Born in San Bernardino, California, on October 16th, 1992 – Jesse Mota has made a name for himself as the American artist IamKay. His eclectic blend of Pop, R&B, and Hip-Hop styles has earned much acclaim within urban circles. Having set out with his record label ‘Showtime Entertainment,’ he released hit singles such as “What You Sayin” (2016) alongside others like “Play, “Yeah” and ”Throw It Up.” Capturing the attention of those in the music industry’s higher echelons – IamKay’s artistry is heavily influenced by luminaries, including Lil Wayne, T-Pain, and Bone Thugs N Harmony but a few. As we head into 2023, it appears that this West Coast rapper continues to forge an increasingly impressive career path. 

QUESTION: Why do you like 90s Hip-Hop so much? 

IamKay: For me, that is wholly started taking off. As a West Coast kid, I saw many musicians gaining severe airtime on the radio. That was amazing to experience. I capture that same level of personality in my work. 

QUESTION: Is there anything about that era that specifically appeals to you? 

IamKay: many of those 90s tracks have a confessional quality. The number of emotions shown in 90s hip-hop set the scene and allowed people like me to create stuff different from the past. They were not afraid to make it beautiful, as Bone Thugs N Harmony did. Also, growing up in that time, there may be a bit of nostalgia. 

QUESTION: Does style play a part in your music? 

IamKay: Many musicians, rappers, etc., have their clothing lines, sneakers, and dress in a specific fashion to give my persona much more heft. I have been doing this for a few years now, so I have gotten a lot of that solid. 

QUESTION: Do you plan on keeping the pace of releases in 2023? 

IamKay: I am going to expand on it. You can expect a lot more from me next year. Ultimately, I am working up to more significant releases as I further hone my style. 

What’s better than listening to great music? Listen to the artist’s new hit single “Play,” which is out everywhere now!