Toronto Hip Hop artist ZAIE, formally known as 9MiLLLi recently dropped his latest single “Stay Ghetto.” He’s created a buzz in the 6 for his other hit singles “They Mad,” and “Flawless,” which were both released in 2018.
The 26 rapper was inspired to do music based on his humble upbringing. Hailing from a Basketball star driven family, he was the first to branch into his own lane of music. His Trinidadian and Kenyan background are also embedded in his music, giving him a different and original sound. His talents don’t just consist of music, he’s also a tattoo artist.
“Growing up I came from nothing and all I knew was to be independent even though I had both of my parents in my life. My family worked hard to provide for us. I never had a handout, I always had to work for it so when I had to pay for things like studio time or videos, I would always hustle and use my money from the tattoos to invest in myself,” he said.
ZAIE wrote and recorded every song in his basement. While a lot of artists rap about things that are trendy, he made it a priority to remain true to self and rap about things he’s personally experienced or dealt with in life. His inspiration also comes from the greats such as 2Pac, Michael Jackson and
New Edition.
“My dream is to be on top and to be one of the best artists out. I want to motivate the youth and young people my age to follow their dreams and be successful that way they know that anything is possible if they work hard and stay focused.”
He is currently working on an 8 song EP that’s going give people a sense of who he is as a person. People should expect to go through different emotions while listening to the EP. They’ll feel his pain and sorrows along with his strengths and happiness.
For more on ZAIE you can follow him on Instagram @therealzaie