12.19.2022

EP: Kenzo Balla –Mr. Ready To Blitz (Deluxe)

The Rising New York Native Adds 5 New Tracks to His Expansive Debut EP, Including an Appearance from Kyle Richh of Brooklyn’s 41 Crew

Critical Praise

“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:

Flooding the pocket with tireless intensity and a natural gift for disruption, Kenzo Balla approaches his music with a motive for mayhem. Today, the Bronx bruiser shares Mr. Ready to Blitz (Deluxe), adding five new tracks to the expansive effort, featuring production from Frank Beats, iamTash, and more, as well as an appearance from 41 crew standout Kyle Richh on the deluxe’s video single, “PSA.”

On the deluxe version of Mr. Ready to Blitz, first released in November, Kenzo furthers the scope of his sound. 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” and “Rock and Roll,” Kenzo barks his bars over distorted electric guitar loops that highlight the parallels between explosive subgenres like Kenzo’s brand of drill and hardcore punk or metal.

Home to singles like the high-octane “Krash Out,” and the Cito Blick and Pdot Savv-assisted “Don’t Panic,” Kenzo’s impactful performance on Mr. Ready to Blitz lived up to its title. On “Feel The Rage,” Kenzo bursts onto an endearingly melancholic drill instrumental with the headstrong momentum of a mammoth nose tackle like Vince Wilfork, while more fast-paced cuts like the Nas EBK-featured “SMMBF” highlight Kenzo’s elusive agility as he flashes through instrumental pockets like Troy Polamalu. Like all the most elite defensive rushers in the game, Kenzo’s strength lies in his opponent’s inability to contain him– in the split second it takes to register his arrival on the track, he puts himself 10 steps ahead.

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.

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

Mr. Ready To Blitz Tracklist:

Losing Control Part 2
Late At Night
PSA feat. Kyle Richh
Villain
Rock and Roll
Talk Our Shit feat. Pdot Savv
Krash Out
Ready To Blitz feat. Rayy Balla & Pdot Savv
Pray 4 Me
Feel The Rage
Move Cautious feat. TG Crippy
Back On My Shit
SMMBF feat. Nas EBK
No Sympathy
Evil Twins feat. TG Crippy
Don’t Panic feat. Cito Blick & Pdot Savv
GO KUU feat. Rayy Balla
OOTAZ feat. TG Crippy & Jayy Da Chaser
Church feat. Rayy Balla

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”.