BIGSONG:
Florida rapper KB exploded onto the Christian hip-hop scene in 2012, topping the Billboard Christian Albums chart with his debut effort, Weight & Glory. He repeated that feat three more times with 2015’s Tomorrow We Live, 2017’s Today We Rebel, and 2020’s His Glory Alone.
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A troubled teen in high school, KB (born Kevin Elijah Burgess) struggled with mental health issues and was saved by a Christian rap CD a friend gave him. After one listen, he was on his way to a career in hip-hop for the Lord. Unfamiliar with the Christian rap scene, KB recorded demos with no network to hear them, but throwing his tracks onto video-sharing sites and other social media gained the rapper a loyal following. Superstar Lecrae caught wind, took KB on tour as an opening act, and five shows in, KB was offered a contract with Lecrae’s label, Reach. The mixtape Who Is KB? followed in 2011, with KB’s official debut, Weight & Glory, landing a year later. The EP 100 followed in 2014, featuring a guest appearance from Andy Mineo.
In 2015, KB delivered his second studio album, Tomorrow We Live, featuring contributions from Mattie and professional golfer Bubba Watson, as well as the Top 30 single “Sideways” with Lecrae. Two years later, as if in response, KB delivered Today We Rebel, his third LP, which again featured Lecrae and Mineo, as well as guest spots from Aha Gazelle, Casey J, and others. The album single “Monster” hit the Top 40 of the Christian singles chart, an achievement he repeated the next year with “No Chains,” which landed at number 30. He continued to issue non-album tracks into 2019, maintaining his scene presence with singles like “Hold Me Back” and “Lincoln.”
KB kicked off the 2020s with a trio of Christian Top 40 hits, which all landed on his fourth set, His Glory Alone. The album featured contemporary trap production and guest appearances by Bizzle (“Let It Reign”), Tommy Royale (“Libre”), and Black Violin (“Dark Skin”). He showed no sign of slowing down in 2021, issuing a string of singles that included “Worship in the Moshpit,” “On Point,” and “So Tired” (featuring Bizzle and Zhalarina).
