19-year-old rapper, singer, and artist Jehkai’s music feels like a tour through his hometown of Compton, CA. He was born the sixth of eight kids and immediately understood hardship, living in the projects, with his grandmother, and eventually in a van. Nevertheless, he immersed himself in music, listening to everyone from Michael Jackson to Tupac to Drake. Jehkai dropped his first independent single, “The Field,” in 2020 and honed his signature style on follow-up “Glory To God,” blending new age street rap, impressive pitch, and vocal acrobatics. The song put Jehkai on the map and, despite the early on success, he is just starting to tell his story. “When you listen to me, I hope you relate and want to hear the next chapter,” he leaves off. “I want you to think. I want you to cry. I want you to feel my pain and maybe, because of it, feel better."