1.27.2022

Single: Kenzo Balla – “Wonderful [OTR Freestyle]” ft. Rayy Balla

The Rising New York Native Goes Bar for Bar with Frequent Collaborator Rayy Balla in Lovestruck On The Radar Freestyle

Critical Praise

“…few songs feel as dutifully assembled as ‘Krash Out.’ As the sample gradually uncoils, Kenzo slashes right through the center. A weird phenomenon seems to happen, the rap equivalent of bullet time, where the listener gets an enhanced perception of the rapper’s speed relative to the world around him.” – NPR

“Kenzo Balla is yet another emerging voice out of New York City’s drill scene right now.” – Billboard

“Kenzo’s energy is magnetic” – COMPLEX

“Kenzo Balla’s commanding voice makes the new [“Let Me Know”] single an immediate standout.” – Audiomack

“Kenzo Balla is stepping into the game with sky high ambitions and a pen to match.” – IMPRINT

The Deluxe:

A natural disruptor with a presence as impossible to ignore as his art, Kenzo Balla’s hard exterior conceals a level of depth beyond his years. Offering a glimpse into his rarely-seen sensitive side, Kenzo teams with frequent collaborator Rayy Balla to share their On The Radar freestyle, “Wonderful,” available now on all platforms. Backed by a seductive R&B-sampling drill instrumental, the freestyle finds the pair of New York natives spitting from the heart as they bare their feelings to their love interests, with Kenzo rapping, “I feel good every time I’m with you/And whatever you want me to do/You just know how to get me in that mood/You know my body, baby, what’s the move?”

The new freestyle arrives on the heels of Mr. Ready to Blitz (Deluxe), released last month, which added five new tracks to the expansive effort, first released in November. Kicking off with his signature full-throated shout on the opening track, “Losing Control Pt. 2,” Kenzo rides the pitched up vocal melodies of Frank Beats’ production as he vents his fears and frustrations with a hardened perspective. On cuts like “PSA” ft. Kyle Richh from Brooklyn’s buzzing rap crew 41 and “Rock and Roll,” Kenzo barks his bars over distorted electric guitar loops that weave together the parallels between explosive subgenres like Kenzo’s brand of drill and hardcore punk or metal.

A rising name in one of the nation’s busiest rap scenes, Kenzo Balla made his mark on the scene with his relentless rhymes and high-energy vocals. Known for collaborating with fellow Bronx heavyweights like his brother TG Crippy, Kenzo kicked off his career with a frenzy of fiery videos, including local hits like “5th To Sev” ft. TG Crippy & Pdot Sav (2.1 million video views), “OOTAZ,” and the “Love Nwantiti”-remixing “Let Me Know” (1.9 million views). This summer, the former AAU baller tore up the streets with “Dead Gzz,” a vicious, uptempo missive that racked up over 1.5 million video views since its release in June.

A rising name in one of the nation’s busiest rap scenes, Kenzo Balla made his mark on the scene with his relentless rhymes and high-energy vocals. Known for collaborating with fellow Bronx heavyweights like his brother TG Crippy, Kenzo kicked off his career with a frenzy of fiery videos, including local hits like “5th To Sev” ft. TG Crippy & Pdot Sav (1.9 million video views), “OOTAZ,” and the “Love Nwantiti”-remixing “Let Me Know” (1.8 million views). This summer, the former AAU baller tore up the streets with “Dead Gzz,” a vicious, uptempo missive that racked up over 1.3 million video views since its release in June.

Now signed to 10K Projects, Kenzo Balla emerges from his perch in the Bronx to blitz the rap game. Sit back and watch his rise, because there’s no stopping it.

Stream “Wonderful [OTR Freestyle]” ft. Rayy Balla: https://kenzoballa.lnk.to/wonderful

Buy/Stream Mr. Ready To Blitz (Deluxe): https://kenzoballa.lnk.to/mrreadytoblitz

Credit: WonTon Films

Please contact Michelle or T’Keyah for more info.

The Background:

Kenzo Balla evokes both the ecstasy and the peril of New York street rap. The Bronx artist serves up chilly bars over hammering drill beats for stylish, yet raw anthems that are drawing the attention of the world by the day. Teaming with frequent collaborators TG Crippy (his brother) and Jay Da Chaser, he blends those elements on tracks like “OOTAZ,” which drips with adrenaline and confrontation. While the track and others like it evoke unsettling force, they’ve also become the soundtrack of functions across the East Coast, and Kenzo wouldn’t have it any other way. Growing up in the BX, everyone knew each other and attended the same parties, but as he became a teenager, the drama escalated. Kenzo realized he’d have to change his lifestyle to survive. He’d spent much of his early years freestyling with friends, so he decided to record his first songs in 2018. After catching attention with melodic tracks like “Backends,” each new release earned more streams than the last. In September 2021, he unloaded “5th to the Sev,” an anthem for his neighborhood that garnered 1 million YouTube views. By 2022, he’d signed a deal with 10K Projects, alongside Crippy. With a growing fan base and an evolving sound in the works for a new project, Kenzo recognizes the potential of the moment he’s having now. On a grander level, he wants to rep the neighborhood that raised him. “I’m making music for me, my brother, my block, for the Bronx, and the whole city,” he says. “The Bronx is just me”.