Kyle Rapps


Kyle Sutton, better known by his stage name Kyle Rapps, is an American hip hop artist from New York City.
𝕏 kylerappsFB kylerappsmusic

Early life and education

Sutton was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and raised in Princeton, New Jersey, primarily by his mother. His father was a minister. Sutton attended Rutgers University, earning a BA in Spanish. In 2015, he relocated from Harlem, New York to Mexico City, Mexico.

Career

As Skeptik

While at Rutgers, under the pseudonym Skeptik, he formed the underground hip hop group Thought Breakers. Their debut EP, Episode 1, was released in 2004 and independently sold over 10,000 copies. The group opened for Wyclef Jean, Fat Joe, Talib Kweli and Dead Prez. Around that time, he formed a spoken-word poetry collective, Mayhem Poets. In 2007, the collective won a Microsoft small business competition, enabling them to establish the open mic venue Slam Chops in Manhattan, which stayed open for two years. Also in 2007, the collective had a two-month off-Broadway run at the New Victory Theater. After a 2009 trip to Liberia with Mayhem Poets, Sutton began to go by the name Black Skeptik, and released titles "Rent" and "Frankenstein Saves Hip Hop".

As Kyle Rapps

In 2010, now going by Kyle Rapps, he released the single "Love, Love," featuring KRS-One and Homeboy Sandman. In 2011, his RE-Edutainment mixtape came out, with the title in homage to the 1990 Boogie Down Productions album Edutainment. KRS-One, Joell Ortiz and U-N-I appear on the mixtape. Later in 2011, Rapps released On Air, featuring appearances from Talib Kweli, C-Rayz Walz, KRS-One and Homeboy Sandman. The eight-track mixtape is built around samples from French electronic music duo Air.
In June 2013, Mishka NYC Records released SUB, Rapps' first full-length album, produced by Belief and featuring collaborations with Murs, Action Bronson, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Aaron Cohen and Spaceman. Earmilk called it "a mesmerizing selection of songs."
In 2014, Rapps put out the single "The Sky's on Fire", produced by Belief and featuring vocals by Adrienne Mack-Davis.
In 2017, Rapps released "Latrell", its title and sampled intro referencing Latrell Sprewell, a former professional basketball player who was suspended for attacking his Golden State Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo in 1997.
In 2020, Rapps performed virtually over Zoom at Soul Vey, a Black and Jewish community event led by Adam Swig and Kosha Dillz.
Rapps has collaborated with a large variety of other music artists, including KRS-One, Homeboy Sandman, Diwon, Action Bronson, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Murs, Adrienne Mack-Davis, Belief, Hefna Gwap, Talib Kweli, Chuuwee, Faruz Feet, Dirt E. Dutch, Joell Ortiz, Sly5thAve, Aaron Cohen, Brody, Y-Love, Nathan Sela, Vulkan the Krusader, Sam Siegel, S'natra, DJ JS-1, Breez Brewin, Dru the Monster, Nelson, Little Freckles, Ali Salah Rasé, and Ray Contour.

Discography

Albums

SUB Colossus Theory
  • ''Perverse Ramblings''

Singles

  • "Rent" – as Black Skeptik, with KRS-One
  • "Frankenstein Saves Hip Hop" – as Black Skeptik
  • "Love, Love" – featuring KRS-One and Homeboy Sandman
  • "Portlandia" – with Diwon
  • "Mr. Rogers" – with Diwon
  • "Get It In" – featuring Action Bronson
  • "Watch Out"
  • "Super Glue" – featuring Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire
  • "Architecture" – featuring Murs
  • "The Sky's on Fire" – featuring Adrienne Mack-Davis and Belief
  • "Hold Tyte" with Hefna Gwap
  • "Searchin'" with Hefna Gwap featuring Aaron Cohen
  • "God-Like"
  • "D.F." ''
  • "Bunker"
  • "Michigan"
  • "Fiction"
  • "Eulogy"
  • "Latrell"
  • "Dark Hour"
  • "Green on Red"
  • "Shiba Inu"
  • "Fxckvision"
  • "Art Monk"
  • "Black Suburbs"
  • "TD"
  • "This is Medicine" with Talib Kweli
  • "Don't Try"
  • "Gtfo" with Chuuwee
  • "Barrio Chino" with Faruz Feet
  • "Mrs. Huxtable" with Dirt E. Dutch and Chris Keys
  • "Bitd" with Joell Ortiz
  • "Mourning" with Sly5thAve

Mixtapes

Episode 1 – as Skeptik, with Thought Breakers RE-Edutainment On Air
  • ''Syndication''

EPs

Tyrone Gosling w/ DiwonEuropean Tic Tacs w/ Hefna Gwap

Collaborations

  • "Let It Go" – Dirt E. Dutch featuring Kyle Rapps
  • "Forget It"- Aaron Cohen featuring Kyle Rapps
  • "Good Life" – Diwon featuring Brody, Kyle Rapps, Y-Love and Nathan Sela
  • "Hikaru" - Vulkan The Krusader featuring Kyle Rapps
  • "Lifted " - Sam Siegel & S'natra featuring Kyle Rapps, Hefna Gwap, Lord of the Fly, and T-Shyne
  • "110 Percent" - DJ JS-1 featuring Breez Brewin, Homeboy Sandman and Kyle Rapps
  • "Clyde Frazier" - Dru the Monster featuring Kyle Rapps
  • "Lost Touch" - Nelson featuring Kyle Rapps
  • "Sleep on It" - Little Freckles, written in collaboration with Kyle Rapps
  • "Wieder" - Ali Salah Rasé featuring Kyle Rapps
  • "I Got a Story to Tell" - Ray Contour featuring Kyle Rapps