Out of the Cave: Rapper Killa Kam stepped into the spotlight in 2022 with an outstanding debut album

MUSIC INTERVIEW

Rapper Killa Kam performs on the of porch Super Dope and Chill Studios in Ann Arbor.

Rapper Killa Kam performs on the porch of Super Dope and Chill Studios in Ann Arbor on October 15, 2022. Photo courtesy of Kamryn Thomas.

Killa Kam has the kind of speedy and confident flow that pairs well with an atypical hip-hop producer like Scary Steve Klingbiel, who mixes in off-kilter sounds with his beats that might trip up a less talented rapper.

Together, the duo produced the excellent Cave That I Left album, which showcases a dynamic new voice on the Washtenaw County music scene.

Newer Jack Swing: Ypsilanti R&B singer Where She Creep was inspired by the past for his debut album, "Feels"

MUSIC INTERVIEW

Where She Creep standing against a brick wall, wearing a animal-print fur-like jacket.

Kyle Love is clear about his primary musical inspiration: the new jack swing sound of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s that melded hip-hop with R&B.

The 32-year-old Ypsilanti singer who performs as Where She Creep has created a fresh twist on that classic sound with his debut album, Feels, which came out earlier this year. He describes it as “healing music” that deals with new-age concepts to explore the politics of love. 

“These are songs that aren’t afraid to be vulnerable, touching on the framework of healthy relationship dynamics and what honoring some of these values might look like and what they might not look like,” Love said. “It’s here to sharpen your belief system, make you want to hug a loved one, but most of all, to encourage you to analyze for yourself, for better or for worse.” 

Influenced by Michael Jackson and many other soul-singing greats, Where She Creep also cites his cousin Brian Campbell, who taught him songwriting, and his producer and best friend, Pranav Surendran, as inspirations. 

After dealing with some setbacks during the pandemic, Where She Creep recently declared he is throwing himself fully into his career, giving it 100 percent of his attention. 

Pulp caught up with the singer to talk about Feels, his Chill Place Parties project, and more.