Kyle Rapps Explained

Kyle Rapps
Birth Name:Kyle Sutton
Alias:Skeptik
Black Skeptik
Birth Date:4 March 1980
Birth Place:Grand Rapids, Michigan
Genre:Hip hop
Occupation:Rapper
Years Active:2004–present
Label:Mishka NYC Records
Associated Acts:Thought Breakers
Mayhem Poets
Diwon
Kosha Dillz
KRS-One
Homeboy Sandman
Action Bronson
Murs
Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire

Kyle Sutton (born March 4, 1980),[1] better known by his stage name Kyle Rapps, is an American hip hop artist from New York City.

Early life and education

Sutton was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan,[1] and raised in Princeton, New Jersey,[2] primarily by his mother. His father was a minister.[3] Sutton attended Rutgers University, earning a BA in Spanish.[4] In 2015, he relocated from Harlem, New York to Mexico City, Mexico.[5] [6]

Career

As Skeptik

While at Rutgers, under the pseudonym Skeptik, he formed the underground hip hop group Thought Breakers. Their debut EP, Episode 1, was released in 2004 and independently sold over 10,000 copies.[7] The group opened for Wyclef Jean, Fat Joe, Talib Kweli and Dead Prez.[1] [3] [8] Around that time, he formed a spoken-word poetry collective, Mayhem Poets.[3] [4] In 2007, the collective won a Microsoft small business competition, enabling them to establish the open mic venue Slam Chops in Manhattan, which stayed open for two years.[4] Also in 2007, the collective had a two-month off-Broadway run at the New Victory Theater.[9] After a 2009 trip to Liberia with Mayhem Poets, Sutton began to go by the name Black Skeptik, and released titles "Rent" and "Frankenstein Saves Hip Hop".[3]

As Kyle Rapps

In 2010, now going by Kyle Rapps, he released the single "Love, Love," featuring KRS-One and Homeboy Sandman.[8] In 2011, his RE-Edutainment mixtape came out, with the title in homage to the 1990 Boogie Down Productions album Edutainment. KRS-One, Joell Ortiz and U-N-I appear on the mixtape.[10] [11] Later in 2011, Rapps released On Air, featuring appearances from Talib Kweli, C-Rayz Walz, KRS-One and Homeboy Sandman.[8] The eight-track mixtape is built around samples from French electronic music duo Air.[12] [13]

In June 2013, Mishka NYC Records released SUB, Rapps' first full-length album, produced by Belief and featuring collaborations with Murs, Action Bronson, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Aaron Cohen and Spaceman.[14] [15] [16] Earmilk called it "a mesmerizing selection of songs."[5]

In 2014, Rapps put out the single "The Sky's on Fire", produced by Belief and featuring vocals by Adrienne Mack-Davis.[17]

In 2017, Rapps released "Latrell", its title and sampled intro referencing Latrell Sprewell, a former professional basketball player who was suspended for attacking his Golden State Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo in 1997.[18]

In 2020, Rapps performed virtually over Zoom at Soul Vey, a Black and Jewish community event led by Adam Swig and Kosha Dillz.[19]

Rapps has collaborated with a large variety of other music artists, including KRS-One, Homeboy Sandman, Diwon, Action Bronson, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Murs, Adrienne Mack-Davis, Belief, Hefna Gwap, Talib Kweli, Chuuwee, Faruz Feet, Dirt E. Dutch, Joell Ortiz, Sly5thAve, Aaron Cohen, Brody, Y-Love, Nathan Sela, Vulkan the Krusader, Sam Siegel, S'natra, DJ JS-1, Breez Brewin, Dru the Monster, Nelson, Little Freckles, Ali Salah Rasé, and Ray Contour.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Mixtapes

EPs

Collaborations

Notes and References

  1. http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/KyleRapps/profile/ Kyle Rapps profile
  2. Richard Spadine, “Kyle Rapps – Architecture,” DJ Booth, December 20, 2013.
  3. Marcel Hidalgo, “Kyle Rapps Discusses Breaking Out Of The Cocoon,” Prefix, July 1, 2013.
  4. Carrie Stetler, “Mayhem Poets Tour the World, but Their Legacy Stays on Campus,” Rutgers Today, January 27, 2012.
  5. Nick Vukorepa, “Kyle Rapps – ‘Architecture’ (Feat. Murs),” Earmilk, December 24, 2013.
  6. http://insomniacmagazine.com/2015/10/kyle-rapps-drops-df/ "Kyle Rapps Drops 'DF',"
  7. Web site: Video. Rive. 2011-10-21. Kyle Rapps. 2020-09-08. Rive Video Promotion. en-US.
  8. http://respect-mag.com/new-music-kyle-rapps-x-talib-kweli-universe-traveler/ “New Music: Kyle Rapps X Talib Kweli ‘Universe Traveler’,”
  9. Laurel Graeber, “Mayhem Poets,” New York Times, November 2, 2007.
  10. Christopher Weingarten, “Kyle Rapps’ BDP-Flipping ‘Bully’,” Village Voice, March 9, 2012.
  11. Jake Paine, “Kyle Rapps Talks Boogie Down Productions Influence on RE-Edutainment,” Hip Hop DX, April 1, 2011.
  12. http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2012/02/kyle_rapps_rele.html “Kyle Rapps releases new video, opening for Action Bronson; Air scored a film from 1902,”
  13. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/05/kyle-rapps-on-air_n_919176.html “Kyle Rapps, ‘Streets Move On’,”
  14. Justin Hunte, “Kyle Rapps ‘Sub’ Cover Art, Download & Mixtape Stream,” Hip Hop DX, June 18, 2013.
  15. http://noisey.vice.com/music-video-premieres/kyle-rapps-feat-mr-muthafuckin-exquire-super-glue-official-video “Kyle Rapps Feat. Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire – ‘Super Glue’,”
  16. http://thesource.com/2013/06/26/kyle-rapps-drops-sub-mixtape-with-action-bronson-murs-mr-mfn-exquire-more/ “Kyle Rapps Drops ‘SUB’ Mixtape with Action Bronson, Murs, Mr. MFN eXquire & More,”
  17. Richard Spadine, “Kyle Rapps – The Sky’s On Fire,” DJ Booth, April 3, 2014.
  18. Web site: Staff. 2017-06-14. PREMIERE: Kyle Rapps Delivers New Single 'Latrell'. 2020-09-08. Hypefresh Inc. en-US.
  19. Web site: Swig. Adam. 2020-07-20. 'All you gotta do is listen': Connecting at a Black-Jewish Shabbat marathon. 2020-09-08. J.. en-US.
  20. Web site: Kyle Rapps - God-Like.
  21. Web site: Kyle Rapps – "Fiction".
  22. Web site: Kyle Rapps & Diwon – Syndication [Free Album]. 18 October 2012.
  23. Web site: Kyle Rapps & Diwon - Tyrone Gosling FreEP | Mixtape | DJBooth . 2017-04-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170420143433/http://djbooth.net/mixtapes/entry/kyle-rapps-diwon-tyrone-gosling# . 2017-04-20 . dead .

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