With “Sinner” serving as a triumphant first impression, Brooklyn-based rapper Kelz seems to be in for a very promising career.
With a slew of young talents emerging on the rap scene every day, it’s rare to come across an artist who is this polished at the early stages of their career. We’re not just talking about having one or two projects out, but quite literally, Kelz is at the first step of his foray into the music industry.
Hailing from the Brooklyn borough of New York City, the 16-year-old rapper — whose craft is already unmatched despite having only one song officially released — is instantly captivating. It’s almost hard to believe that this is the “Sinner” emcee’s first track ever, but if you browse his artist page on streaming services, it’s the only song listed.
Sitting at just under 10,000 followers on Instagram — as well as catching the attention of Pharrell, Jack Harlow and Cole Bennett among others — “Sinner” sees Kelz spew beautiful vocals over soul-capturing production, featuring a blend of R&B and dancehall elements on one track. One of the main reasons that “Sinner” is so shockingly good, is that it feels like a breath of fresh air. In this culture where a lot of the music can get repetitive at times, Kelz has been able to shake up the industry by delivering a fresh twist on the R&B genre.
Coming out of New York, one could make a safe assumption that this would be yet another aspiring drill artist synonymous with the city’s resurgent soundscape. With Kelz, that’s just not the case. Even seeing the video thumbnail of Kelz and his crew standing outside the corner store — which then counteracts his glistening harmonies and electro-infused vibrato — emits drill energy. Yet, the teen emcee is refreshing, potent and youthful all at once
As of today, “Sinner” touts just over 230,000 total Spotify streams, and the music video is nearing that milestone as well. While “Sinner” has us in a chokehold, we already can’t wait how Kelz doubles down on his moment.
Watch the video for “Sinner” below!
