Biography

About KEZNAMDI

I love my Jamaica

Our respective legacies live, breathe, and thrive through our lineages. Rather than leaving behind material totems and trinkets, we strive to impart wisdom, history, and memories on future generations. This notion is the embodiment and essence of Keznamdi. 

Hailing from Kingston, Jamaica, internationally beloved artist Keznamdi’s familial roots grounded and inspired his career from a young age. Following in the footsteps of his parents who founded the iconic reggae group, Chakula, it’s no surprise that by the age of five he contributed to his first track “Mix A Color” in the Save the World children’s compilation. As a pre-teen, professional obligations brought the family to Tanzania, and shortly after, Ethiopia opening his eyes to the importance of a global upbringing filled with diverse creativity. 

As a young adult, a soccer scholarship to Saint Mary’s College brought him to the Bay Area where a career-ending injury served as the catalyst for him to fully immerse and perfect his craft as a musician. 

2013 marked the debut of his independent EP, Bridging the Gap ranking #1 on iTunes Top Reggae Albums Chart and the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart. From there, he humbly built a fan base with consistent performances around Jamaica, maintaining a prolific output in the process. He then joined forces with one of Jamaica’s most famous producers, Don Corleone for the song “Grade,” which continues to orchestrate excitement. 

During 2015, he made waves around the world by joining forces with ZHU and A-Trak on the hypnotic crossover hit “As Crazy As It Is,” which broke over 10 million Spotify streams. Co-written with Poo Bear [Justin Bieber, Sam Smith], the single “Champion” saw him deliver another reggae #1. The artist’s “Stoner’s Remix” series soared to peak popularity as “Herbs”—his take on Rihanna’s “Work” [feat. Drake]—received looks from Pitchfork and The Fader, igniting a tour throughout the Northern United States.

In 2017, he dropped the Skyline Levels, Vol. 1 EP and headlined his own sold-out tour, packing local and national venus. Naming the project Skyline Levels pays homage to how Kez defines his music. He notably shot the video for “Father Protect Me” in South Central Los Angeles, telling a powerful story. The project’s triumphant single “Victory” [feat. Chronixx] scored over 1.2 million YouTube views and half-a-million streams. On its heels, “So Right” amplified the impact amongst fans as he embarked on tour with his full band. 

Keznamdi’s love of music has evolved and transcended the industry throughout the years. He looks forward to producing new projects and has exciting news to come. 

Following a string of successful projects, tens of millions of streams, and critical acclaim, Keznamdi delivered a definitive body of work in the form of his 2019 full-length debut, Bloodline. Throughout 2018 and 2019, he recorded the full-length in Jamaica, mixed in Miami, and mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London. Along the way, his vision crystallized with universal ambition. Fittingly, he opens the album with “Skyline Drive.” Sunny acoustic guitar and samples of sirens and smoking underscore his bouncy delivery as he welcomes listeners to his old stomping grounds. Elsewhere, “City Lock” [feat. Tory Lanez] tempers his rapid cadence with a robust beat. It climaxes on a hypnotic and harmonic cameo frommulti-platinum recording artist Tory, adding another dimension to this buoyant banger. Elsewhere, church-style organ swells towards another island-inflected beat on “Morning Comes” as “Queen of the Ghetto” spins “the story of a queen” over cinematic production. In many ways, the title track perfectly encapsulates the overarching theme and message. In the end, Bloodline will make you treasure Keznamdi’s legacy and even your own.

 

Connect to me

Facebook Twitter Youtube Spotify Instagram Soundcloud