Despite one’s unfamiliarity with Joe Kane’s identity, he has consistently been a prominent figure in the Houston rap scene since the mid-90s. The rapper and producer commenced his rap career at the tender age of eight. ” I was born in 81′, I had the opportunity to personally witness the initial broadcast of hip-hop music on MTV.” he asserts.
Kane reminisces about the initial rap music he encountered, which happened to be Aerosmith’s ‘Walk This Way’ featuring Run-DMC. Several days later, he viewed the video ‘Fight for Your Right’ by The Beastie Boys. “The experience immediately captivated me and ignited my aspiration to pursue a career as a rapper.”
Kane nostalgically recalls his past habit of utilizing his radio, equipped with a cassette tape player, to capture brief segments of rhythms from the radio for the purpose of improvising lyrics. Upon reaching fourth grade, he commenced composing songs and began to approach his skill with greater dedication. He would position two radios adjacent to each other, with one playing music while the other recording onto a blank cassette. “I was very creative and dedicated a significant amount of time to devising methods for recording my songs,” he states. “When karaoke machines became popular, I begged my mother to purchase one for me,” jokes Kane.
After years of diligent training and regular participation in local competitions and open mic events, Kane emerged victorious in the local radio station 102 Jamz’s Roll Call. He was contracted by Ghetto G Productions and debuted his initial professional studio recordings in 1992. Because he was young and just starting Jr. High, the rapper’s parents only let him release two singles: “Ill Streetz” and “Life in the Hood.” Both tracks achieved significant success and garnered widespread popularity within the local Houston music scene. However, because of travel limitations and the inability to perform on school nights, he was terminated from the record company. Nevertheless, he persisted in his pursuit of his aspirations, diligently composing fresh songs daily after school and during summer vacations.
During his time in high school, when he reached the age to obtain a driver’s license, Kane ventured out onto the streets to exhibit his musical talents and establish connections within the music community. “I grew up in Alief, located on the southwest of H-Town,” he states. “I would explore various areas of Houston, hanging out on weekends at King’s Flea Market in South Park to recording music in Studewood the same day” He encountered and established friendships with numerous Houston rap artists of his generation, from members of the S.U.C to Slim Thug prior to their rise to prominence in the music industry. Also, becoming friends with Atlanta rapper 2 Chainz (at that time referred to as Tity Boi), when Chainz was attending college at the University of Houston.
Kane released his mixtape “Twenty-One Gunz” in 2000 while attending Barber College in Miami, Florida, after spending several years involved in music and building relationships. In 2004, he relocated to Los Angeles and produced music for his inaugural independent release, “Make Some Take Some,” in 2005. This album had hit tracks including as “When I Floss” featuring Slim Thug and “Dem Lawz” featuring the Coughee Brothaz. He entered a contract with the independent Los Angeles label Calikid Records and subsequently released the albums “Live Now Pay Later” in 2015 and “Copacetic” in 2020.
In 2022, shortly after his mother’s death, Kane signed a contract with Universal Music Group to distribute one album. He collaborated with Grammy Award-winning Billboard charting recording engineer Mark Kidney to lead his debut album, “PO$$UM.” that was released July 18, 2022. “My first project thats just me with no features.” he says. “Still one of my favorite albums I ever recorded.” Following the successful sale of over 32,000 copies of the record globally, Kane made the decision to terminate his relationship with UMG. “The music industry is cutthroat,” he remarks. “However, the experience was dope. I acquired a significant amount of knowledge and established numerous professional connections.” Kane named a few he formed relationships with, including rappers Juicy J, 50 Cent, and Grammy Nominated engineer Beau Vallis (Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy” and several other top charting hits.) “It’s crazy. I’ve been recording new songs with Beau and hanging out with 50 for about two years now. 50 is cool as a fan and down to earth as fuck,” he chuckles.
Kane had a highly eventful and hectic year in 2023. Shortly after parting relations with UMG, he became the lead vocalist and songwriter for the reggae band Sticky Breeze, releasing the album “Waah Di Sticky” in April 2023. He subsequently released a mixtape named “Fly High Traffic” in November 2023, featuring tracks with Juicy J and 2 Chainz, and right away started working on his next rap album. On January 1, 2024, he debuted his first single, he debuted his first single, titled “The Hitmaker,” which entered the Billboard Top 100 singles chart at position #81 during its first week. After years dedicated to pursuing a career in music, suddenly and unexpectedly, a significant event occurred. He achieved his first appearance on the Billboard chart.
Opting for independence once more, Kane established his own record label, Sweet Jones Music Group, which he named after his three children: Andrew, Drake, and Kanien Jones. “The album has been completed. I am eagerly anticipating the opportunity to astound and captivate people with my intellect.” The record, named “67Hundred,” is scheduled to be published on July 19th. To access his music, you may find it on all prominent music platforms. For additional information on him, please visit www.joekanemusic.com.
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