In The Spotlight: Hip Hop Artist Kupid

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Today we have rising Caribbean hip hop artist Kupid (aka Q)! Born to an Antiguan father and a Guyanese mother, the artist grew up listening to a variety of different music with his family. "Every Sunday was 'Music Day,'" Kupid chuckled. "Everybody would gather around and just listen to records." He would listen to music on a daily basis, and started doing some singing, rapping, and experimentation with music in high school.

Professionally, Kupid actually started off as a backup dancer in 2000, dancing for other artists, and even was a part of an entire dance crew, Crossovah. The crew eventually turned into an actual singing group, combining hip hop, R&B, reggae, and other sounds, and performed in different islands like Trinidad, Barbados, and Jamaica. The group developed a huge following and was consistently being booked for shows, and it became all that Kupid could think about or what to do. He wanted to practice and develop his craft, rather than work a regular job, and was quite successful with Crossovah. "I did that for about seven years, and then we all decided to go our separate ways," Kupid said. Inspired by different artists from various genres like Blink-182, Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Lil Wayne, and Drake, the artist branched off on his own in 2011"I think Lil Wayne had a big, big, big impact vocal wise in my career," Kupid stated. Listening to his music, you hear a blend hip hop and Island pop among others, as Kupid develops his own unique sound.

Kupid dropped his song "Hey Girl" ft. gospel singer Thomas Miller back in 2013. "I was jamming to "Summertime" by Will Smith, and, for some odd reason, I was like, 'Yo, I want to make a new version of this.'" he said. "That's why, when you listen to it, it's more of a laid back, chill barbecue, pool party type of atmosphere." Kupid was also inspired by the chill vibe of Chris Brown's "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)." Writing the entire song, melodies and all, Kupid came up with a great song that perfectly embodies both of these tracks, but still puts his own island spin on it.

Check out the video for "Hey Girl" below!

Currently, Kupid is working on a new project with different producers including Troyton Rami (Sean Paul, Tinashe), with great new music to come soon! In terms of what separates him from other artists, he believes that it is his talent as a true entertainer that makes him unique. Combining rap, dance, and even skits and comedy, Kupid makes sure that his audience has a good time watching him perform. "On top of that, I have my Caribbean background," he said. "So I'm going to throw some reggae sets in there. I'm going to throw a soca set. Maybe people [have] never even heard of soca, so I might do a skit and show them what soca is." Calling himself "the new age Shaggy," Kupid uses a lot of different elements to truly make his music and performances shine. The artist will also be performing at the Fall Culture Fest in October, opening for Big Sean, Sean Paul, and Wayne Wonder, as well as a peace rally concert in Africa the following month.

In terms of the future, Kupid, admittedly very goal-driven, knows that he will have his hand in music in some way as the years go on, whether it be continuing his own music or eventually starting his own label. "I would say, 10 years from now, you will see me doing maybe management, helping other artists out," he said. "Trying to change the process of the game, help whoever needs to be helped, and bring that joyful music back out to the world." From speaking with him, I see that Kupid is very driven and passionate about his craft. That drive, combined with his talent, will definitely take him far!

You can learn more about Kupid on his official website, and hear more of his music on SoundCloud, ReverbNation, and YouTube. You can also connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!