Kwame (Australian rapper)

Rich Kwame Amevor (born 6 September 1997) is an Australian rapper and record producer. He has released four EPs: Lesson Learned in 2017, Endless Conversations in 2018, Please, Get Home Safe in 2020 and Thatboykwame in 2022.

For the American rapper and producer, see Kwamé.

Kwame
Birth nameRich Kwame Amevor
Born (1997-09-06) 6 September 1997
Auckland, New Zealand
OriginWestern Sydney, Australia
GenresAustralian hip hop
Years active2016–present

Early life

Rich Kwame Amevor[1][2] was born to Ghanaian parents in Auckland, New Zealand, and migrated to Australia at the age of two with his family.[3] Kwame grew up in Glenwood,[4] in the Blacktown District, New South Wales of Western Sydney. He attended the same church as Ghanaian-Australian rapper Manu Crooks.[5] He started making music at 16.[2]

Career

Kwame first rose to prominence following a 2016 ASAP Ferg concert in The Metro Theatre, at which he was invited on stage to perform freestyle rap.[1][6] Taking on Kwame as his professional name, he released his debut single "I Get It" in October 2016. In March 2017, he released his debut EP Lessons Learned, about which he said "I talk about things that I've dealt with... feeling low sometimes, like you're not worth anything, and I just pour that out through an artistic form in hopes that people will relate to it".[7]

In March 2018, Kwame released his second EP, Endless Conversations. He said "Every track [is] a conversation in itself, as well as part of a bigger whole, like those undercurrents that are always there in relationships... Each track builds on the last, following a progression that gives form to the story as I explore the pressures of life and relationships as a creative".[8]

Through Triple J Unearthed in 2018, Kwame won a competition to open Splendour in the Grass, and received the J Award for Unearthed Artist of the Year.[3][9] In November 2018, his single "Clouds" was premiered by Zane Lowe on Beats 1.[10][9]

In September 2019, he released "Stop Knockin' @ My Door", the lead single from his third EP. He supported a range of artists on tour, including Migos, 6lack, Skepta, AJ Tracey, Peking Duk, and Tkay Maidza.[11][10]

In July 2022, Kwame formed group BBGB with BLESSED, B Wise, Manu Crooks and Lil Spacely. BBGB released their debut single "Tough Love" on 15 July 2022.[12]

Musical style

His music has been described as having "the experimentalism of Brockhampton and the laid-back confidence of Vince Staples".[13]

Discography

Extended plays
List of extended plays, with release date and label shown
Title Details
Lessons Learned
Endless Conversations
  • Released: 23 March 2018[15]
  • Label: Kwame
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Please, Get Home Safe
  • Released: 30 October 2020[16]
  • Label: Def Jam ANZ
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
thatboykwame
  • Released: 2 December 2022[17]
  • Label: Kwame
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming

As lead artist
List of singles, with year released and album name shown
Title Year Album
"I Get It"[18] 2016 Non-album singles
"Next"[19]
"Feel Good"[20] 2017 Lessons Learned
"Friends"[21]
"Wow"[22] 2018 Endless Conversations
"No Time"[23]
"Clouds"[24] Non-album singles
"Alright"
(Triple J Like a Version)[25]
"Stop Knockin' @ My Door"[26] 2019 Please, Get Home Safe
"Nobody"
(featuring E^ST)[27]
"Schleep"[28] 2020 Non-album single
"Tommy's in Trouble"
(featuring Clypso and Phil Fresh)[16]		 Please, Get Home Safe
"One"
(with Tasman Keith)[29]		 2021 TBA
"Higher"[30]
"Steve Jobs"
(with 1300)[31]		 2023 TBA
"Vices"[32]
List of singles as featured artist, with year released and album name shown
Title Year Certifications Album
"Middle Ground"
(Clypso featuring Kwame)[33]		 2018 Cameo
"Legacy"
(JaySounds featuring Kwame)[34]		 Non-album singles
"Atmosphere"
(Dro Carey featuring Kwame, Renz & Raj Mahal)[35]
"Summer Rain"
(Wave Racer featuring Kwame)[36]		 2019
"So Easy"
(Triple One featuring Matt Corby & Kwame)[37]
"Messed Up"
(Holy Holy featuring Kwame)[39]		 2023 Cellophane
"Downer"
(Keli Holiday featuring Chanel Loren & Kwame)[40]		 TBA
"Likkle Drop"
(Benson featuring Kwame)[41]		 TBA

Awards and nominations

J Award
Year Nominee / work Award Result
J Awards of 2018[42] himself Unearthed Artist of the Year Won

References
  1. Au, Christopher Kevin (5 October 2016). "Interview: Get Familiar With Kwame, The Local Rapper Who Spat That Freestyle At ASAP Ferg". Life Without Andy.
  2. Jones, Emma (February 2018). "GET TO KNOW: KWAME". Purple Sneakers.
  3. Byrne, Declan (18 July 2018). "Get to know Kwame: the 20 year old rapper opening Splendour". Triple J Music News.
  4. "Meet the hills artist taking over the hip hop world". The Daily Telegraph.
  5. Panagopoulos, Joanna (10 May 2018). "Kwame wants to show you that Australian hip-hop isn't broken". Happy.
  6. Ruklis, James (3 October 2016). "WATCH: KWAME (SYD) climbs out of the crowd, grabs A$AP Ferg's mic and shocks LISTEN OUT". Thank Guard Magazine.
  7. "Kwame: A Fateful Freestyle Lessons Learned and The Future". FBI Radio. July 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  8. "Sydney's Kwame hits back with Endless Conversations EP". Sniffers. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  9. Williams, Tom (28 November 2018). "Triple J Unearthed Artist of the Year Kwame Announces 2019 "Clouds" Tour". Music Feeds.
  10. Bruce, Dave (25 November 2018). "KWAME is triple j Unearthed Artist of the Year plus Zane Lowe to premiere "Clouds" on Apple Music's Beats 1". Amnplify.
  11. Carmona, Emilie (23 February 2018). "Kwame puts a fruity spin on trap rap on his new single 'WOW'". Stoney Roads.
  12. "B Wise, BLESSED, Manu Crooks and more unite as BBGB, drop first song "Tough Love"". NME. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  13. Murphy, Sam (28 November 2018). "Kwame Well And Truly Justifies The Hype On 'Clouds'". The Interns.
  14. "Lessons Learned – EP by Kwame on Apple Music". Apple Music AU. 21 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  15. "Endless Conversations – EP by Kwame on Apple Music". Apple Music AU. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  16. Brereton, Greta (18 September 2020). "Kwame shares new single 'Tommy's in Trouble' featuring Phil Fresh and Clypso". NME Australia. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  17. "Thatboykwame - EP". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  18. "I Get It – Single by Kwame on Apple Music". Apple Music. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  19. "Next – Single by Kwame on Apple Music". Apple Music. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  20. Rae, Rosie (March 2017). "Kwame wants to make you 'Feel Good'". Purple Sneakers. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  21. Lewis, Max (November 2017). "Kwame shares dark video accompaniment for 'Friends'". Purple Sneakers. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  22. "Wow – Single by Kwame on Apple Music". Apple Music. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  23. Fensom, Kyle (October 2018). "Kwame's got 'No Time' left for you in his breakout year". Purple Sneakers. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  24. "Clouds – Single by Kwame on Apple Music". Apple Music. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  25. "Alright (triple j Like a Version) – Single by Kwame on Apple Music". Apple Music. 14 December 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  26. "Stop Knockin' @ My Door – Single by Kwame on Apple Music". Apple Music. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  27. "Nobody (feat. E^ST) – Single by Kwame on Apple Music". Apple Music. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  28. English, Laura (6 March 2020). "Kwame releases new single and video 'Schleep'". Music Feeds. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  29. Rose, Anna (22 April 2021). "Tasman Keith and Kwame team up on explosive new single "One"". NME Australia. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  30. "H I G H e R - Single by Kwame". Apple Music. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  31. Gallagher, Alex (24 January 2023). "1300 link up with Kwame for new single 'Steve Jobs'". NME Australia. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  32. "Kwame - vices [Official Film]". YouTube. 13 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  33. "Middle Ground (feat. Kwame) – Single by Clypso on Apple Music". Apple Music AU. 13 April 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  34. "Legacy (feat. Kwame) – Single by JaySounds on Apple Music". Apple Music AU. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  35. "Atmosphere (feat. Kwame, Renz & Raj Mahal) – Single by Dro Carey on Apple Music". Apple Music AU. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  36. "Summer Rain (feat. Kwame) – Single on Apple Music". Apple Music AU. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  37. "So Easy (feat. Matt Corby & Kwame) – Single by Triple One on Apple Music". Apple Music AU. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  38. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2022 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  39. Mary Varvaris (4 March 2023). "Holy Holy Release New Single Featuring Rapper Kwame, Announce National Tour". The Music. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  40. "We're Heading on a Holiday with Kwame". ABC. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  41. "Likkle Drop". ototoy. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  42. "The J Award 2018". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2020.

Further reading
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