Kenny Beats Announces Debut Album, 'Louie'

When Kenny made the 17 songs back in December 2021, he never intended LOUIE to be for public consumption. Now, he has resolved to share the 33-minute-long album, dedicated to his father Kenneth Blume II. “I always said that I wouldn’t do a solo album because I didn’t have anything to say," Kenny shares in a statement. "Finally, I did."

Best known for producing albums for major musicians that include Rico Nasty, Omar Apollo, Vince Staples, Denzel Curry, Ed Sheeran and many more, Kenny is unveiling another facet of himself to the public. While he maintains his signature hypnotic sound, the introspective — and almost entirely instrumental — project was born out of his father’s diagnosis with pancreatic cancer.

Related | Omar Apollo Has Nothing Left to Fear

Hearing the news during a breakup compounded by the isolation of the pandemic, Kenny, like his father, found solace in music. Listening to his father’s homemade mixtapes, Kenny said he felt connected to simpler times before he had experienced such turmoil. "Something dark turned into something beautiful," Kenny said. "This album encapsulated the feeling of that one month."

The instrumental album, resulting from Kenny’s soul-searching, represents the mutual, undying love between a child and their parent. In his forthcoming personal project, Kenny drew on the sacrifices his father made to help propel him into a successful career.

Along with the album, Kenny has several live performances lined up for the fall, including dates in New York and Miami. You can preorder LOUIE ahead of its August 31 release here.

Photo courtesy of Evan Tetreault