Kai Kwasi’s EP ‘Jalilah’ is a kaleidoscopic breath of fresh air, effortlessly combining hip-hop, jazz, lo-fi indie and grime.

Kai Kwasi from South East London has just released his debut EP, Jalilah, through Play It Again Sam (Ghostpoet, Anna of the North, Westerman). The six-track EP includes the new single "ventolin," which joins the previous singles "t.i.a.r," "jugular," and "cracks." With a string of catchy singles and independently produced music videos, including "unt" and "sms," the 23-year-old songwriter, producer, and creative made his debut in 2021. This earned him praise from a number of outlets, including BBC Radio1, BBC 1Xtra, BBC 6Music, and a spot on the Sunday Times Culture's "Breaking Act" list. In the previous year, Kai also went on tour with Joy Crookes, performed at events including the Pitchfork Music Festivals in London and Paris, and was hailed by NME as a "unmissable act" before his appearance at Eurosonic.

Kai explains that the EP is entitled Jalilah in honour of his late Grandmother, who he credits as his fundamental and ever-present inspiration; “My Nana was and still is a huge part of my life. I named the project after her because everything I am started with her, so it made sense that my music did too. In teaching me about the world how she saw it, introducing me to all of her music (I even found an old MP3 player of hers recently with some Otis Redding stuff I’ve not heard before) she wrote this project with me. There was never an alternative thought in what to name it. Jalilah ‘Mary’ Hill is my constant.”

For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from, and a little bit about the music that you make? 

My name’s Kai Kwasi (kway-si) I’m from the south side of London and I make music with a super wide range of inspirations. From bossa nova and soul to rap, rnb even indie. Long winded answer but it’s good stuff, truss me.

How are you feeling about releasing your debut EP Jalilah?

Mixed emotions, you spend so much time on something, pour your whole self into it and then after all that time and effort it goes out and it’s not yours anymore. It’s been like non-stop learning. There’s excitement, definitely joy, probably a little anxiety in there too. I think it’s always important for me to remind myself that first foremost I make music for myself, if I know I’ve been honest and i’m proud of the work then the rest doesn't matter so much.

The projects named after your nana, can you tell us more about how your family influenced your music?

I didn't have any musicians in the family but my mum was a dancer and my step dad used to rap so spent a lot of time listening to music from a young age. My parents were quite young so was a lot of 90’s/00’s rap/hip hop, rnb/soul etc. My nana was a visionary, she would’ve been the coldest radio host if she ever went for it. She exposed me to so much music from Drummers of Burundi to Otis Redding. My nana even wanted to call my mum Blue after the Joni Mitchell album so that’s also very special album to me. Was definitely very privileged to have that depth of musical awareness so early on in life.

You’re releasing it via Play It Again Sam. What’s it like working with them?

Wild! I honestly wrote most of these songs thinking they wouldn’t go anywhere. It was like my therapy in lockdown, a way to get my thoughts and feelings out of my head. Never would’ve thought a year or two later I’d be putting music out on the same label as Nick Hakim, Damon Albarn etc. some of my sonic heroes. Very grateful for the whole experience,  thank you Theo and Russell for believing in my work and putting me in rooms with some of my favourite artists.

Can you tell us more about how you produce your music?

It varies but the best stuff comes when I don’t let myself overthink what I’m doing. The hardest part is always just starting.

Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s important to you?

Kanye's The College Dropout / Late Registration , my mum and dad used to play those in the car so it’s one of them where I know the tracklist in order. Those two albums I’ve spent most of my life looping, I can always put either of them on. I don't even think its a nostalgia factor because they still hold up, they’re just incredible albums. The fact he produced both of them too, creative control from videos to artwork. 

Why should people listen to Kai Kwasi?

So I can make my millions 0.003p at a time.

If your upcoming debut EP were a film which would it be?

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Maybe The Room...

What advice would you give for anyone trying to achieve a similar sound to your music?

Spend a couple months depressed in a national lockdown after a breakup n see what comes out.

What do you love right now?

Pad Thai, rollerskating becoming a thing again, highlife first thing in the morning, my dogs reaction to me getting home and you know what? myself.

What do you hate right now?

Sesame burger buns, the price of a meal deal right now, lactose intolerance, kinda covered it with the meal deal thing but inflation.

Is there any new music from 2022 you have been enjoying?

I got to see this Nigerian band called The Cavemen play twice this year and they’ve soundtracked my life since, unbelievable musicians. There’s also a band called Thee Sacred Souls, putting out tracks you have to look twice at because you’re expecting it to say it came out in the 70s but it’s all new releases.

Is there anything you would like to share with our readers?

I direct and edit my artwork/videos so check out any of those if you get some time today! other than that thank you for reading this far.

Listen to new EP here.