KC is celebrating hip-hop, highlighting local artists with 16 events over 7 days
The second annual KC Hip-Hop Week began Sunday, June 1st, highlighting many of the city’s beloved artists.
Starting with a press conference and a kickoff party at 1436 Kansas Ave., KCK, the week-long celebration of “live shows, dance battles, and cultural experiences” will include 16 events from June 1 - June 7, including a meet-and-greet with some of Kansas City’s favorite rappers.
Local hip-hop legend and entrepreneur Walter Edwin, known by his stage name, The Popper, credits his hometown as his inspiration for his music.
“I write a lot of songs from the heart, and I represent Kansas City in everything I do. That’s why I have the store called the IMKC store at 8600 Ward Parkway and 1809 Vine (Street),” said Edwin. IMKC sells T-shirts, hats, hoodies and other merchandise representing Kansas City pride.
“It’s always great to perform for Kansas City, and, you know, show your pride and enthusiasm and be repping the section that we carry around the whole globe in our heart.”
The Popper is only one of many artists that will make appearances throughout the performance-filled week. Local artists Ray Muney, Brandoshis, King Kihei, and Cuzz Cuzz were all at Ward Parkway Center to meet their fans on Tuesday evening.
For Raimon Gilliam, known by his stage name Ray Muney, hip-hop is a way to express his experiences. From growing up in the streets of Kansas City to serving jail time, Gilliam shared how rapping about his harsh experiences has made fans love him.
“I do it for the culture of Kansas City,” Gilliam said. “They love me here, so when I take my experiences and not shy away from them and the people that I love, they love me too.”
Gilliam’s next EP, titled “RSN 2”, is to be released in July, with another track dropping later this year.
With new and rising stars like Ray Muney now in the scene, artists of the previous decades express how times have changed for their industry.
Derrison Palea, known by his fans as King Kihei, shared with The Star about how Kansas City’s hip-hop scene has evolved.
“It used to seem like you couldn’t perform in certain venues because there was a stigma associated with hip-hop back in the day,” said Palea. “But I think it’s evolving very well. I’m seeing a lot more collaboration. I think also the industry is starting to look at us (Kansas City) differently now, especially with the Chiefs winning. We’re getting more attention, so it’s also letting us highlight the talent next year. I think people are more willing to accept the culture of hip hop more than they used to back in the day.”
Embracing the culture with open arms has provided both benefits and set-backs for the artists in the city. While the city is gaining attention and fans give their love and support, the struggle for many artists lies in the lack of fan attendance at performances, as many of them prefer streaming music.
KC singer and rapper Marcus Taylor, known as Cuzz Cuzz, stated that audience participation and fans simply being fans is necessary, and that the artists in the city want to come out and perform rather than having their music played in the homes of their fans the majority of the time.
With the KC hip-hop scene gaining more exposure, performers in the area are looking forward to what comes next for them. Local artist Brandon Drone, known publicly as Brandoshis, thinks a lot about the legacy he wants to leave for Kansas City.
“I want to leave the legacy of how I was one of the ones that was from Kansas City,” Drone said. “I actually made it out from the struggle, and I actually built my way up, worked hard and networked and kept grinding just to make it out, even when it got hard, and never gave up.”
This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 4:42 PM.
