After being named to XXL’s Freshman Class in 2017, Kamaiyah has been on a lot of people’s radar. The 28-year-old California native has been rapper has worked with some of the biggest names in hip-hop including Drake and YG. Kamaiyah’s west coast roots have heavily influenced her style and helped her carve out her own lane. Although she has yet to release her debut album, her mixtapes have already created quite the buzz and many would agree that she’s next up when it comes to women rappers. Keep reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Kamaiyah.
1. One Of Her Songs Went Viral On Tik Tok
Even if you’re not familiar with Kamaiyah by name, you’ve probably heard her song “F*ck It Up”. The song was released in 2016, but recently gained popularity thanks to going viral on the social media platform Tik Tok.
2. She Struggled With Depression After Her Brother’s Death
Kamaiyah’s brother passed away in 2016. She admits that the loss put her in a state of depression. She told Billboard, “I was going through a depression because I never really got to really deal with any of that stuff. I never understood how to handle success, so I’m battling losing someone I’m with every day and then it’s, like, for two three years, I gotta go go go. Everyone around me is like, “You can’t stop.” It was like my career was going upwards, but personal life was going downwards.”
3. The Boys And Girls Club Saved Her Life
Things weren’t easy for Kamaiyah when she was growing up, and she turned to a local Boys and Girls Club for support and guidance. She says that being active at the Boys and Girls Club is what kept her off the street and more than likely saved her life.
4. Space Is An Important Part Of Her Self Care Routine
Over the last few years, more and more people have begun to speak out on the importance of self care. For Kamaiyah, self care is giving herself space when she knows she needs it. Since her schedule can be hectic, she often has times where she just needs to get away from everything and recharge.
5. She Wants To Start Her Own Fashion Line
Kamaiyah’s primary focus is music, but like a true creative she’s always thinking about her next project. There are other things she wants to explore in the future. She is very proud of her unique style and says she would love to start fashion line some day.
6. She Accused Kehlani Of Colorism
Kamaiyah recently made several blog headlines when she accused fellow Bay Area artist, Kehlani, of colorism. The disagreement stemmed from Kehlani’s choice to remove Kamaiyah’s verse from the song “All Me”. According to Kamiyah, Kehlani accused her of being too “black” and “ghetto” to be part of the project. Kehlani, however, has denied these allegations and says that removing Kamaiyah from the song had nothing to do with her as a person.
7. She Thinks Before I Wake Was A Mistake
Throughout her career, Kamaiyah has had to deal with a lot of frustrations. Many of which have held up the release of her music. In 2017, she released a mixtape called Before I Wake, which she now sees as a mistake. In an interview with The Face, she said, “It was a moment where I was fighting the system, like, ​“Y’all not going to let me do what I want to do? F*ck y’all, I’m going to do what I want to do.” It didn’t do what it was supposed to do because it wasn’t mixed right, put outright, or recorded right. It was a rebellious project.”
8. She Grew Up In Foster Care
Kamaiyah was raised primarily in the foster care system and hasn’t had the greatest relationship with her family. Her mother was abusive which is what caused her to be put into the system. She went to live with her grandmother when she was a teenager, but things didn’t work out there either.
9. She Likes Bright Colors
Self expression is very important to Kamaiyah. One of her favorite ways to express herself is through bright colors. Not only does she like to incorporate colors into her outfits, but into her music videos as well. Most of her work prominently displays the vibrant culture of the Bay Area.
10. She Has Big Dreams
In many ways, Kamaiyah is just getting started, but she been grinding for several years. She hopes to leave her mark on the industry and wants to be “the biggest female artist from the West Coast ever.” She wants to win a Grammy some day and says she’s going to do whatever it takes to get there.
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