On Dec. 15, young musician Kid Prexy released his newest single, “I Think That You’re Pretty.” The track culminates his journey exploring various subgenres under the alternative umbrella, from his early emo rap work to his recent foray into a pop-punk sound.
Born in Baltimore, MD, the 16 year old prodigy grew up and lives in Edmond, OK. He began his musical journey when he was eight years old by learning how to sing and play the guitar and drums. He has performed live numerous times in a myriad of genres, including an opening act for The Kid LAROI in Oklahoma.
In 2021, Kid Prexy released his first EP, “Broken Promises,” at 13 years old. The four emo rap songs are influenced by artists like Juice WRLD, XXXTentacion, Post Malone, The Kid LAROI and Lil Peep. Fans of the listed artists will find Kid Prexy’s work a flawless testament to the genre and recognize the artist’s ability to know his audience.
The EP combines themes of self-deprecation and ruined relationships with smooth melodies and a lyrical flow of varying paces, but always feats of linguistic acrobatics. The tracks all feature classic components of emo rap, like drum machines, layered vocals and ethereal synth undertones. The songs, especially “Future,” also introduce the influence of pop-punk on Kid Prexy’s style with catchy electric guitar and emotive lyrics.
Following the release of “Broken Promises,” Kid Prexy released a collection of lo-fi acoustic songs for his second EP, “Lights in the Forest,” inspired by BoyWithUke and Powfu. The songs show an increased demonstration of Kid Prexy’s musicality, from more substantial and meta lyrics to instruments with greater depth.
The tracks still fall under the rap genre, but the style is more authentic and sounds less artificially produced. The influence of pop-punk that will later take over Kid Prexy’s sound shines through on “The Note I Wrote,” a song that digs deeper than any of his previous work.
The artist is preparing to release his third EP, of which the leading single has been added to SiriusXM’s Hitsbound 1 channel. “In My Head” is the first demonstration of a truly different style from Kid Prexy, straying from rap into grunge. The lyrics maintain the themes of earlier works, but the new sound is much more musical and demonstrates a broader range of talents. The gritty guitars and punching drums are elements of a good pop-punk track, and while Kid Prexy’s voice is not the wailing siren fans of the genre are used to, he utilizes his distinct voice to his advantage.
Another single from the upcoming EP, “Shooting Star,” maintains the rock influence while containing some elements of his earlier rap days. The instrumentals are much more subtle and upbeat than the previous single due to the clapping percussion and distinct sound of a ukulele.
Kid Prexy’s most recent single and preamble to his upcoming EP details the intoxicating feeling of love at first sight. The anthem combines early 2000s influences with modern stylings in an ode to the thrill of the theme. “I Think That You’re Pretty” is a demonstration of Kid Prexy’s full evolution into a rock musician, from the staccato power chords punctuating a relentless punk drum beat to his voice achieving a classic emo pitch. While the genre of this track differs from his first EP, it is evident that his knowledge from his rap work of how to pace lyrics influenced the punk melody of his most recent release.
“I Think That You’re Pretty” was produced by the Grammy-nominated Kevin “Thrasher” Gruft, famous for his work with Machine Gun Kelly, blink-182, jxdn and Travis Barker. These influences are coupled with the involvement of Rob Fidel (Green Day) in the animation of the song’s accompanying music video. Furthering the impact of that iconic rock band on the track’s visuals is the cover of the track, in which Kid Prexy’s look is reminiscent of Billie Joe Armstrong in his heyday.
The “I Think That You’re Pretty” music video is inspired by the early days of MTV and nicely suits the energy of the song. The video depicts Kid Prexy enthusiastically performing the song with his guitar and a microphone, accompanied by a drummer and small animations surrounding him and accentuating the video. The black and white style and the inclusion of small bursts of animated visuals leave viewers excited and enraptured by the song and the artist.
Today, Kid Prexy’s music boasts over two million streams across platforms and the artist is growing a following on social media. He has received acclaim from Lyrical Lemonade, MTV and idobi Radio for his exploration of styles from alternative rock to pop-punk to grunge rap. His prodigal skill and commitment to constantly improving his work have already helped him make a name for himself, a trend to continue with his upcoming releases.
