Look no further than KenTheMan’s name for proof of how confident she is. The Houston rapper is best described as bold and assertive on the mic, so she needed a name to match her style. As it turns out, she actually came up with her stage name while uploading music to SoundCloud early in her career. The name stuck and KenTheMan found success as an independent artist: Rolling Stone named her What’s My Name project was named one of the best hip-hop albums of 2021. The following year, she participated in the cypher at the BET Hip-Hop Awards, bringing her commanding presence and braggadocious style to a larger platform. As KenTheMan looks to take the next step forward, she’s come full circle by participating in the First on SoundCloud program.
KenTheMan is taking her relationship with the platform to another level by taking us through her hometown in her First on Soundcloud Docuseries. Her First on SoundCloud film offers a deeper look at who she is off the mic, exploring various influences—including the Houston neighborhood where she grew up.
KenTheMan also explains the importance of family in both her personal life and career. Her love of music began with her family: her mother played the drums and all of her aunts could sing.
“This neighborhood is important because it’s just something that molded me into the adult that I am today.”
Furthermore, KenTheMan treats everyone in her circle like family because she grew up in a tight-knit, family-oriented environment. After discussing how close she is with her son and how that’s a result of what she experienced growing up, she explains that she views her team as family while they eat and play games in a family reunion-like setting.
“We do everything together…We go out to eat together. We go out of town together. They’re my friends and my team.”
KenTheMan’s open-arms approach is something her team is grateful for. “I think that she has a very genuine spirit,” says Courtney Wilkerson, her road manager. “She’s very humble. You know, we’re from down South, so her energy is Southern hospitality.” Mainly, the documentary offers a look at KenTheMan’s playful and competitive sides, providing a better understanding of how she channels those qualities into her music.
Listen to KenTheMan’s music here and watch her First on SoundCloud’22 docuseries episode to learn more.
LISTEN TO KENTHEMAN
Credits: Directed by Notachance
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