KHEM

Toronto artist blog.

KHEM has been on my radar and all over social media for quite some time. He is someone that is making moves without the drama. That’s a big selling point for me. That’s why I took the time to really dive deep into his music because there was actual history there. His sounds and style has remained very consistent over the years and his established look has been a big part in him standing out. An artist's image is just as important as the music and sometimes the image even out-ways the music. KHEM has both worlds on lock, having this distinct deep voice and melodic overtone gives him an edge. His unique voice has a great vocal tone surrounding it and places him vocal abilities a lot higher than usual. It’s not a very typical voice, and that is what makes him stand out from the crowd, especially in Toronto. His recent collaborations with Dr. Bushman is a perfect example of two artists with unique voices coming together. There is something about his production that elevates his music that much more. His production mixed with his unique voice and established look just does it all to complete the package. He has everything it takes to go mainstream. Looking into his discography you get to appreciate the music that much more. His discography dates back to 2016 with his first release being a project titled “DarkTrap.” This was a 12 track mixtape that delivered a great quality body of work. It’s mixed well, has a consistent style and aesthetic to it. And KHEM has his share of fun in these tracks. He sounds like he was born for this, it’s like he had the voice and confidence to be behind the mic from day one. 2017 was a short year with only two singles, the first one being “Down Down.” I was pleasantly surprised when I first heard it. It sounds good, it has 2012 Atlanta rap vibes to it with the beat selection and his delivery. I can see his influences, but It’s amazing to see how far he’s come since this. The quality still holds up today and his style was actually really interesting. “Drippin” just basically confirmed his sound and influences of the time and it’s like a time capsule. 2018 would deliver a lot more music with his first one being one of my favorites of the year titled “Drive.”

This was the first track that really showcased the new direction and sound KHEM would master and continue for many years to come. It’s a simple yet powerful beat and when mixed with the melodic vocals create a product that is just addictive. The cover art gives off those bright colors the song makes you feel. He would do more autotune rap trap tracks like “Worth it” and “Like Dis.” But the quality of the production has been amazing since day one and that’s something I can’t say for many other people. “Bad” has a more Toronto rap vibe to it. More in the realm of Killy and other more mainstream Toronto rappers. This is around the time when it all became a lot more popular and artists outside the streets started seeing their numbers grow. 2018 would deliver a project titled “D Color Diamonds.” It’s an 11 track project full of gems like “Need That,” “2 Lo,” and “Grimey.” This project gave us some very experimental sounds and beat selections. Very unique and different for the city at the time and I really commend KHEM for that. 2019 would delivered two singles and two projects “25 to Life,” and “Power Trip.” Both projects contained a combined number of 20 tracks. His collaboration with Pressa on “Commas” and Tory Lanez on “Brand New” was a memorable moment for the city that year. The quality improved even more and the sound KHEM had started back in 2018 would now reached a more mainstream level. 2020 and 2021 would deliver a lot of singles like “Paradice,” “Demon,” and his latest project titled “Trapped In.” All did very well and you can see the progression with each release. These were a great time for KHEM music but 2022 would be his most impressive venture to date. Everything from the production to the cover arts were of the highest quality. His collaborations with Dr. Bushman on “Red Roses” and Toosii on “Big Drippa” was a huge deal. These were big collabs but also ones that delivered sonically as well. “Red Roses” being one of my favorite tracks in his entire discography. I like the direction KHEM is heading in right now. His latest single titled “How It Goes” delivers a sound and quality that feels like a level that brings KHEM in front of some of the best in the industry. It’s his best work yet and I can only imagine what stacked up for 2023. Regardless, I'm here to witness it.

Written by Maxim Bayarsky