What are you working on?
Bro, for real, just more music. Like, that’s it. That’s the currency for us artists. So yeah, this month I’ve just been working, I’ve gotta keep it a buck.
My audience knows I’ve been doing ‘acts’ and the acts are like EPs. So the first act was Free Spirit. Right now we’re working on the second act.
We’re working on these acts because I feel like projects aren’t really prominent anymore. Everyone’s going to this single-a-month, single every six weeks, and it’s like, that’s cool. But how are you gonna compete with 100,000 other people doing that same thing? How are we gonna approach this a little bit differently?
Free Spirit, I made that, dropped it, received the praise. But now it’s like we’re just gonna run that same shit back. We’re gonna refine it. Even with the socials and the content, we’re refining the image. Then go again, and then again, and then again until it really takes off.
Why ‘acts’ instead of singles?
You have to look at it as like meeting someone. You can’t really remember the exact conversation you had with a person if you met them once. But if you meet them eight times, you’re gonna get a gist of who they are.
I’m trying to create an audience. If I give them one track a month, that’s like me meeting them one time. But if I give them eight tracks, eight different options – you know what I mean? Not everyone’s gonna mess with the same song. But at least they have the liberty to be like, ‘I don’t like that song, but I like these songs.’
What are you trying to do in 2026?
I feel like my plan of attack this year is to be in front of everyone’s face, you know what I mean? Have a lot of music and a lot of good music. But you gotta keep it honest, especially being an artist. It’s content. So, alright, cool. We’ll do the content, but in our own way. Enough to grab the attention, but still keep the aesthetic the same.
This year is about being in everyone’s faces. I want to be that person that dropped the most, had the most content, had the best music videos, did the most shows.
I want it to be like, you open up your phone and you’re kind of getting pissed off. Like, ‘Why do I keep seeing this?’ I’m trying to come for everyone’s spot.
If I’m doing it through the projects, automatically I’m gonna have more music out. It’s gonna take someone eight months to get to eight tracks in a year. But I give you eight tracks in a month.
I believe I have good taste. I believe I’m original. So it’s just a matter of finding that audience. But once I find them, I feel like we’re good.
What do you want someone thinking after their first listen?
I feel like everyone’s day-to-day is very different. How they receive the music is very different. But one thing I can say is that anyone who’s heard my music, they’ve been intrigued.
They’ve appreciated it because it’s not necessarily anything you already hear. And not only that, but it’s the character behind it. It’s like I’m not really playing artist. Like, I am an artist. I’m gonna give you art.
I just feel like anytime anyone listens to my music, they just appreciate it. Like, ‘Damn, who is this?’ If they don’t already know.
Because the people who know me, they’re gonna vouch. The people who don’t know me, they’re gonna ask who this is.
Someone being intrigued is currency too. The minute they find out what it is, when someone else asks that question, it’s confidence for them to give the answer. Like, ‘Oh, that’s Kaye.’
That’s how I feel. In my opinion, that’s how I feel like people react when they hear my music. Just intrigued. Like, ‘What the fuck? Who is this?’ That’s a good thing.
Once people get it, what do you want them to do next?
Once they really understand it, they vouch for you. And that’s what you want. It’s cool to have hit singles. It’s cool to tour the country. But if someone’s not vouching for you, they’re not really a supporter, you know what I mean?
So I would much rather keep my community tight-knit and keep my fan base tight-knit. If I have 1,000 people vouching for me, I would much rather that than 100,000 people who don’t really care about me.
Let’s talk origins: Which rap artists did you grow up on?
I mean, I kind of grew up on the music, heavy. A lot of the music I’m putting out now doesn’t necessarily reflect my soul and my attachment to a certain hip-hop and rap, like rap rap, boom bap.
So the first piece of rap that I feel like I got my hands on would’ve been T.I. when I was maybe seven, eight. My brother put me on. Then from there it went to Lil Wayne, and then Jay-Z, and then Big L, and then Papoose. Real rap. That’s what I grew up on for real.
I’m pretty sure early days, one of the first things I would’ve listened to would’ve been some T.I., or the first Carter mixtape by Wayne. And then I clocked like, okay, I like this.
Then as you listen to it more, you recite the lyrics, and you act out that character that you’re hearing, a few years down the line you’re like, oh, I could probably do this, you know? And that’s kind of what the story’s been.
And for real, shout out to my brother. He put me on early, before I could really even understand what they were talking about. He would just put it on and be like, ‘Yo, just listen to it.’ You ain’t even have to understand it. Just listen to it.
That kind of built this little understanding until you go out of your way to look for the music. That’s when the Kendrick Lamars, the J. Coles, Chance the Rapper – when you go out of your way to find your own style of music you like.
Now, the only reason I say the music I’m putting out now doesn’t necessarily reflect the genre that I love is because musically, the pocket I’m in is a little bit more R&B, a little bit more soul. So obviously, you’re gonna hear something different right now. But if we’re talking all-time favourite music, it’s gonna be that rap. That hip-hop. For real.
What was always playing in the house?
I feel like it was a mixture of three styles of music. If it was my brother controlling the sound, you’d hear everything. You’d hear Wayne, Jay-Z, all the rap, 50. All the rap that’s coming out currently, and this is when I was a lot younger.
If my dad was controlling the house, you only gonna hear Bob Marley. That’s all you gonna hear. But if my mum’s controlling the music, you gonna hear real traditional African, or worship stuff like that.
It went through phases. But primarily, yeah, it’d probably just be my dad bumping some Bob Marley.
You mention the south side of Brisbane on the EP a lot – what is it to you?
The south is kind of where I grew up. It’s kind of where all the homies grew up. It’s a bit of everything. A bit of community, a bit of business, a bit of fashion, a bit of art, you know what I mean? But yeah, out here is home.
I don’t really be outside like that. I be in the crib, cooking up. But nah, it’s cool over here, for real.
Tell us about the Militia Boys?
I’m with one of the Militia boys right now. It’s just family. It’s just a movement – honest, humble, like-minded people are trying to make this shit a reality.
Some of the homies be rapping. Some of the homegirls be doing fashion styling. The other homies be doing production. Other homies be doing events. Another homie on the camera. Everyone has their own lane, but we’re like-minded enough to stay in the same room and figure out the system. Like, alright, how are we gonna do this?
Everyone’s still working and doing their own thing. But collectively, we’re family. We’re a movement. That’s all it is. For real.
How did you all meet?
It’s kind of a different relationship with everyone in the fam. A lot of the homies, for real, I actually grew up with. One of the homies was on Free Spirit. I grew up with him making music out of the crib when he was 12. The other homie does the events. When he was a kid, he used to go to my mum’s shop to get his hair cut, and then we stayed friends for like 10-plus years.
Then someone else in the group, I only met like two years ago. So it’s a different relationship with everyone. But it’s mainly growing up around people, being in the same area, and being like, alright, you like this? I like this too. Then this bond happens. Relating over some shit turns into a real brotherhood type, you know?
Was that the Militia Boys in the ‘Attitude Adjustment’ music video?
Yeah, yeah. That’s all the Militia. That whole shoot was crazy. I made that whole table of food too, which was kind of wild.
Oh wow, I thought they were props –
Nah, I be cheffing too. Not just the music shit.
But yeah, it was fire. It was a shoot, but it was real fellowship. Real conversation, real laughs, real good time.
It’s great to see collectives in Australia –
Yeah, for real. And not even to add too much to it, but if you look at the talent in the country, we there. Talent, aesthetic, everything, we’re kind of there. But it’s the engine. That support system. That culture of putting people on. That culture is slim to none out here.
That’s why you just do your own little thing with your own little fam, and eventually it’s gonna catch on.
On that, who in Brisbane deserves more attention right now?
My brother Amar – Amar Garbo, fire. He’s not getting enough praise. Definitely him. (IG: @amarrgarbo)
My other homie, Bimz, he does more of the Afro vibe, but he’s fire. Got some more coming out with him as well. (IG: @officialbimz)
The other homie on the album, Sachem, he’s fire. Baby Prince is crazy. Vilan. PAULSN. (IG: @sforsachem) (IG: @hoodbabyprince) (IG: @vilan4l)
Maisn. Maisn’s fire. Maisn4000. (IG: @maisn4000)
Before we wrap, what do you want people to know about you?
I just want everyone to follow along. As you see the music come out, go listen to it. If you don’t like it, you don’t like it. But if you do like it, just follow along, because I promise it’s gonna lead somewhere.
I’ve got this plan. I’m trying to stick by it. Do the acts. Build the journey and the story. Because I feel like for the people that started at the first act, when that third, fourth act comes out, they’re really gonna understand it.
And I’m honest with myself, and I’m honest with the art, the music. I’m never gonna put anything out that I’m half-assed about. So with that mindset, you should know you’re gonna get quality.
So yeah. Just follow along. Wait for that second act. I’m gonna be dropping that second act mid-year. Just remember that. Mid-year.
