1. AKIA

At just 22 years of age, AKIA is currently pushing her latest EP, DUMB, and her dynamic vocal stylings were on full display at Dreamville. In our all-too-brief chat, the charming artist let it be known that she was destined for her current moment.

“The stage and studio, both are where I feel most at home,” AKIA began. “So, no matter how long my set is when I perform, that’s my sh*t.  I just get on that stage or in that booth, and it goes from there.”

The Arkansas native credits her mother for pushing what she referred to as her “God-given gift” of singing. Every Sunday, a young AKIA was asked to sing at her church services, honing her powerful and soulful vocals. 

“There would be times where I didn’t want to sing because my head was hurting but my mom would be like ‘God is gonna fix it but you gonna have to sing’ and I thank her for believing in me,” AKIA explained.

Next up for AKIA as she continues to promote DUMB is another pair of EPs, CRAZY and STUPID, which will complete a trilogy depicting a romantic relationship’s ups and downs. Considering how her single “DND” resonates with her fans, AKIA’s trajectory appears sky-high.

Learn more about AKIA here.

2. Cozz

Cozz, a longtime artist on the Dreamville roster, commanded the stage on Day 2 of the festival with the poise of a 20-year veteran. We caught up with Cody Macc after his crowd-pleasing set and got into his story a bit.

“This being the last Dreamville is kind of a bittersweet thing, but this is our home as artists on the label, and you can tell the fans who come out are supporters of our dreams,” Cozz said.  “But what made this special is that this is the first time I’ve done this festival sober. This is the best version of me, and that’s why the crowd responded the way they did, because they could tell.”

Cozz added that he’s been sober for 11 months and, for what it’s worth, he appeared to be at peace. There was an aura around the Los Angeles rapper that translated well, and whatever troubles he faced before were on the way behind him.

“I haven’t been able to release music much legally since 2021 because I was on the chain with the label, but I’m still Dreamville all day. I have at least three projects in the stash now,” Cozz said. “I’m just trying to determine what to release and when, and I’m in the studio every week, tweaking and recording new music all the time.”

Cozz is currently promoting his new singles “50 Percent” and “God’s Design,” and on the former track, he hints at his sobriety journey and tells listeners that everything from the time before he stopped drinking was just him at half of his power. Cozz shared what the song meant to him with us.

“The track [50 Percent] is really a testament to the growth and the first freestyle I recorded since being sober,” Cozz explained. “I wanted my listeners to know that they were only getting half of me, so imagine how I’m gonna sound with a clear mind.”

In closing, Cozz left a message to anyone who is struggling on their path and what he hopes his fans get from his music. 

“It’s never too late, it ain’t never too late to improve your life but you have to want it,” Cozz said. “It took me a long time to get to this place, but now I’m here and my life feels beautiful.”

Learn more about Cozz here. 

3. Kai Ca$h & Niko Brim

Native New Yorkers Kai Ca$h and Niko Brim kicked off the Dreamville Festival with their high-energy set, and it truly felt like we were witnessing Hip-Hop’s latest young superstars in the making. Backstage, the energetic duo shared the trials of their time as artists and where they intend to go from there.

“I used to take this ability I have lightly, and I kid you not,  I didn’t take it seriously until my teen years,” Kai began. “Truthfully, you do get discouraged because the music business is not easy. Especially when you don’t see things working expeditiously, but I just kept the focus on what’s next.”

Niko Brim, who has been around the music industry all his life via his parents Misa Hylton and Jojo Brim, added, “I’ve seen a lot because of my parents and their belief in my gifts, but having a brother from another like Kai really makes this journey easier than it looks.”

Niko shared that his first track was with Kai, and they recorded the “Stop Being Greedy” freestyle at his home studio. With Kai leading the way as an artist, Niko said that his brother inspired him to keep going.

“When Kai started making moves and considering all I’ve seen in my upbringing, it made sense for me to fall in line and get serious about it too and I thank him for giving me a lane and making this easy for me,” Niko said. 

Kai Ca$h is currently preparing to drop his new album Ca$h Rules, later this month. Niko Brim says he has plenty of music he’s working on and wants everyone to stay tuned.

Learn more about Kai Ca$h here. 

Learn more about Niko Brim here.

4. Lute

Lute is a mainstay of the Dreamville roster and the Charlotte rapper has kept active on the scene despite having last dropped a full-length project, the excellent Gold Mouf, in 2021. We just had a few minutes with Lute yet in that time, we got to learn more about the artist.

“It’s always love to come to Raleigh, and even though I’m a Charlotte boy living two hours west, this is home for me,” Lute said. “I appreciate the Dreamville fans because without them, I wouldn’t be doing any of this right now.”

Despite just being two hours apart, Lute explained the difference between the North Carolina cities to our outsider’s ears.

“In Charlotte, it was tough making it because we didn’t have much of a Hip-Hop scene when I first started, but now it’s starting to change,” Lute shared. “I come from the Blog Era and that’s how I got my first project West1996 pt. 2 out via the blog site,s and it just makes me appreciate how far I came in this game.”

In a reflective moment, Lute shared that his personal journey right now is bigger than music, although he’s clear that putting something out this year is a goal. 

“I’ve been focusing on my mental health journey crazy and I’ve been through a lot. I can be honest and say that things are looking up for me and I won’t keep the fans waiting for too much longer,” Lute said.

Learn more about Lute here.
 

5. Omen

Omen is one of the senior members of the Dreamville roster, and the Chicago native’s reserved nature is a total 180 from his passionate presence onstage. We caught up with Omen as he made his way to his trailer to learn what’s next for the rapper and producer.

“It’s always amazing to get in front of all these people who know your music and support the Dreamville movement the way they do. It’s humbling, actually,” Omen began. “This journey might not always go the way you envision, but the chance to express that, it feels special.”

Omen’s lone studio album, Elephant Eyes, isn’t available on DSPs at the moment. However, Omen has kept active over the years, appearing on several Dreamville projects and producing for J. Cole among others. As he prepares his upcoming album, Granny’s House Again, Omen is taking it back to his earlier days in Chicago. 

“I want this album to bring folks into my world, coming up in Chicago and how I used to be at my grandmother’s house just dreaming about what I’m doing currently,” Omen shared. “I put a lot of work into this project, and I think people who liked Elephant Eyes and anything I did over the years will hear something they never heard before from me.”

In closing, we asked Omen how he keeps himself grounded as a public figure who, by all appearances, would rather just play the background. 

“Like you said to me before we spoke, I tend to be introverted and keep to myself and allow my music to do most of my talking,” Omen said. “However, I want my new album and performances to show that I have layers, and maybe I’ll inspire someone along the way because music definitely got me through a lot.”

Learn more about Omen here.

6. TRAP DICKEY

TRAP DICKEY might have been one of our quickest interviews, but also one of our favorites. The South Carolina native’s personality is bigger than life, but what was surprising is how much of a student of Hip-Hop he is.

“People hear my music and the accent and probably think it’s just one thing but I came up freestyling and listening to the greats like Nas, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, DMX, you name them, I was on it,” TRAP began. “You gotta go back to the old ways of rapping and tap into that country soul. That comes from being around grandma; it all comes out in the music.”

TRAP DICKEY says that his upcoming album, The Preacher’s Grandson, will showcase him in a light few have heard thus far.

“I been grinding a long time and things are paying off, but I think this album gonna show the fans about how I came up, how I grew in this game, and where I’m going next, ” TRAP said. 

Learn more about TRAP DICKEY here.

7. Turk

Last but not least, Turk, one of the original Hot Boyz members, gave us a few moments of his time and some gems along the way. Turk’s growth as an artist, husband, and solid human being came across in our chat with the New Orleans native.

“I feel so blessed and honored to be on that Dreamville stage with my original family,” Turk began. “People know the story, they know the history and the controversies and what I done been through, but we’re still here and it feels good to be together again.”

He continued, “We had to let that pride and ego stuff go. Brothers fall apart all the time but since we patched it up in November, we out here selling out arenas and shows all over the world, and that feels right.”

Turk said that now, as a married man who has reformed his life, his upcoming musical journey will reflect that growth.

“Seeing as I’ve got my wife in my corner, my new musical outlook is all about growth, development, being a family man, being a leader in my community,” Turk shared. “I want people to know through my story that you can go through some things that’s hard but you ain’t gotta stay there. Look at me, and of course, you keep God in the front, it’s all possible.”

Learn more about Turk here.