When kei answers the phone, she doesn’t ask “hello?” — she proclaims it with an audible exclamation point. And you probably would too, if you had one foot in the recording studio and the other on the neck of Boston’s hip-hop scene.
“Money comin’ like ‘hello!’ / Got these labels knockin’ down just like some dominoes,” kei raps on her new single “hello!,” which arrived over the weekend (June 1). The Boston artist’s first release of the year is a Latrell-James-produced flex fest that affirms her reputation and bankroll. “Made two bands just for a live show,” she notes casually, as if a reference to performing at Boston Calling one week prior, although kei states that “hello!” has been under wraps for a while.
“We created this record a year ago when i had the opportunity to be a part of @outlaud.world,” she shares on Instagram, referencing an artist retreat launched by fellow Boston emcee Oompa.
And — helllooooooo — “at the heels of an electrifying performance at Boston Calling, it felt like the perfect time to share with y’all.”
Answer the call with kei below.