Kid Ink

Kid Ink

Kid Ink is a rapper, producer and songwriter from Los Angeles, California. He is also known as Brian Collins. His music sits within hip hop, pop rap and west coast hip hop. He starts out working mainly behind the control board before moving into rapping, and he develops his production skills by working with artists including Sean “Diddy” Combs, Sean Kingston, Yung Berg and Nipsey Hussle.

Early career

Before focusing on performing, Kid Ink makes beats and writes hooks for other artists. He says he starts producing because several artists around him are trying to rap and he wants to be useful by supplying the production. He then begins recording his own material and building a name as an MC and songwriter.

In 2010 he gains wider attention through the Crash Landing mixtape, made with DJ ill Will and DJ Rockstar’s Tha Alumni Music Group. The release draws strong online response, reaches the top of Datpiff’s weekly mixtape chart and generates 50,000 downloads in its first 10 days. That period also sees him touring in the United States and internationally, including dates in Toronto, Zurich, Melbourne and Krasnador.

Mixtapes, videos and online following

Kid Ink builds his profile through frequent releases and a large video output. In 2010 he releases eight music videos, and by then his videos have accumulated more than 50 million views. His internet presence becomes a major part of his career, with tracks such as “Lowkey Poppin,” “Please” and “Cali Dreamin’” helping to spread his name online.

In 2011 he releases Daydreamer as a free album through the internet. It is built around original production from The Runners, Lex Luger, Jahlil Beats, Cardiak and Tha Bizness, and includes guest appearances from Cory Gunz, Meek Mill, Ray J, Sean Kingston, Dorrough and Bei Maejor. The project passes 150,000 downloads in its first week.

Later in 2011 he puts out the mixtape Wheels Up, which leads to a tour with stops across the United States and in Denmark, Canada and Europe. He performs to audiences described as ranging from 600 to 2,000 people.

Major-label era

Kid Ink signs to RCA Records in 2012. His first major-label single is “Bad Ass,” featuring Wale and Meek Mill. Before that, he releases “Time Of Your Life” from his debut album Up & Away. The single reaches radio, sells 20,000 copies in its first week on iTunes, peaks at number 32 on the rhythmic radio chart, and gains more than 12 million views on YouTube.

Up & Away follows in 2012 and sells 20,000 copies in its first week in the United States, entering the top 20 on the Billboard albums chart and reaching number 2 on the hip hop/rap chart. The album also includes “Drippin.” After its release, he tours widely in the United States and then heads out on a UK tour with 25 shows in 35 days.

He closes 2012 with the mixtape Rocketshipshawty, which gathers more than 600,000 downloads online and is followed by six videos.

Profile

Kid Ink is known for tattoos, a strong online presence and a career that develops through independent releases before a major-label deal. His work as a producer, songwriter and performer forms the basis of his early rise, and he has three studio albums and two Top 20 hits in the United States.