Kempi Essentials

This Dutch rapper with a spitfire delivery has had hip-hop’s attention ever since his 2006 mixtape, Tsss Kempi, was downloaded 40,000 times. He’s made the most of it. Two years later, on debut album Du Zoon, Kempi told his life story over stop-start beats and sombre strings. For second album Het Testament van Zanian Adamus, in 2011, Kempi opted for a more emotive sound inspired by classic late ‘90s rap, as heard on the piano-led “Pico Bello”. Never one to stay still, the rapper could then be found experimenting with afrobeat rhythms and trap-style ad-libs on 2017 single “Cocaina”.