People don’t want to read and/or listen to anybody unless they feel like they’re “somebody” right? So let us brief you, Kyle Bent is a hip hop artist on the rise out of Randolph, Massachusetts. His music videos average 500K+ views on YouTube, he has a blue check on Twitter, 46K+ followers on Instagram, and most importantly – he makes good music dammit! Now that we have your attention, let us talk about the real reasons why Kyle Bent should be on your radar.

The Randolph native is unique. Unlike most 20 year-olds he is very in tuned with his purpose. He believes our energy manifests our reality and he finds comfort in failing knowing there is a bigger lesson to be learned.

The hip hop and entrepreneurial community from smaller cities and towns across the world can identify with Kyle Bent’s story. Think of Joyner Lucas who is from Worcester, MA or even J. Cole from Fayetteville, NC – small town folks with bigger dreams. You might not be into his style of hip hop but after watching and reading this interview you can’t help but be inspired by the belief in himself and his hope to encourage others to do the same.

Q: What makes you different from the Boston artists who are buzzing right now?
A: I push a specific message. A lot of the stuff I rap about is more along the conscience end and not just lifestyle rap or rapping for the hell of it. Everything I do is real purposeful.

Q: Do you think being conscious has hindered your progression?
A: Being conscious assures me longevity because the people who are listening are actually connecting with my music. With that said, the music I make is going to be around for a long time, it just might take awhile to actually catch on. A lot of rap these days is for the moment. An artist will pop, be huge, and in just a couple years or sometimes even months they fall off. My music may have a slow start but it will have the staying power when it’s all said and done. I believe that.

Q: Why’d you start rapping? You were a good student, matter fact, are you in school now?
A: No

Q: So you opted not to go to school?
A: Nah, I did go to school. I dropped out though

Q: Where did you go?
A: Bridgewater State

Q: And what made you drop out? How was your college experience? 
A: College was alright. My first year was lit. Then I shot a music video for my song “Higher Power” which got me a lot of attention and exposure. After that I was like, “Yeah college isn’t for me anymore” [Laughs]. I never wanted to go to college. My mom just put it in my head that it was something I had to do. After awhile I was like, “Yeah, I can’t be here anymore.” It was kinda drying my soul. The college experience was cool while it lasted.

Q: Did you have doubt at any point during that whole process?
A: Doubt about what?

Q: Doubt that you didn’t make the right decision to drop out
A: Nah, not at all. I was actually doubting myself for not leaving soon enough. I was like, “Yo, I can’t prolong this thing.” Either I was gonna do what my heart was telling me to do or I was going to succumb to fear. The only doubt that crossed my mind was me staying in college too long and not making the decision that I knew was right for me.

Q: How come you don’t doubt making it big as a rapper, especially when there are tons of stigmas around that dream
A: It’s because I know my message is big. I believe in myself. I feel like self belief is everything. Think about it, there’s really no failure to anything, it's just delayed success. You just got to ask yourself, “How long are you gonna stay on your path until it becomes a reality?” I’ve been rapping for a decade. Things really started to look up about four years ago and I would say this past year was a really great year too.

Q: What's motivating you?
A: Affecting people. Everytime someone comes back and tells me my music has affected them in a positive way it reassures me that I’m fulfulling my purpose.

Q: Is Kyle Bent your government name?
A: It is…

Q: What made you go with your government name and not create a stage name?
A: [Laughs] Um, I actually used to have a stage name but it was so whack. I had to change it

Q: What was it?
A: I used to go by KOG

Q: What did that stand for?
A: [Laughs] You’re gonna laugh, it stood for “Kyle Original Gangsta”

Q: [Chuckles] Wow
A: Yeah, and I wasn’t no gangsta so [Laughs] you know, I jumped on the bandwagon with that one. When I got older I was like, “Yeah I can’t stick with this, it’s not me.” I like Kyle Bent, it works way better [Laughs]

Q: There’s some speculation that your followers are bought, can you speak to that?
A: Nah, not at all. This is how it happened, originally when Twitter first popped up I was doing the ‘follow for a follow’ thing. So, that could mirror “bought follower” activities, you know? But I was actually the person behind the screen going to get the followers. So I would follow them, they’d follow back. There was a point where my Twitter activity was really crazy. That was before the algorithms changed. Once the algorithms changed things slowed down. It’s simple, your content has to be good. If your content is good and sparks it will be pushed to the top of the timeline and people will see it. My social media is 100% authentic.

Q: What advice would you give someone from Massachusetts but not from Boston who wants to be a rapper? Like an aspiring rapper from Brockton, Stoughton, Canton, Randolph, etc?
A: Create your own wave. Don’t look for anybody else for approval or validation either. Create your own movement in your own town. It doesn’t really matter if you’re small right now, just keep working and build that foundation. Your brand will eventually pick up and people will gravitate to it. Stay true to your own sound and your own brand, things will happen.

Q: What’s been your biggest accomplishment thus far?
A: I have two, being on tour with Hopsin and being on air for NBC Boston for their New Year’s night premiere. NBC was big, my first TV appearance.

Q: So, what’s next for Kyle Bent?
A: I’m trying to drop an EP - excited about that.