Kyle Rapps


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

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. 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.

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.

Discography

Albums