An interview with an up-and-coming UW-Madison rapper
By: Sophia Rahman
Photographed by Kam
From working on a laptop in his basement to performing at Freak Fest, Alexander Kain has come along way.
Some of you may know Alexander Kain from class or maybe you have seen him perform at parties. Maybe you have even seen him perform at Open Mic in The Rathskeller. However you know him, you know that Alexander Kain is going places. If you don’t, get acquainted!
Kain is a fellow Badger and up-and-coming musician.
This nineteen-year-old from Kenosha, WI started his rap career only two and a half years ago. After a turn of events — where someone from Kain’s highschool’s rival school made a diss track — he returned the favor through his own diss track. The track remixed “Rubbin’ Off The Paint” by YBN Nahmir received a wave positive feedback. This set fire to Kain’s passion for music and jump-started his rapping career.
Some of Kain’s biggest inspirations include Tupac, Biggie Smalls, and Andre 3000 from OutKast. These artists’ music styles can be reflected in his music and add to his overall style. Kain’s music is a twist on modern-day rap with hints 90’s rap elements. It’s definitely interesting and a good listen.
Kain is a member of Chase The Bag Productions which was founded by and includes UW-Madison artists. These artists include Alexander Kain, Colin Lime, Kam Kurosaki, Henry Gustafson, Sunčana Pavlić, Alex Lonkov, Tommy Stepan, Ninjaoni, Philo, Jay Dot, Marques, and Yung Sum. CTB Productions focuses on all artistic performance and aims to be the next generation Wu-Tang Clan.
On October 26th of this year, Alexander Kain opened for Lil Yachty at Freak Fest in Madison, Wisconsin. From the moment Kain stepped on stage, he was able to connect with his audience. Not only was his music good but his stage presence added to his performance by making members of the audience feel a part of the show. During his performance, much of the crowd sang along and engaged with Kain. According to Kain, being able to perform at Freakfest was surreal. When asked how he felt his performance went he responded, “Great! It went better than expected!”
Kain was an open act for Lil Yachty at Madison’s Freak Fest this year.
If you missed his performance, don’t feel too bad! You can see him perform locally and can reach him on social media. You can also support him on Spotify, iTunes, and Soundcloud. One of Kain’s personal favorite songs is “On My Own,” which depicts the fallout of a toxic, two-year relationship. It gives the listener the opportunity to tune into who Kain is and what he’s experienced. If you’re searching for more of a bop to casually listen to, “I Reminisce!” is your pick.
In collaboration with Kam Kurosaki, Kain has started a merch line called “The Kollection” which is influenced by Japanese culture. To support, you can browse the line at https://teespring.com/stores/the-kollection .