Kgills isn’t chasing a trend—he’s documenting a life. Hailing from the North Shore of Massachusetts, the hip-hop artist has spent years turning real experiences into records that feel like genuine conversations. Every song acts as another chapter, written from a place of honesty, resilience, and the belief that even the hardest seasons can be transformed into something meaningful.
His story didn’t begin in a high-end, professional studio; it started with an old iPhone 3GS, recording tracks simply because he had something to say. Long before polished mixes or album rollouts, there was just a kid with a dream, a microphone, and his cousin—his very first fan—who truly believed in him. Influenced by the likes of Kanye West, Eminem, Macklemore, Mac Miller, Logic, Hoodie Allen, and Ryan Caraveo, Kgills blends storytelling, introspection, and uplifting energy into music that embraces life's detours.
Ahead of his debut streaming album, ‘The Long Way Around’, arriving on 16 October, we caught up with the artist to discuss his origins, his songwriting process, and where he is heading next.
Thanks for joining us, Kgills! When did you first start making music, where did it all begin, and what inspired you?
“I first started making music when I was 15. I had a pretty rough childhood, and hip-hop was always what I turned to when I needed an escape or a way to cope with what I was going through. Eventually, I realised I wanted to tell my own story too. Music became a place where I could vent, be completely honest, and turn the things I was feeling into something creative. It really started with a beat-up iPhone 3GS and a dream. I didn’t have a studio or expensive equipment, I just knew I wanted to make music and figured I’d find a way.”
“My inspirations have changed a lot over the years. Early on, it was Eminem, Tupac, and really anything from the ’90s and 2000s. As I got older and started developing my own sound, artists like Macklemore, Mac Miller, OnCue, and Ryan Caraveo became huge influences. I’ve always connected with artists who aren’t afraid to be personal, vulnerable, or different. And if you know me, you know Kanye has probably been my biggest inspiration. More than anything, his confidence and belief in his own vision taught me to believe in mine. That mindset has played a huge part in becoming the artist I am today. Music started as an escape for a 15-year-old kid who needed somewhere to put everything he was feeling. All these years later, it’s still that place for me—only now I hope the music can be that escape for somebody else too.”
Can you tell us a bit about your upcoming debut streaming album, ‘The Long Way Around’, and what it means to you?
“’The Long Way Around’ is my debut album on streaming services. I started working on it back in February after finishing up a different project. The title actually came later, but once I thought of it, it felt like the perfect way to describe not only the album, but my life and my journey with music. I called it ‘The Long Way Around’ because I feel like I’ve taken the long way to get almost everywhere in life. I’ve never really done things the traditional way. I’ve made mistakes, taken different paths, started over, and always tried to figure things out in my own way. My music has been the same. There hasn’t been a straight line to get here, and I think that’s a big part of what made me the artist I am today.”
“The album itself is very hip-hop heavy. There’s a lot on there for people who love that classic hip-hop sound, but I also wanted to mix in modern sounds and different styles so every song doesn’t feel the same. More than anything, every song has a purpose and a message behind it. My biggest goal with this album is connection. I want somebody to hear a song or a certain line and think, “I’ve felt that too.” If people can hear pieces of their own lives in my story, then I feel like I did what I set out to do with ‘The Long Way Around’.”
Were there any specific life experiences that heavily influenced the writing on this record?
“Absolutely. I feel like almost every song I write is connected to something I’m going through in the present or something I’ve experienced in the past. The last year and a half especially had a huge influence on this album. I was let go from multiple jobs, lost some close friendships, went through the end of a relationship that had been dragging on for a while, and at one point I genuinely felt like I had lost myself. But somewhere in the middle of all of that, I started finding myself again, and a lot of those emotions ended up becoming songs. ‘Overthinking You’, for example, came directly from that relationship and everything I was feeling during that time.”
“There are also songs where I go further back and talk about my childhood and the things that shaped who I am today. Then there’s another side of the album that’s more inspiring—overcoming self-doubt, believing things can get better, and almost manifesting the life and future I want for myself. So, there isn’t really one specific moment that influenced ‘The Long Way Around’. It’s more like different chapters of my life all coming together in one album. The losses, relationships, childhood, setbacks, growth, and the person I’m trying to become are all represented somewhere on it.”
What did your songwriting and recording process look like while putting this project together?
“Funny enough, this album was written across three different states—Massachusetts, New York, and Chicago. So, the songwriting process was kind of a journey in itself. I probably wrote and recorded around 30 songs for ‘The Long Way Around’, and only 17 ended up making the final cut. A lot of late nights went into this record. For whatever reason, I feel like the later it gets, the better I write. A lot of the songs came from those random spur-of-the-moment ideas where I’d think of a line, a hook, or a concept and suddenly I’m up for the next few hours turning it into a full song.”
“I also tried not to force anything. I wanted the songs to come naturally from whatever I was feeling or experiencing at that moment, which I think is why the album ended up being so personal. The whole process has honestly been an amazing experience. I haven’t made an album this way since my early days of making music, where I was completely locked in and enjoying every part of creating something from start to finish. It reminded me why I started doing this in the first place and made me fall in love with the process of making a record all over again.”
How would you describe the overall sound of the album, and how did it evolve during production?
“The sound definitely changed as I went through the process. When I first started making the album, I thought it was going to be a much darker project. Some of the first songs I recorded came from a pretty heavy place in my life, so naturally the music reflected that. As I kept creating, though, I started making more straight-up hip-hop records and experimenting with different sounds. That’s when I realised I wanted the album to feel more balanced. I didn’t want someone to listen from beginning to end and feel like they were sitting in one emotion the entire time.”
“There are still those darker and more vulnerable moments because that’s always going to be part of the traditional sound I bring to my music, but there are also records that are confident, motivational, fun, and more upbeat. I think that balance actually represents me better as an artist. Life isn’t just the dark moments or the good moments, it’s a mixture of everything. The album kind of evolved with me while I was making it, and I think you can hear that journey throughout ‘The Long Way Around’.”
Is there a central theme or core message you hope listeners take away from the album?
“Yeah, definitely. Sonically, I wanted the album to have that early 2010s hip-hop feeling mixed with some of that early Kanye-style production and creativity, while still making it sound like me. As far as the message goes, I think there are a few different ones throughout the album, but the biggest is that taking the long way around in life isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Everybody has this idea of where they’re supposed to be by a certain age or how they’re supposed to get there, but life doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes the mistakes, detours, losses, and times you have to start over are what eventually get you where you’re supposed to be.”
“There’s also a big theme of believing in yourself even when things aren’t going the way you planned. I want people to finish the album feeling like no matter where they are in their own journey, they can still become the person they want to be. I think the intro, ‘The Long Way Around’, and the outro, ‘Before I Die’, really tie the entire album together. The intro establishes where I’ve been and the journey it took to get here, while the outro looks ahead at everything I still want to accomplish. Everything in between is basically the story of how I got from one to the other.”
Looking ahead, where do you see yourself as an artist over the next few years?
“In the next five years, I see myself continuing to build and establish a real fan base, performing live more consistently, and making great songs and albums while always staying true to who I am. I don’t necessarily measure success by one specific number or achievement. I want to build something that lasts. I want people to genuinely connect with the music, come to the shows, know the words, and feel like they’ve been part of the journey with me.”
“I also have a great group of friends around me who genuinely believe in what I’m doing and want to see me win. That means a lot to me because I’ve always looked at it as, if I win, we all win. I want the people who supported me when this was just an idea to be there when we’re looking back at everything we accomplished. Five years from now, I still want to have that same hunger I had when I started making music at 15—just with a much bigger audience listening.”
What is next on the horizon for you once the album drops?
“I’m actually already in the early stages of working on another project. As an artist, I’m constantly writing and recording—I really never stop creating. Sometimes I’ll finish a song and immediately have an idea for the next one. At the same time, I’m really proud of what I accomplished with ‘The Long Way Around’. I feel like I set the bar pretty high for myself with this album, and whenever I make the next one, I want to top it. Because of that, I’m not in any rush to put another full-length project out. I want to give myself time to grow, experience more life, and make sure the next album feels like another step forward.”
“That definitely doesn’t mean I’m disappearing, though. There will be plenty of new music and content along the way, and I’m hoping to start doing some shows throughout the winter and spring. For now, I just want to enjoy ‘The Long Way Around’, keep creating, connect with more people, and see where this next chapter takes me.”
Finally, is there a message you’d like to leave for our readers and your fans?
“To everyone who already supports me, seriously, thank you. I love you guys and I appreciate every listen, share, message, comment, or person who has taken the time to give my music a chance. None of that goes unnoticed. And for anyone who doesn’t know me yet, give the music a listen. I genuinely believe there’s something in there for everybody. Everything I write comes from real-life experiences—relationships, loss, growing up, mental battles, chasing dreams, having fun, failing, getting back up and figuring life out as I go.”
“More than anything, I want people to know that I’m always accessible. You can find me pretty much everywhere, and if you reach out, there’s a good chance you’re going to hear back from me. I don’t care if there are 10 people listening or 10 million, I never want to lose that connection with the people supporting me. So, keep listening, keep sharing the music, come along for the ride, and thank you for believing in Kgills. We’re just getting started.”
Kgills stands as a testament to the power of raw, unfiltered authenticity in modern hip-hop. By embracing life's detours rather than hiding from them, he has crafted a body of work that hits close to home for anyone who has ever had to rebuild, rethink, or simply keep moving forward against the odds.
With ‘The Long Way Around’ set to drop on 16 October, Kgills is ready to step into a wider spotlight without losing the grounded, personal touch that got him here. Be sure to stream the new record on release day and follow Kgills across Instagram, TikTok, and Bandcamp to stay updated on upcoming music, live shows, and future releases.
