Flint-born and New York City-bred, KIIN9 Perez is redefining what it means to be a modern independent creative. Operating as a recording artist, entrepreneur, and creative director, Perez has successfully fused raw storytelling with a distinct luxury aesthetic. As the founder of KIIN9 Dynasty Productions Music Group and the lifestyle brand Royale Lineage Apparel, his work serves as a testament to the power of creative independence, resilience, and unyielding faith.
Musically, Perez refuses to be confined to a single box. Drawing from his early foundations in percussion, his sound is an intricate tapestry of hip-hop, melodic rap, drill, island influences, and Latin vibes—all tied together by cinematic storytelling and striking emotional transparency. In this exclusive interview, we delve deep into his multi-lane creative universe. From his early beginnings and the deeply personal inspirations behind his latest songwriting process to his grand ambitions for future films, books, and global fashion domination, Perez lays it all bare.
Thank you so much for joining us, KIIN9 Perez. Let’s dive straight into the questions!
We know your musical roots run incredibly deep. When did you first start making music, where did it all begin, and what originally inspired you to take this path?
“I first started making music when I was around 8 years old. Before I ever recorded songs, I was already deeply connected to music through percussion, instruments, rhythm, and live sound. I grew up learning how to play drums and understanding timing, emotion, and energy through music itself. That foundation really shaped me into the artist I am today because I learned early that music is more than just words — it’s feeling, storytelling, atmosphere, and connection.”
“Growing up between different environments and cultures also influenced me heavily. Being born in Flint, Michigan and representing New York City culture gave me a unique perspective on life. I was exposed to struggle, ambition, survival, creativity, pain, hustle, fashion, culture, and different musical influences all at once. Music became one of the main ways I could express everything I was seeing and experiencing around me. What inspired me most was real life. I didn’t come into music trying to sound like everyone else or follow trends. I was inspired by emotion, experiences, and the ability music has to move people mentally and spiritually. I’ve always respected artists who could make people feel something genuine, whether that was motivation, pain, confidence, celebration, or reflection. That’s the kind of impact I wanted my music to have.”
“As I got older, my sound naturally evolved because my life experiences evolved too. I started blending different influences together — hip-hop, melodic rap, drill, island sounds, soulful melodies, cinematic production, Latin influence, and emotional storytelling. I never wanted to limit myself creatively. I wanted my music to reflect the different sides of who I am and where I come from. Another major inspiration for me has been independence and ownership.”
“Over time, I realised I didn’t just want to be an artist — I wanted to build something bigger than music. That mindset led me to create KIIN9 Dynasty Productions Music Group and continue expanding my creative vision through branding, visuals, fashion, film ideas, and entrepreneurship. Music became the foundation, but the vision grew into building a legacy. I also draw inspiration from personal growth, faith, perseverance, and transformation. Life hasn’t always been easy, and I’ve experienced situations that forced me to grow mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and creatively. Instead of letting difficult moments destroy me, I learned how to channel them into creativity and motivation. That’s my inspo I need.”
Your new music feels incredibly personal. Can you tell us a bit about your latest release, what it personally means to you, and how it ties into your fashion brand?
“My latest project represents growth, survival, elevation, and creative freedom. Every song, visual, and design connected to this release reflects real-life experiences I’ve lived through personally — pain, ambition, struggle, faith, loyalty, betrayal, healing, and rebuilding myself while still pushing forward independently. As KIIN9 Perez, I never wanted to create music that sounded manufactured or fake. I wanted people to hear honesty, emotion, energy, and real-life storytelling mixed with melodic vibes, NYC influence, street culture, fashion, and cinematic visuals. This project represents me becoming more confident in my identity as both an artist and entrepreneur while continuing to evolve creatively without compromising who I am.”
“A major part of this release is also connected to Royale Lineage Apparel and the overall lifestyle brand I’m building. The visuals, clothing, colours, and environments all symbolise elevation, resilience, leadership, and turning adversity into motivation. I wanted every image and sound connected to the project to feel powerful, cinematic, authentic, and internationally marketable while still staying true to my roots. The project also reflects personal transformation. It represents learning from difficult situations, staying focused through obstacles, and continuing to create despite pressure, setbacks, criticism, or limitations. Instead of letting experiences break me, I used them as fuel to build something bigger creatively and spiritually.”
“Musically, I wanted this project to blend multiple influences together naturally — melodic rap, hip-hop, drill energy, island vibes, emotional storytelling, cinematic production, and modern fashion-forward visuals — while still keeping my own signature sound and personality. I want listeners to feel motivation, confidence, pain, ambition, and self-belief all at once when they experience the music and visuals. This project means a lot to me because it’s bigger than just songs or photos. It represents independence, ownership, consistency, and building a legacy from the ground up. Every visual, outfit, logo, scene, lyric, and concept are connected to the bigger vision of creating something timeless that inspires people worldwide to keep evolving no matter where they started in life.”
Honesty seems to drive your art. Were there any specific artists, personal moments, or real-life experiences that heavily influenced you when writing this release?
“What inspires me most creatively is real life. A lot of my music and visuals come from personal experiences, relationships, emotions, memories, pain, ambition, and everyday situations I’ve gone through. My ex-girlfriend Maria was definitely one of the inspirations behind certain songs, emotions, visuals, and storytelling moments because real connections create real emotions, and those emotions naturally translate into music and art. At the same time, I’m inspired by life itself — the ups, the downs, survival, growth, relationships, business, faith, fashion, heartbreak, loyalty, betrayal, dreams, and even random conversations or environments around me.”
“I can literally hear a single word, phrase, emotion, beat, or moment and instantly turn it into a full creative concept. Sometimes I’ll hear somebody say something casually, see a scene in the city, remember a memory, or feel a certain emotion and within 10 to 20 minutes I already have the foundation of a song written. That ability to create quickly comes from years of being connected to music naturally. Since starting with percussion and instrumentation at a young age, creativity became second nature to me. I don’t really force ideas — they come naturally through energy, emotion, imagination, and observation. Some songs are fun and melodic, some are deeper and emotional, and others are cinematic and visual, but all of them come from something real.”
“I’m also inspired by New York City culture, nightlife, fashion, international influences, different genres of music, cinematic visuals, and the idea of building something timeless that people from different backgrounds can connect to emotionally. I like creating music that feels alive and honest instead of overly manufactured. For me, music is more than entertainment — it’s expression, storytelling, therapy, motivation, and legacy all at once.”
You mentioned writing songs remarkably fast. What was your exact songwriting process for this release, and how did all these elements come together?
“My songwriting process usually comes from real emotions, real experiences, and moments I’ve actually lived through. A lot of the inspiration behind my music came from thinking about my relationship with Maria, wanting reconciliation, reflecting on memories, love, pain, misunderstandings, growth, and just processing everything life throws at me emotionally. I believe the best music comes from honesty and real feelings instead of trying to force something artificial. Most of the time I create based on energy and emotion in the moment. Sometimes I’ll hear a beat and instantly know exactly what mood or story I want to tell. Other times I can literally hear a single word, see an image, remember a conversation, or think about a life experience and build an entire song concept around it within minutes. Depending on how deep or emotional the topic is, I can create a full song in about 10 to 20 minutes naturally.”
“My process isn’t always structured the same way either. Sometimes I freestyle melodies, hooks, ad-libs, and flows off pure emotion, then go back and write between certain parts to tighten the message. Other times I write everything from beginning to end before even recording. I like leaving room for emotion to guide the song naturally instead of overthinking every line. I also pull inspiration from everyday life — relationships, heartbreak, loyalty, faith, struggle, ambition, New York culture, nightlife, personal growth, business experiences, conversations, dreams, fashion, and spiritual reflection. Music for me is therapy, storytelling, motivation, and self-expression all in one.”
“What makes my creative process different is that I don’t limit myself to just music. Everything connects together creatively — the visuals, the fashion, the emotions, the cinematics, the storytelling, the books, and the future film concepts. That’s why I always tell people to stay prepared because there’s much more coming beyond just songs. Movies are coming. Books are coming. More music is coming. I plan to continue expanding creatively as an artist, entrepreneur, visionary, and published author while building a lasting legacy independently. Above everything though, God comes first in my life and creative journey. Faith keeps me grounded through every challenge, every lesson, every success, and every setback. A lot of my growth creatively and personally came from learning how to keep moving forward through life while staying true to myself, my purpose, and the vision I get.”
Looking back to your earlier work, how would you describe the sound on this latest release? Has there been a noticeable change or evolution in your style since you first began?
“My latest release reflects a real evolution of who I am creatively and personally. When I first started making music, it was more raw aggression, survival energy, and just trying to be heard. Over time, my sound became more cinematic, emotional, melodic, and intentional. I still keep that gritty New York influence and street edge, but now I blend it with deeper storytelling, melody, pain, passion, faith, and real-life experiences. I don’t like putting myself in one box because I can create drill records, emotional melodic tracks, club records, inspirational music, Afro-inspired records, Latin-influenced songs, or even cinematic storytelling pieces depending on the emotion I’m feeling at that moment.”
“A lot of my music is built off energy and emotion. Sometimes I can hear one word, see one image, go through one situation, or remember one moment from life and instantly create an entire song around it in 10 to 20 minutes. Other times I freestyle first and then build around the emotion afterward. I like music that feels alive instead of overly manufactured. I want listeners to feel like they’re inside the story with me. This latest release feels more mature sonically. The production is cleaner, the emotion is stronger, and the visuals are more cinematic and fashion-forward. I’ve also evolved visually with the Royale Lineage Apparel aesthetic, creating an entire lifestyle and visual identity around the music. The music, fashion, photography, storytelling, and visuals all connect together now as one world instead of separate pieces.”
“Growing up between different environments and experiencing both struggle and ambition shaped my sound heavily. I’ve lived through homelessness, heartbreak, personal battles, spiritual growth, emotional isolation, and rebuilding myself mentally. All of that comes out naturally in the music whether I intend it to or not. I think people connect with authenticity more than perfection. That’s why I never try to sound like anybody else. I’d rather sound real. At the same time, I’ve become more versatile and experimental. I’m no longer afraid to mix cultures, genres, melodies, emotions, and aesthetics together. You’ll hear New York grit mixed with luxury energy, emotional vulnerability mixed with confidence, and street storytelling mixed with cinematic production. That balance represents my life perfectly. The biggest evolution overall is confidence and understanding my identity as both an artist and creative entrepreneur. Now I think!”
Beyond the melodies, is there a central message or theme you were trying to convey in this project? Is there a particular moment that really captures that core idea?
“The central message behind my latest release is honestly about emotion, survival, vulnerability, love, ambition, and transformation. A lot of people only see the surface of artists, but behind the music there are real experiences, heartbreaks, struggles, sacrifices, failures, dreams, and moments people never fully understand. I wanted this release to feel human and cinematic at the same time. I wanted listeners to feel the emotion, not just hear the words. A huge inspiration behind this project came from personal experiences involving relationships, specifically emotions tied to my ex-girlfriend Maria, reconciliation, memories, growth, and trying to process life emotionally while still staying creative. Sometimes pain creates the strongest art because it forces honesty out of you. There were moments where I would literally sit in silence replaying memories or thinking about conversations and suddenly an entire hook or melody would appear in my head naturally.”
“I also wanted the release to represent perseverance. Life is unpredictable. One minute you can feel unstoppable and the next minute you can feel completely broken mentally, emotionally, or financially. I’ve experienced all sides of that. Instead of hiding those experiences, I put them into the music because I know other people go through similar emotions but don’t always know how to express them. There’s one specific moment in the project that really captures the entire message for me. It’s when the emotion becomes stronger than the performance itself. You can hear moments where the vocals sound almost conversational and vulnerable instead of calculated. That authenticity matters to me because it shows the difference between somebody making music for attention versus somebody creating from real emotion and lived experience.”
“Another major theme is elevation and identity. That’s why visuals and fashion are important to this project too. Royale Lineage Apparel represents growth, self-worth, resilience, luxury, and turning struggle into something powerful. The music and visuals together tell the story of somebody who came from difficult experiences but still refuses to stop dreaming bigger. Spiritually, God also plays a major role in my creativity and journey. I genuinely believe creativity is a gift. Some of my best songs happen naturally without overthinking because the emotion flows honestly in that moment. I always try to remember where my blessings come from no matter how much success I get.”
You clearly have a massive vision. Looking ahead, what are your ultimate aspirations as an artist, and where do you see yourself in the next few years, both musically and personally?
“Looking ahead, I see myself becoming much bigger than just a recording artist. Music will always be the foundation because it’s one of the purest ways I express emotion and creativity, but my overall vision is way larger than music alone. I’m building a full creative empire involving music, fashion, film, photography, branding, storytelling, and entrepreneurship. I want people to experience an entire world when they hear or see anything connected to KIIN9 Perez or Royale Lineage Apparel. Musically, I want to continue evolving and reaching international audiences. I never want to limit myself creatively. I plan on continuing to experiment with different sounds, cultures, melodies, and storytelling styles while still keeping the authentic New York energy that shaped me. I want to collaborate globally, perform internationally, and create projects that connect emotionally across different backgrounds and cultures.”
“I also see movies and television becoming a major part of my future. I’ve always been inspired by cinematic storytelling, visuals, and creating emotional worlds around music. A lot of my concepts already feel like scenes from films. In the next few years, I plan on releasing independent films, visual projects, documentaries, and creative series connected to my music and life experiences. Writing books is another huge goal for me. I want to publish books about life, survival, entrepreneurship, relationships, spirituality, growth, creativity, and overcoming obstacles. I’ve lived through enough experiences to know that my story can inspire people beyond music. I want people to see that struggle doesn’t have to define your future permanently.”
“Personally, my biggest aspiration is peace, growth, freedom, and stability. Success to me isn’t just money or fame. It’s being able to create freely, travel, help others, build generational wealth, inspire people, and wake up every day doing something meaningful. I want to continue growing mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and creatively while staying grounded through everything. Fashion is also a major part of the future vision. Royale Lineage Apparel represents confidence, resilience, luxury, and identity. I want the brand to grow into a recognised fashion and lifestyle movement connected to the music, visuals, and overall message behind my artistry. Most importantly, I want my work to leave a lasting impact. I don’t just want temporary attention. I want longevity. I want people to remember the REAL.”
With so many moving parts to your brand, what is next on the immediate horizon after this release? Do you have any new releases, visual projects, or live shows coming up?
“There’s definitely a lot more coming after this release. Right now, I’m focused on continuing to build momentum not only through music, but also through visuals, fashion, storytelling, and expanding my overall creative brand. I never wanted my career to feel limited to one thing. Music opened the door for me creatively, but now I’m building an entire world around it through Royale Lineage Apparel, photography, film concepts, visual storytelling, books, and future independent movie projects. Musically, I already have multiple new records and concepts in the works. Some are emotional melodic records, some are more aggressive New York-inspired tracks, and others experiment with international sounds and cinematic storytelling. I like creating different moods because life itself changes moods constantly. I want every project to feel authentic to a real emotion or experience rather than sounding repetitive.”
“I’m also preparing visual content much heavier than before. The visuals are becoming more cinematic, more polished, and more connected to the overall message behind the music. I want people to feel like they’re stepping inside a movie scene when they experience my content. New York itself inspires a lot of my aesthetic — the subway stations, rooftops, rain reflections, luxury mixed with struggle, bright lights mixed with emotional darkness. All of that becomes part of the storytelling. There are also future plans involving performances, showcases, interviews, podcasts, and independent events. I’m taking my time building everything properly because I want longevity, not just temporary attention. I’m focused on creating timeless content people can revisit years later and still connect with emotionally.”
“Outside of music, I’m also preparing future book releases and film concepts based on real-life experiences, survival, growth, ambition, relationships, faith, and emotional healing. Creativity doesn’t stop at songs for me. I naturally think visually and cinematically, so there’s always another concept forming in my head. Fashion is another major part of the future vision. Royale Lineage Apparel is growing alongside the music and represents confidence, resilience, luxury, self-worth, and elevation. I want the brand to eventually become recognised globally through campaigns, visuals, collaborations, and creative storytelling. Most importantly, I want supporters to understand this is only the beginning. I’m building something much bigger than one release. More music.”
How has the reception been to your latest release so far? Have there been any particularly memorable moments or listener reactions that stand out to you?
“The reception to my latest release has honestly been motivating because people are connecting to the emotion and authenticity behind it. One thing I’ve learned over time is that listeners can feel when music is real versus when somebody is forcing an image or performance. A lot of the feedback I’ve received has been about how relatable the music feels emotionally, especially the vulnerability, storytelling, and atmosphere within the records. People have reached out talking about specific lyrics, emotional moments, melodies, and even the visuals connected to the release. Some listeners relate to the relationship themes, some connect with the struggle and ambition, and others connect with the confidence and luxury energy mixed into the visuals and fashion. I think that balance between pain, growth, ambition, and authenticity is what makes people gravitate toward the project naturally.”
“One memorable thing that stands out is seeing people genuinely replay records and quote lyrics back to me. That always means more than numbers because it shows somebody actually connected emotionally instead of just hearing the song casually once. I’ve also had people tell me certain songs helped them through emotional situations, relationship issues, loneliness, or difficult moments mentally. That’s powerful to me because music helped me survive emotionally at different times in life too. Another memorable part has been the visual response. People have been paying attention to the cinematic style, the Royale Lineage Apparel branding, the New York aesthetic, and the overall storytelling energy connected to the music. I wanted everything to feel cohesive visually instead of random, and seeing people notice those details means a lot creatively.”
“Social media support has also continued growing through reposts, shares, direct messages, reactions, and people discovering older music after hearing the newer releases. It’s always motivating when one song causes listeners to go deeper into your catalogue and understand your evolution over time. At the same time, I stay grounded because I know this is still the beginning of a much larger vision. I appreciate every person supporting, streaming, reposting, commenting, or simply listening because independent artists genuinely build through real supporters and organic connections. The biggest memorable moment overall is realising that my pain, experiences, memories, and emotions can become something that helps or inspires somebody else. God #1.”
To wrap things up, is there anything final you would like to say to our audience? How can they best connect with you and help support your growing movement?
“First, I just want to genuinely thank everybody who has been supporting me, listening to the music, reposting content, sharing visuals, following the journey, and believing in the vision. Independent artists really grow through real supporters and organic connections, so every stream, share, comment, message, repost, and conversation truly matters more than people realise. Everything I create comes from real experiences, real emotions, real struggles, real ambition, and real growth. I never want to create music that feels fake or forced. Whether I’m talking about love, pain, survival, relationships, faith, dreams, emotional healing, confidence, or life experiences, it always comes from something authentic. That honesty is something I’ll always protect creatively.”
“I also want people to know this is much bigger than music alone. I’m building a full creative vision involving music, fashion, photography, film, books, visuals, storytelling, and entrepreneurship through the Royale Lineage brand and everything connected to it. There’s still so much more coming creatively, and I’m excited for people to experience the next levels of growth. For everybody supporting me already, continue streaming the music, sharing the content, adding songs to playlists, posting visuals, tagging me online, and helping spread the movement organically. Word of mouth genuinely changes lives for independent artists. Even something as simple as reposting a song or visual can introduce somebody new to the music and help the movement grow bigger.”
“People can connect with me directly through my official platforms, including Spotify, Audiomack, BandLab, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and all Royale Lineage Apparel pages. I try to stay connected with supporters because I genuinely appreciate the people investing time into my work and journey. Most importantly, I want supporters to understand that none of this is random. Everything is connected intentionally — the music, visuals, emotions, fashion, storytelling, and future projects. We’re only at the beginning right now. Stay tuned because there’s much more coming soon: more music, more visuals, more cinematic storytelling, more fashion, more creativity, more evolution, and bigger projects overall. I appreciate everybody rocking with KIIN9 Perez and Royale Lineage Apparel on this journey.”
KIIN9 Perez is proof that staying true to your own story is the ultimate blueprint for success. By translating his personal triumphs, heartbreaks, and unwavering faith into a unified world of music and fashion, he is building a legacy that extends far beyond standard entertainment. As he continues to break boundaries independently, one thing is certain: this is merely the opening chapter of a global empire.
Be sure to follow KIIN9 Perez on his official social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and the official Royale Lineage Apparel channels, to stay updated with his rapidly evolving creative journey.
