Artist Profile: Kyle

While, yes, I often get excited when I discover a new artist, Kyle was different. I discovered Kyle through Spotify. Searching Chance The Rapper’s page, I came across an album he was featured on. It was a familiar album cover with a toothy grin surrounded by a baby blue color that just screams happiness. Looking through the track list I came across “The Force,” a song I discovered long ago but soon forgot about.

The song is the first on the album and starts off with a piano that draws the listener in. About 15 seconds into the song, the sound of what appears to be a lightsaber (famously known from Star Wars) opens up and Kyle hops on the track with, “I got the muhf*cking force.” Now this isn’t poetic nor is it work from a lyrical genius but the combination of his voice and that line drew me in to continue listening.

https://soundcloud.com/lovewoody2/kyle-the-force

Now that you have a taste of Kyle, let me give you an overview. Kyle Harvey, who also goes by Kyle, SuperDuperKyle or King Wavy, is an MC from Ventura, California who likes to think of himself as a “happy rapper.” Heavily influenced by the 80’s, Kyle messes around with samples from video games which makes him one of the most unique artists I’ve ever come across. One of the nerdiest rappers to date, Kyle debuted in 2013 with Beautiful Loser, a rap album with a theme of love that contains his nerdy gamer flow in songs like “Sex & Super Smash Bros.”

The song, with a beat entirely based off of the hit video game series Super Smash Bros., is just one example of how Kyle can create a happy-go-lucky song from a video game. The creativity behind ideas like this blow my mind and add on to Kyle’s repertoire something other artists simply don’t have.

Sex & Super Smash Bros [prod. Deaf Heff] by KYLE.

Buy ‘Beautiful Loser’ the Deluxe Album on iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beautiful-loser/id674638528 Download ‘Beautiful Loser’ the Free Album on LiveMixtapes: http://indy.livemixtapes.com/download/23258/kyle-beautiful-loser.html

Besides “Sex & Super Smash Bros.,” my favorite song on the album is “Keep It Real.” In this hype, yet mellow song, Kyle expresses how he keeps it real with lyrics such as, “Uhh, well I keep it real and I don’t think I’ll ever, change/I’ll never lie if you could look me in the, face.” (Check out the full lyrics here). Kyle aims to prove how he is a real artist unlike fake artists. No, this is not a diss track, but yes, it does take shots at a general group of artists. It makes a generalization of how some artists fail to “keep it real.”

Keep It Real [prod. Carnage] by KYLE.

Buy ‘Beautiful Loser’ the Deluxe Album on iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beautiful-loser/id674638528 Download ‘Beautiful Loser’ the Free Album on LiveMixtapes: http://indy.livemixtapes.com/download/23258/kyle-beautiful-loser.html

Fast forward two years and Kyle drops Smyle, the album I previously mentioned containing “The Force,” enclosed with the toothy-grinned, baby blue album cover. “The Force” opens the album with that nerdy video-game feel that Kyle so desires but he brings us back to 1989 in his fourth track on the album entitled “Don’t Wanna Fall In Love.” Sampling from one-hit wonder, Jane Child’s “Don’t Wanna Fall In Love,” Kyle sneaks his own verses in to create a masterpiece that brings good feelings and for some, nostalgia.

Don’t Wanna Fall In Love by Dre, Jadon, Marvin, Kyle

New Album!

“Don’t Wanna Fall In Love” is immediately followed by a personal favorite titled “Endless Summer Symphony.” There is nothing special about this song besides its rhythm and lyricism. Kyle draws listeners in with the rhythm of his songs and holds them with his creative lyrics. He brings happy thoughts of the beach to his listeners with lyrics like, “We’ll all be there when the sun’s up/We’ll all watch as it comes up/Watch it out on the white waves/Life’s an endless summer.” (Check out the full lyrics here).

Endless Summer Symphony by Dre, Jadon, Marvin, Kyle

New Album!

Later in the album comes a song entitled “Remember Me?” Without this song, I would have never found Kyle. This is the song Chance The Rapper is featured on. This song is a slow, chill, love song asking a girl if she remembers him to which she says no. Chance The Rapper sends the message in the chorus with, “I said, you gon’ remember me/You say what’s your name again?/Finally, don’t call and it’s alright/I’ll re jog your memory.” This poignant piece really hits the feels of the listener not only with the lyrics but with the piano that backs it. (Check out the full lyrics here). 

Remember Me – Kyle Ft. Chance The Rapper by BobbyBando

Stream Remember Me – Kyle Ft. Chance The Rapper by BobbyBando from desktop or your mobile device

“Remember Me?” is followed by my favorite song of the album “All Alright” which is an anthem to those struggling. It is a fun, upbeat, even hype song that tells the listener that everything is all alright with lyrics such as, “Even if my girlfriend has a baby (uh huh)/Even if my job don’t really pay me (uh huh)/Even if my dad don’t ever see me (uh huh)/I won’t ever waste my time complaining (uh huh)/It’s all alright/I’ll be fine, it’s all alright/Don’t need to mind, it’s all alright/If your phone just died, it’s all alright/You can borrow mine, it’s all alright/I’ll be fine, it’s all alright.” (Check out the full lyrics here). 

https://soundcloud.com/lovewoody2/kyle-all-alright

Enough of Kyle, let’s talk about his squad. They call themselves Super Duper and it’s just a family. Super Duper is a group centered around Kyle, based out of Los Angeles, California. Kyle and Ugly are the two rappers of the group surrounded by Zini (style director), Jesus (tour manager), Brick (DJ/photographer/backup dancer), Eric Wada (designer), Maxx (photographer), Sean D (photographer), Scoobs (designer) and Nolan Smith (manager). This Super Duper squad supports Kyle in everything he does and pushes him along the way. They should be ready to grind because in a song Kyle just released featuring Lil Yachty entitled “iSpy” on December 2, he hints at a new album with “This is not the album either, these are just the throwaways.” This song is another feel good song that Kyle fans are used to which has them (including myself) anxiously waiting for the new album.

As for now, Kyle fans will have to jam to “iSpy” and some of his older songs until more information about the new album is presented. For those who have not yet listened to Kyle, check him out on Spotify, Apple Music or Soundcloud because Kyle is a creative genius…simple as that.

iSpy feat. Lil Yachty by KYLE.

Feat. Lil Yachty (https://soundcloud.com/770rd) Prod. by Ayo. (https://soundcloud.com/ayoayo) Add’tl prod. by LegeKale (https://soundcloud.com/legekale) Art by Vlad (http://vsepetov.com) Buy/Stream (https://lnk.to/KYLE-iSpy)