Kirko Bangz

Melodic rapper and singer Kirko Bangz writes songs that relate pain, resilience, growth, and ascendance against the odds. Kirko was barely out his teens -- if already on his fifth mixtape -- when he scored his biggest hit with "Drank in My Cup" (2011), a woozy and carefree slow jam that topped the Billboard rap chart, went Top 40 pop, and achieved platinum status. He continued to chart over the next few years with the slinking "Keep It Trill," the brash "Hoe" (featuring YG and Yo Gotti), and the reflective "Rich" (with August Alsina), the last of which displayed him at his slickest and swiftest. As a featured artist himself, he helped Meek Mill take "Young & Gettin' It" to the Hot 100. Independent since the tail-end of the 2010s, the Houstonian has remained prolific and increasingly philosophical as a writer with a slew of singles and the projects Now That U Here (2021), CallMeKb (2024), and Choose Self (2025).

Born Kirk Jerel Randle, Kirko Bangz -- the name is a play on "Kurt Cobain" -- began rapping as a young teenager in his native Houston. While attending college at nearby Prairie View A&M, Kirko honed his talent and released his first mixtapes, debuting in 2009 with Procrastination Kills. Quickly signed to major-label Warner Bros., he made his commercial breakthrough in 2011. "What Yo Name Iz," his first commercial single, entered the Billboard R&B/hip-hop chart and peaked at number 41 during a stay of over half-a-year. "Drank in My Cup," the follow-up, fared even better by crowning the rap chart, reaching number five on the R&B/hip-hop chart, and peaking at number 28 on the Hot 100. The song was certified platinum by the RIAA in 2013, by which point Kirko had assisted Meek Mill on "Young & Gettin' It" and also charted on his own with "Keep It Trill." That single was set to appear on an album that didn't see release.

Kirko moved from Warner Bros. to Atlantic, another major. The brief phase yielded the 2014 singles "Hoe" and "Rich," and then Kirko landed a distribution deal with 300 Entertainment. "I Just Got Paid" launched the new era in 2016 with help from E-40 and TK Kravitz, and then Kirko delivered Back Flossin, highlighted by the atmospheric "Love 2 Trap." "Date Night (Same Time)," featuring Chris Brown, and "Work Sumn," featuring Jacquees and Tory Lanez," kept his profile high in 2018. Kirko subsequently went independent, issuing a slew of singles over 2019 and 2020. In 2021, he teamed with the likes of Slim Thug, Lil Durk, and Eric Bellinger on Now That U Here, an eight-track project. Another round of singles preceded CallMeKb, a set of airy ballads issued in 2024. The fuller sounding Choose Self followed in 2025. ~ Andy Kellman