Written by: Cecilia of Houston TREND

Killa Kyleon

While some music elitist are quick to downplay the contributions of the south, writing Texas off as having nothing more to offer outside of “a screw tape and a white cup full of lean;” for those who may have forgotten, Texas gave the game such legends as Scarface, The Geto Boys, and UGK. All of whom added to the rich tapestry of Hip Hop, while making sure a star shined high above the Great State of Texas.

Presently, one finds a musical generation comprised of both new and established artists, still fighting to pull back the same blanket of stereotypes, ready for the rest of the country to finally catch the beat that has been pulsating inside of the Great State of Texas rich veins for years.

 

Enter, Killa Kyleon…

 

If you ever questioned the possibility of someone being certified prior to even releasing an official album, well welcome to 2011 and embrace Killa Kyleon. Firmly entrenched within Houston’s proliferating musical arena; he’s a lyrical gladiator. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, it will soon resonate in a city near you, for Killa is on a groundswell not seen in years.

 

Act One…

 

Though many link him with Houston’s infamous “Dead End Drive” located on the Southside of Houston, TX; due to being shuttled between parents in his youth, Killa Kyleon was schooled on the North side of the city, essentially skirting the once critical rivalry between the two areas by embracing the city as a whole.

An affinity for “Yo MTV Raps” and artists like Fab 5 Freddy, EPMD, and his childhood favorite Big Daddy Kane, served both as an introduction to the then burgeoning new genre as well as endeared him to it. [While flatly refusing to reveal his actual age instead stating “I’m old enough to party,” one can assume that he is solidly an early 80’s baby.] The formation of a rap group called “Criminal Assassins” in middle school made his path apparent early on, and music would become his drug of choice.

Until his passion could be turned into a viable career however; he would do what he needed to do in order to survive, escapades on the streets would later become woven into rhyme for the world to relate to.

“I hustled to live that life. I can’t rap about shit that I ain’t lived,” explains Kyleon.

Little did he know that the same mentality that allowed him to successfully navigate the streets would prove handy in the music industry as well. Two different worlds, chock full of the same types of predators.

“I didn’t give a damn about college because I had a damn good job, but basketball and rapping always got me into trouble,” says Kyleon.

In the end he would choose the latter.

Under the tutelage of Houston legends like DJ Screw, Big Hawk, Big Pokey, Lil Keke, and Fat Pat just to name a few, he would quickly immerse himself into the rap game.

Says Kyleon, “I grew up around S.U.C. [Screwed Up Click] and Dead End Alliance [comprised of Fat Pat, H.A.W.K., & DJ Screw] members, and then got into a group with Pokey” [MobbStyle.]

Eventually he would land under the wings of none other than Slim Thug, whom it can be said, rejuvenated the North Side of Houston and brought mainstream attention back to the city. As a part of the Boss Hog Outlaws, he would go on to be featured on a slew of noteworthy albums and tracks.

 

Breaking off….

 

In ’04 when the industry finally turned its eyes back to Houston, it seemed as if his dream had finally come to fruition after being signed with Interscope.  Unfortunately, to most large labels the South was still mainly a foreign entity.  Unsure of how to exactly push and promote him, the label would largely stifle him, and he would spend the majority of his contract waiting to be released.  He would not be the only casualty either; as quickly as the region was thrown onto the national stage, the curtain would be closed on the city not long after, as it relatively remains to this day.

 “I really gotta blame the industry for fucking up Houston music because they didn’t know how to present us, which is why we didn’t have a long run.”  Says Killa.

Though his first foray going national had gone awry, his determination to succeed in the game had not been deterred. He would simply take it back to the drawing board and grind it out. Hard.

Though a split from Boss Hog would later incite rumors of a rift between he and Slim Thug, whom Killa Kyleon stated “I’ve watched since I was 17,” he insists that there is no animosity between the two. For Killa Kyleon, it was simply time to test the waters on his own.

 

“We ain’t got no fuckin’ beef. That’s my nigga, He’s one of the most relevant dudes in Houston. I take my hat off to that nigga; he gave me so much fucking game. I commend him.” says Killa Kyleon. Adding, “I ain’t got beef with nobody but the bank teller because she counts too slowly.”

After aligning with Authentic Music Group, Killa Kyleon would take his talents on the road. Blazing the tracks of others like Rick Ross and DJ Khaled, and making sure that you would be reciting any verse he spit on a feature long after the track had ended. He would also show an incredible knack for choosing to work with artists who would later go on to blow nationally, like Big KRIT and Wiz Khalifa.

“After that I put in so much work, I wanted to do with AMG what Slim did with Swisha House.” Says Killa Kyleon.

This string of noteworthy features and credits would bring not only rap credibility, but respect. Killa Kyleon learned early on that sometimes you have to blow outside of your city to gain real recognition and longevity within it.

“When everyone notice you, that’s when they want to claim you. It ain’t no disrespect to Houston, I love my fans, but some are fair weather. When you’re big outside of this market, that’s when you’re big in this market.”

 

Act Two….

 

But eventually his lyrical notoriety would buzz so loudly abroad, that the sound couldn’t help but be heard in Houston. Though the sole hip hop station in the city has seemingly slept on an array of fresh talent….the streets have noticed.

 “It’s so many dope artists here; Doughbeezy, The Nice Guys, Marcus Manchild, Delo, Le$, Dre Day, Propain. You should be these guys on the radio non-stop. I really wish they would get in tune with the streets. The streets determine what the radio plays. That’s Hip Hop. We gone give ya’ll what the fuck ya’ll want, but we gone break new shit with it.” He adds, “When you go to another city,  you know who to listen to when you turn on the radio, instead of having to go to a computer. I just wish they could hear all this fucking talent!” Killa says.

In Houston there is an abundance of talent floating around, patiently awaiting its turn for mainstream approval. This is the current state of affairs for new artists in Houston, dubbed “New Houston” by some.

“I’m actually a fan of New Houston; I just don’t like the term. I’d just rather say ‘New Generation Houston’ but I ain’t knocking it, I can see where it comes from,” states Kyleon.

Like Killa Kyleon himself, Houston is proving that that their diversity should prevent them from being placed in the pre-labeled box that the industry has given them. There are many, both old and “new,” who need to be heard; and Killa Kyleon stands behind not only his own lyrical skill, but the talent pulsing within the city as well.

Talent like Doughbeezy , whom is a young artist that Killa has taken under his wing and who is quickly proving his own lyrical prowess throughout the city as well.

“He reminds me of how I started; the drive, the hunger. He ain’t looking for no hand out.  I ain’t have no hand out, I had to prove myself.  I’m here if he needs me, but he out here getting it on his own.” Killa states of his young protégée, Doughbeezy.

“Once I get established,  I really want to help others. It takes an artist to make an artist,” states Kyleon.

 

The Present….

 

With no solo album out, one can only be astounded by the buzz and recognition he has received off of features alone. For Killa Kyleon, an album isn’t a question of “if” but of “when,” and he adheres to the timeless motto of “supply and demand.”

“I need a demand. It’s like ‘The Dedication’ when Wayne put so much shit out that he had to give the people Tha Carter II and III, because they demanded it,” he said before adding, “The underground is running rap right now, I don’t care what nobody say.”

And with each new feature, each new mixtape, he has definitely created one. The streets are now clamoring for an official Killa Kyleon release.

Team “RUN IT,” (a catch phrase of sorts that Kyleon adopted after hearing a track from Biggie and Busta Rhymes) is well in demand these days.

For Killa Kyleon it’s not just about releasing a hot song, but it’s about creating an enduring catalogue of music in order to enjoy a career with real longevity.

“I don’t want to be known off of one song, look at my body of work! It’s about depth,” explains Killa Kyleon.

In an age where many younger artists are inclined to downplay the contributions of their rap elders, Kyleon may reap long term benefits from patterning his career after them instead.

“It’s about staying relevant; I mean look at Hov. They want to put a timeline on hip hop that they don’t do in R&B. Don’t shit get old but shoes and clothes, and that’s just called being vintage.” He explains, “Jordan is selling my nine year-old the same shoe that he sold to me. You mean to tell me that I can’t sell raps like that?”

It is this reasoning that has prevented Kyleon from falling into the trap of a one song artist, instead focusing on the cultivation of an entire body of work.

 

Showtime….

 

“I put my heart into every fucking line, every fucking rap. If I die tomorrow I want people to know that I went in. I feel like a rose in the concrete. They can’t possibly be seeing what a nigga do, because if they did, they’d have to fuck with me.”

And Oh do they! With mentions in prominent hip hop magazines, notable features, well received mixtapes, and a creditable work ethic; those who have actively followed his career are simply waiting for the success awarded to those like Kyleon with persistence and raw talent.

For the lyrical gladiator like Kyleon, no battle shall be left less than victorious; thus his work ethic reflects that of a champion. Even his ferocious flow and intense stage presence is hand crafted, via practice in a mirror.

“I’m not arrogant but I know that I’m good. I feel like the rap Kobe Bryant. The studio is my gym, and I’m in that muthafucka every damn day,” states Kyleon.

It’s only a matter of time before someone pulls the curtain back to reveal Killa Kyleon to a national audience.

“I ain’t never followed TRENDs, I set them bitches.” Killa Kyleon Proclaims.

Now Run thatâ™