driven and motivating story. But how does it stack up compared to the rest of this year’s releases?A quick recap for those who haven’t kept up to date with Kaydee so far. Kaydee is a young up and coming star hailing from Toronto, Canada, who has started making some seriously big impressions in the world of hip hop. A lyrical MC that more obsessed with becoming a legend in the game than the fortune and fame associated with the rap game. A feat easier said than done, especially with the amount of talent out there.

I first heard of Kaydee sometime back in September when we received an email about an upcoming single that was dropping called ‘The Drill’ this immediately became one of my most played tunes of the last few months. I have previously compared Kaydee to the likes of Joey Bada$$ and Meechy Darko of Flatbush Zombies, the aggressive and wordy flow sets them and Kaydee apart from many, many other MCs.

Onto the actual album, where we start off with a huge tune ‘INTROduction’ that really sets the tone for the album. Utilising the classic J Dilla beat ‘Fall In Love’ which coincidently is one of my most favourite beats of all time, it is the perfect way to kick off The Transition, it is a perfect head-bobbingly awesome beat with the perfect drums and muted keyboard that provide the perfect platform for Kaydee to do his thing. Kaydee goes hard in this opening track, rhyming about the other options he could have gone for instead of rapping. Dealing on the streets and pushing rapping to a hobby is a common tale we hear from rappers but thank god Kaydee stuck with rapping!

Following on from the ‘INTROduction’ is a track I have previously covered entitled ‘I Am Legend’ – a tune that really shows Kaydee’s level of enthusiasm and ambition for his path in the world of hip hop. Unlike fellow Canadian Drake, Kaydee is more focused on his rhymes and going for that more traditional, golden age style of pure hip hop, which in my eyes and ears is a great thing. In a time where we have the likes of Drake creating pop crossover tunes or Young Thug creating… well I don’t have a clue what you call Young Thug’s music… it is great to hear a stripped back hip hop album that is focusing on story telling and having a narrative. Instead of boasting about money and women, Kaydee instead focuses on telling the story of the world he has found himself in and how he got to where he is now.


I would have to agree with Kaydee in his description for the album in saying that if compared to recent releases it would go in the same category as Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid M.A.A.D City or YG’s My Krazy Life as it follows a narrative and feels like a totally complete project. Throughout The Transition we find out more and more about Kaydee, song by song more details are leaked out about his life. ‘F.A.M. (Family Always Matters)’ details to us the difficulties that Kaydee experienced growing up, with poverty and life expectations a serious trouble. But this is nothing new for Kaydee, he is not afraid of delving into his personal and intimate moments from his past, and this is really what sets Kaydee apart from a lot of other rappers.

At 21 songs long most people without listening would automatically say that The Transition is too long and oversized, however I am not one of those people. This is the life’s work of an extremely talented MC, a life’s work cannot be too long in my opinion, it takes as long as necessary in order to tell your story. There is a saying in hip hop that your first album is your life’s work and anything after that is just a matter of a few years work. Now as there are 21 tracks I thought I would share some of my favourites, so where better to start than the ‘INTROduction’ you all already know why I love this, it’s a J Dilla beat what’s not to love? Next up I would have to say ‘North Side Behaviour’ an awesomely breezing beat that feels like XXYYXX and some poignant lyrics detailing the struggle to the top and how temptations are always there to distract you. ‘Tracy McGrady’ again is a huge tune that details Kaydee’s old dreams of becoming a basketball player until a knee injury scuppered any such chances, I love this song, you can you really feel some of the anger and disappointment stemming from his knee injuries in Kaydee’s voice.


I am going to give The Transition an impressive 9/10. This is an album that you are unlikely to hear on the radio or for it to crossover to the mainstream, but that therein lies the point, this is one rapper trying to tell his story. I love this album and will be listening to it on repeat for a long time to come, whether this will become a long term classic remains to be seen but what I can say is that Kaydee is definitely heading the right way. - WILL SHIPLEY

As of late, Canada has been delivering a slew of artists to the music industry. With the rise of OVO Sound, it’s clear that our Northern neighbors have got the talent to break into the rap and hip hop world. Kaydee, a 23 year old lyricist from Mississauga, Ontario, could just be the next big thing to come out of ‘The 6′.

Before anything, Kaydee considers himself an artist. Rapping to him is more than just a hobby, it’s a skill. Even as a young child, he remembers developing his craft by watching his older brother Zeus and his friends freestyle in their garage. His first musical influences were DMX and Snoop Dogg courtesy of Zeus’ introduction. By age 4, he had memorized “Aint No Fun(If The Homies Can’t Have None)” off of Snoop’s tape after hearing the Doggystyle cassette repeatedly in their shared bedroom at the time. He continued to dabble musically throughout high school but was more focused on succeeding as an athlete. After several nudges from his friends, he released his first project, 90s Baby, in December 2012. The mixtape received a great response finally giving him the confirmation he needed to pursue music seriously.

This year he made a huge leap when asked to perform in the 2014 Canadian Music Festival alongside Flatbush Zombies and Bodega Bamz. It was a major moment for him especially as he prepares for the release of his debut project The Transition. The project will feature all original material and give listeners an opportunity to explore more personal parts of the rapper’s life. When asked about where he hopes his music will take him he responds, “I’m a simple man; I just want to be able to provide for those around me.” It’s clear that the fame-chasing, materialistic side of the industry isn’t what pushes Kaydee to keep grinding. He just wants to be able to give to those who have supported him and ensure that his people live a satisfied life.

Kaydee’s latest single, “The Drill”, was originally set to be apart of The Transition but after he recorded the track, he chose to take it in a different direction. Check out the smooth record below and be on the lookout for the project release! Keep up with him on Twitter @KaydeeTR. - Dorian Ezzard

We get a few emails through to us here at The Music Brewery from artists asking for us to listen to their music, we give it a listen and decide whether we want to post it and share with all you lucky people. Well in this case I am unbelievably happy to report that we have been sent an absolute gem, diamond whatever you want to say but some top notch music that deserves some proper recognition.

So let’s get into this intro properly! Kaydee is an up and comer from Toronto, Canada who is currently prepping for the release of his debut effort The Transition, to say I’m excited for this would be understatement of the year. Although he only has a small amount of music available it is, in my opinion really quite something. A flow that sounds like a combination of Meechy Darko, Joey Bada$$ and of course his own flair, is head bobbingly awesome and combined with his lyrical abilities is great to listen to. Some great beats compliment his voice as well and create that golden age feel that so many try and fail to make, it fits in perfectly to the New York sound coming up at the moment. To say it has that golden age feel to it should not be seen as a boxing in of Kaydee though, through his current music there is enough evidence to see that he will succeed within many types of hip hop!

So with all this being said I should suggest a tune to get you started with, and for me it has to be his new single “The Drill prod. by LA Chase” a stand alone single that encompasses all that I have mentioned before and shows precisely why you should keep up regularly with Kaydee! Personally I feel that this is merely the beginning of his journey that will see him head towards the top, and with his debut album The Transition coming soon, we are definitely in the midst of Kaydeezy season. - WILLIAM SHIPLEY

#2 Toronto’s been dipping its fingers in the East Coast rap scene

Kaydee
The Phoenix
Friday May 9th, 2014

As the climate of rap has been constructed, dismembered and re-created over the last few decades, it’s main constant has been a preoccupation with proving why its hometown is far superior to all the others. The last few years have seen the emergence of the new “Beast Coast” scene, which has a habit of emphasizing hard-hitting rhymes as much as a particular type of psychedelic production layered beneath it. Within a crowd of teenage skaters in tie-dye peppering the front, and older, more reserved fans hanging in the back, the night’s headliners, Flatbush Zombies, have distinguished themselves as the most exciting of the bunch. From Brooklyn, New York, their three members use different tactics, such as a high-pitched snarl to a gruesome baritone to create one cacophonous sound. Unfortunately, as festivals of this type go I had to miss their set in order make it in time for another, but social media told me they killed it. I never doubted them for a moment.

However, arriving early enough to catch Toronto’s Kaydee very nearly made up for missing the headliners. Making it his mission to rep both Toronto and Mississauga to an extent that would make Drake proud, Kaydee has been placed alongside artists from the “golden era” of rap where content and clever wordplay take precedence over shout-along club bangers with lyrics intended for shock value. Performing songs off his 2012 album, 90’s Baby, Kaydee is young enough to give his album name validity, yet manages to sound wise beyond his years. Augmenting his relentlessly fierce delivery with a downtempo and experimental production that brings Clams Casino to mind, his songs about his aspirations of success obstructed by the temptations of the world around him are concerns ripped from his own psyche. Naturally comfortable on stage, Kaydee kept a constant conversation going with his audience demanding their participation and asking about their favourite basketball players between songs, finishing with a heartfelt track about a childhood mentor. It’s this type of diverging modes of expression and curiosity for incorporating new audial textures into a well-established genre that has made groups like Pro Era and The Underachievers so interesting to follow. With his obvious raw talent and penchant for innovation, Toronto’s Kaydee belongs right into the mix. - Melissa Vincent

All 90′s babies, like myself, can agree that we experienced a historic, magical age of Hip-Hop. Comprised of legendary rappers such as Tupac, Biggie, and Nas, the 90′s was the prime of the genre. This fact is why now, so many of that generation are trying hard to revive the elements of that time. One artist in particular is Toronto rapper Kaydee.

With the 2012 release of his mixtape 90s Baby, Kaydee has been able to attract the attention of many, due to his unique, compelling lyricism, storytelling, and melodies, that takes us back to the good old days of Hip-Hop. Yet, despite this, he doesn’t want to be labeled as an artist who is “stuck in the 90′s” as he alludes to in his new record Boom Bap! As he works on his sophomore mixtape, be sure to listen to download 90′s Baby - Jasmine Holloman