Music charts are an outdated metric of success. Kenny Beats doesn’t have a chart-
topping hit, but he’s one of the most in-demand rap producers of the decade. He’s
produced entire projects and hundreds of thundering, wildly different beats for critically-
acclaimed rappers like Gucci Mane, Rico Nasty, Vince Staples, Freddie Gibbs, Key!, 03 Greedo,
JPEGMAFIA, and Ski Mask the Slump God. Today, the 28-year-old’s signature tag
(“Woah, Kenny!”) is virtually inescapable.
Heralded by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Fader, and more for his staggering range and
prolificacy, Kenny attributes his continued work with an array of singular artists to his
egoless approach to collaboration. Whether a rapper wants ear-shredding metal with a
trap twist (Rico Nasty - “Rage”) or a trunk-rattling interpolation of a West Coast classic
(Freddie Gibbs feat. 03 Greedo - “Death Row”), he gladly delivers. He is the producer
as a sonic medium, interpreting inchoate musical visions to create speaker-frying
realities.
Born and raised in Connecticut, Kenny inherited his eclectic ear from his father, whose
tastes ranged from Sheryl Crow to Dr. Dre. He played drums and guitar throughout his
childhood and began making beats in high school, imitating idols like Timbaland and
Pharrell, before heading to Berklee College of Music.
He now resides in LA and works out of The Cave; which is also the name for his breakout Youtube series where he brings in frequent collaborators to freestyle in front of camera.