New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Atlantic Records is very proud to announce rising rapper Jehkai as the latest member of its legendary roster. The Compton, CA-born artist makes his label debut with today's premiere of new single, "Frostbite (Feat. Bankroll Freddie)," available now at all DSPs and streaming services; an official music video is streaming now via YouTube and Top40-Charts.com.
"When I first met Jehkai, he played me literally like twenty-to-twenty-five records,"says Knowledge Smith, Atlantic Records Director, A&R. "They were all crazy. He had a voice that stood out from the other similar styles out there. He's coming into the game with his own sound. As the sound and landscape of music changes over the years, he'll be able to stay ahead of the curve. His melodies and pockets are wild. He also has an amazing vision for himself and knows how he wants to be presented."
"Knowledge brought this to the table and set up a meeting for Jehkai and I to meet in Atlanta during the pandemic," adds Dallas Martin, Atlantic Records Executive Vice President, A&R. "He played me record after record and they were all smashes. He was young but the music showed me he had a real perspective and vision. Kid is a star."
Jehkai's music feels like a tour through his hometown of Compton, CA. The 19-year-old rapper, singer, and artist was born the sixth of eight kids and immediately understood hardship, living in the projects with his grandmother, and eventually in a van. Nevertheless, he immersed himself in music, listening to everyone from
Michael Jackson to Tupac to Drake. Jehkai dropped his first independent single, "The Field," in 2020 and honed his signature style on follow-up "Glory To God," blending new age street rap, impressive pitch, and vocal acrobatics. The song put Jehkai on the map and, despite the early success, he is just starting to tell his story.
"When you listen to me, I hope you relate and want to hear the next chapter," Jehkai says. "I want you to think. I want you to cry. I want you to feel my pain and maybe, because of it, feel better."
The up-and-coming emcee has been steadily building momentum on SoundCloud the past few months, dropping a series of reflective trap cuts totaling more than 1.5 million streams combined. Listen to cuts like "
True Colors", "
Life Goes On", "
Trenches", "Steal Me" and more!
