Oakland Rapper Yared Kiflai Drops Debut Single, EP Coming Soon


Rising Oakland rapper Yared Kiflai broke into a huge smile as he sat down for a recent interview with the Express. And he has reason to be pleased: KiflaiĀ just dropped his first official release — the single ā€œCGHā€ — and he’s already begun making waves in the East Bay music scene with his dreamy, lo-fi production, and his crisp flow.

During a recent chat, the 23-year-old explained that — even though he plans to release his debut EP, Twentysomethings, sometime this winter — he’s been making music since graduating Berkeley High at age 17.

His journey into rap started with uncertainty. ā€œI didn’t know what I wanted to do,ā€ he shared. But he was quickly inspired — byĀ Drake’s So Far Gone, Wale, and J. Cole. “That time in hip-hop just grabbed me. It [felt] like these people are the same as me, story for story.

“And I was just sitting there [realizing] I could do this, too.ā€

The East Bay native says he’s very intentional with his music. He insists that he never throws together a track carelessly, that it’s always ā€œthoughtful music …you want to hear on a flight, on a long drive.ā€

He says this upcoming project is meant to capture moments that show what growing up right now, as a twenty-something, is like. And he also says Oakland — and the innovative vibe of the East Bay — also played a significant role in developing his artistry and in shaping his way of thinking.

ā€œEverybody out here is really focused on independence. Everybody wants to be their own person. Everybody comes here and finds who they are, and they keep pushing. We’re like a stomping ground for people to figure their shit out.ā€

Despite being a newbie, it’s obvious that much expertise and care goes into his recording process. There are concepts, and a purpose, to each track, often Ā executed with the help of Ian Mckee, a Bay Area producer who’s worked with Caleborate, Rexx Life Raj, and many others in the local scene.

Kiflai says its important that music ā€œhas to mean something.”

“It has to last. People have to really feel it.ā€

Listen to Kiflai’s second single, released independently of Twentysomethings, here.
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