Who’s that making that new MTL sound? KillJEI
New talented artist at the forefront of Montreal youth culture with a sound like Sean Leon x Linkin Park
2023 is the year of the debut LP from the rapper-artist KillJEI: ENDWORLD. The rapper has been busy, relentlessly busy. Producing with NBS, a frequent collaborator in GrimeyMTL, and working with artists across Canada have put KillJEI in a great spot. Listeners will hear him representing the vibrant heart of Montreal, fondly referred to as the “514”.
KillJEI is an artist who has been refining his sound for the past decade, starting from a young age and steadily finding his artistic footing. Notably, KillJEI carved a new lane for himself in hip-hop characterized by an enthralling and haunting sound, mixing metal and elements of the burgeoning youth culture that has captivated Montreal.
With the stories that follow, you’ll know why KillJEI has rightfully earned the status of an artist to watch, as his musical journey and unique sounds take audiences on a chaos-packed thrill ride.
The Days of Jei Bandit
In the early 2000s, KillJEI began his music career, operating under the name Jei Bandit.
In 2015, Jei Bandit dropped his first project on Bandcamp, a single titled “RUNT”, hitting digital shelves on June 6. Produced in collaboration with OCTN, this song is a sonic origin story. Pulsing synths, roaring winds and the crackling of lightning, haunting horns playing subtly in the background. Jei announces his divine inspiration from Zeus and begins an electric flow across the beat that fully immerses you in the vibe.
“RUNT” effectively showcases KillJEI’s early ear for his unique sound, and his abilities to harmonize with it, moving with a clear vision.
On his first full-length project, BOLT, you hear a sound coming off acts like Kid Cudi, Gravediggaz, and experimental Soundcloud-era sounds (JuiceWRLD, Xavier Wulf).
A series of projects continued up to 2021. KILL PIGS CROWN WOLVES, ACAI, BADMIND, SUNCHILD. The project WITH LOVE was a wedding gift for a close friend, director of the music video for IHATEYOU. HIGH WITH THE LOVE is a vibey single complete with a bilingual French verse (Fouki) and a verse from Kevin Na$h that could be bumped in the club or at a house party — a perfect introduction to Mtl hip-hop. He was featured on Dope.Gng on “Drogue maison” and Boskorgi on “Jazz Pranksters”, as well as many others.
But in 2021, his old name dissolved, and a new moniker took shape behind closed doors: KILLJEI.
This change of name signalled a shift to a more focused sound. That metal-rap sound had developed, both within his music and producing for artists like Lord Gasp. That sound refinement fits perfectly with the aesthetic of a rising urban collective: GRIMEY MTL.
Where to spend ENDWORLD: GRIMEY MTL
Founded by Thomas Papkostas (aka THOM, aka @grimelord_) circa 2016, Grimey was conceptualized as a hub for outcasts, an artist's community in Montreal. A network and platform that promoted local artists through local shows, the Grimey website, and merch drops, GrimeyMTL has steadily been growing both locally and internationally.
“Grimey is an Independent Art Brand working within the Underground Punk & Hip Hop scene. Chiefly represented by a collective of musicians, Grimey functions through hosted events and concept-based clothing collections. All drop-based content, including look-books and video-books are produced & released in-house.
At its core, Grimey is focused on building a community of individuals from all backgrounds by focusing on authentic common ground as the basis for self-expression.” — THOM interview with Hampton.
Their merch has been spotted on artists such as Trippie Redd, Freddie Dredd, and Denzel Curry. Whether helping them plan a show or working with them for merch. Frankly, what their team has done is impressive as hell. Keep your eyes on this company for all the merch, all the shows, and all the extra goodies.
“It’s hard to put into words but I would say I want people to feel a sense of community or inclusivity because it brings together a bunch of individuals from different scenes…” THOM interview with Snood Magazine.
The collective has been covered by Complex, Dazed, and CultMTL, among others across North America. Frequently collaborating with rising Montreal artists, such as SLM, Mike Shabb, and Nate Husser. And they bridge the gaps between alternative and mainstream culture to put on insane underground shows, successful merch pop-ups, and even charity events.
Catch KillJEI at the Grimey MTL MuralFest booth in June.
They are born from Montreal culture and work with organizations and artists across the city to help create an independent youth culture. This is why it makes sense for them to partner with NBS Studios so frequently, a Montreal studio that empowers youth to make their own music.
With Production: NBS Studios
Founded in 2007, No Bad Sounds (NBS) Studios is a program Chalet Kent — Maison des Jeunes Cotes-des-Neiges — offers, a studio,
“Safe space for young artists to grow their musical abilities and expand their knowledge of studio recording. We take a hands-on, practical approach to teaching youth about music production, recording, mixing, performance and writing songs.”
The initiative seeks to bring the youth in the neighbourhood to one place and develop their musicality. The Director, Jai Nitai Lotus, is a rapper-artist himself. For Lotus, the studio is about “expanding and growing”, taking the confidence, skills, and everything you learned into your daily life.
“So you have people who come here that are really experienced, and you have people that have never done it before, and either way, there’s no judgement. So if anything, you’ll be blessed because someone here will help to coach you through it, and maybe help you skip the steps you otherwise would have had to figure out on your own”
The studio is all about paying it forward in the community through artistry.
Prominent rappers that emerged from the doors of NBS: Dr. MaD, Bronko, Skiifall, and Yama Soto — KillJEI joins that impressive lineage. He gained invaluable skills in the process, a foundation for his collaborations with other artists. Now, he passes his knowledge to the next waves of youth that walk through those studio doors, as he continues to refine his sound.
ENDWORLD & Beyond
KillJEI continues to produce under NBS and has established himself as a prominent producer, collaborator, and rapper in the city. He continues to capture a distinct sound that blends elements of metal-rap, with influences from Saya Gray, Sean Leon, Igloo Ghost, and Thundercat. As an artist, KillJEI stands on the verge of a new sonic threshold, his sound poised to continue to make a significant impact on his city.
Here is a sampling of his recent projects:
LOVE IT ALONE, continues the ethereal combination of drums and strings combined with this electronic “beep-boop-bop” beat on the front end. KillJEI’s vocals build something vivid and meaningful for the listener, a promise to build something real for himself and his community. On the back end, there’s a beat switch-up that transitions from chilling synths and haunting vocals to a hard-hitting sound that leaves you floored on your ass.
ECLIPSE (feat. Crypt999) contains many of the same elements, with some sing-song flows indicative of the genre. It’s the bubbly sounds and some energetic ad-libs that make this a bouncy track. You can hear the production style continues to be refined, produced by Zorc and Nimbus Twokay, drawing from his early sounds (“RUNT”).
HA! (ft. Kevin Na$h) is a great collaboration track between four artists, stretching across Canadian youth hip-hop, and it’s a banger. The Kevin Na$h verse hits hard, the beat produced by nimbustwokay & Zorc fits that spooky aesthetic KillJEI has been building, and JEI’s flows mix well with everyone. This is an artist who is always collaborating and always building with others, across cities and languages; I believe he’s going to go far.
A sound that has been brewing for close to 10 years now, KillJEI will lead the charge of genre-bending sounds being independently made by young artists on the East Coast. With a distinctive blend of hip-hop and punk influences, infused with elements of metal and Soundcloud-era experimentation, KillJEI occupies a unique place in the musical landscape and continues to create his own atmosphere. And he has the city behind him, with artists in Grimey MTL and young artists with NBS. His music is where the 514 is going in 2023.
His debut LP, ENDWORLD, promises to be a fantastic contribution to the Montreal youth music scene.
Don’t miss the opportunity to catch KillJEI’s electrifying journey before ENDWORLD drops in June.
EDITS: With Love addition, May 19.
