CROWN ME… KAINE | Eddie Kaine

INTERVIEW TERRELL “REALIFE” BLACK PHOTO @GEE.CTS

In the heart of Brooklyn’s Bed Stuy, where hip-hop culture runs deep and legends are born, Eddie Kaine’s journey from aspiring basketball player to esteemed underground emcee is both inspiring and authentic. Growing up in a household filled with music—his father a DJ, his mother a choir singer—Kaine’s path was shaped by a rich lineage of sound and rhythm. With iconic figures like Big Daddy Kane, Notorious B.I.G., and Jay Z rising from his neighborhood, the influence of Bed Stuy's culture is ingrained in his artistry. Now, as he prepares to release his highly anticipated album “Crown Me… Kaine”, he sits down with Validated to share insights on the legacy of Brooklyn hip-hop, the power of music during life’s challenges, and his place in today’s underground renaissance. Eddie Kaine’s story is one of resilience, authenticity, and a relentless dedication to the craft that’s as timeless as the streets he calls home.

VALIDATED: Born and raised in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, New York, what’s your earliest memory of hip hop culture?

EDDIE KAINE: Man as far back as I can remember, there was always music playing. All my life. I remember being a young toddler hearing my parents play it. My mother told me she used to put headphones on her belly when she was pregnant with me and listen to Public Enemy. Lol Which actually ended up being one of my favorite hip hop groups of all time. But man since a baby I been hearing music in the house and outside. Maybe that was why it was all I was interested in as a kid and didn’t even know it. I just naturally gravitated towards it! 

VALIDATED: How would you describe the hip hop scene in Brooklyn when you were growing up?

EDDIE KAINE: When I was growing up in Brooklyn when it comes to hip hop, it was fierce, powerful… hip hop was a statement, a true lifestyle full of originality and authenticity. I came up in the right era honestly, the 90s, 00s. If you was doing it you was really doing it. Freestyles off the top of the head on demand. Hallway rap cyphers and street battles, man it was a time for real! The way we dressed, the slang, block parties; real block parties. The bootleg cd/dvd man, everything was hip hop in Brooklyn. Downtown Brooklyn was hip hop for real; legendary Beat Street. I bought everything from posters to albums to vinyls there and I was little. Even hip hop TV shows like ‘Rap City’. Everybody was cutting school to go to ‘106 & Park’. The thrill of listening to your favorite artist on the radio… Everything, I can go on all day. 

VALIDATED: Bed Stuy, Brooklyn has given rise to some of hip hop’s most legendary emcees, including Big Daddy Kane, Notorious B.I.G., Jay Z, and Fabolous. How did being raised in such a renowned neighborhood impact and shape you as a person?

EDDIE KAINE: Honestly as a kid it wasn’t something that I grasped very quickly. Through the years doing research, hanging in the neighborhoods they once chilled in, hearing stories, and hearing them speak on things that touched me so closed to home. Seeing classic photos of areas where I ended up doing shoots at also. Hanging in Jay building, chilling in front of Biggie crib, it all came over time. I studied them growing up. I cherished them once I was actually grown though. And I feel it’s my duty to keep the torch on fire now. Knowing they struggled, hustled, grinded and made it out of the same spots I’m in today. I realize I’m actually blessed. They will be saying my name amongst the legends from Bed Stuy soon as well. This a little more fuel to the fire to keep me going.

VALIDATED: With your father being a DJ and your mother a lead singer in a choir, how did their musical backgrounds influence your sound and approach to music?

EDDIE KAINE: I grew up understanding there is more than one genre for real. The musical background of my parents flowed right into my life, easily. I sang the songs they sang, I sang in a church choir as a kid as well, I djed my block party at like 11 or 12. Doing those things seemed so natural because that was everyday norm in our home. My mom playing soul music and gospel music… My dad buying dj equipment with a big set up at the house taking up space. (Laughs) It was normal. I do it too because it was all I knew. I thank my mom for putting me in a church choir because I learned my singing ability. As a rap artist if I wasn’t exposed to really projecting my voice you might not have got a joint like “No Survivors” or “All Of The Above”. 

VALIDATED: Which emcees have had the biggest influence on your style, and what aspects of their craft, if any, have you incorporated into your own approach?

EDDIE KAINE: Wow, this is a tough question for me because I was influenced by so many. I would say today though the biggest influences I have on my style in particular is Jay, Fab, DipSet, and Wayne. The whole mixtape era is my influence. I just remember all the different acts at that time being original. When I look at these guys work, it makes me personally think about how I got to be a trendsetter, stay fresh and original and keep some bars on deck cause you never know who you gotta serve. And those guys are still pushing today and we see them as legends. That’s the route every artist wishes to follow.

VALIDATED: You initially had dreams of playing basketball, what led you to transition from basketball to music?

EDDIE KAINE: Growing up, I always did both. There came a time in my life where I was hardheaded and I really regret it. But I was more infatuated with the streets instead of the ball court and once I found it hard to focus in school, my dream fell through. Can’t play if you can’t pass. It sucks because I was extremely smart. I just wasn’t going. I was smoking, running the streets getting into trouble, partying, dancing and rapping. My teen years is when I basically forced my self to follow this dream. I saw it as the only one I had left. Obviously it was meant to be this way, but ball was something I did love whole heartedly and it just didn’t work because of academics. The music had me full time ever since though, from 16 or 17 years old.

VALIDATED: You’ve spoken about music being a source of peace and calm during tough times. Can you share a specific moment when writing or performing music helped you through a difficult period?

EDDIE KAINE: I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m the type of person that can go through a hard day and come home and roll one and put some music and my whole vibe changes. I don’t listen to much hip hop when I’m going through issues in life. I listen to soul and jazz. I look to be uplifted, and I know just where to go for that musically. A blunt, a cup of wine and some Gil Scott Heron. Man listen, some Al Green! Music always held me down. And even some Kaine music like “Sunshine” or “You Know” and many other songs are made purposely to change your mood and lift you up when times are hard. This is what I do it for.

VALIDATED: What’s your process when it comes to writing music? Do you find that certain emotions or experiences inspire your lyrics more than others?

EDDIE KAINE: Yes, I used to be the person that could sit down and write raps all day! I mean put in an instrumental cd, sit there and write to each beat until I pass out sleep type shit. But as I grew up in life music has become a personal journal to me. When I started venting in my music is when people started to really gravitate towards it and share similar experiences with me. Through time, I started to realize my story is my story and that’s what I’m here to tell. There are people listening who think they’re the only ones going through the things they went through, then boom, I’m telling them I went through the same thing. So I write when I’m down. I right when I’m happy. When I go through something crazy, I write it. And it creates a beautiful playlist of mixed emotions after a while. That’s what writing, creating and being expressive is to me. Emotion, compassion and understanding, not just the we turning up tonight and blowing money or we gone ride out and do some wild street shit.. That’s blah now. Substance is art.

VALIDATED: At what point did you realize that music was more than just a hobby or outlet, but your true calling?

EDDIE KAINE: Basically high school. I was like damn, what now? I’m not hooping, I done already been arrested a couple of times throughout high school so I kind of knew young this isn’t something I want to do with my life. What should I do? Instead of a light bulb shining over my head it was a microphone. (Laughs) I told myself I want to do music and I’m not going to stop until I get on. I knew many people who tried and quit so I knew off top I’m going to go full throttle no matter what. The good, the bad, the ugly… I’m willing to deal with it all, as long as I can make my music, and that’s why I’m here today!

VALIDATED: You've been very active in the underground scene for years. What are the biggest challenges and rewards of staying true to your style in a competitive place like Brooklyn?

EDDIE KAINE: Well I appreciate you seeing it that way. I’m blessed to be here. I tell everybody how I sold my CDs on Lewis and Greene Ave, Gates and Marcus Garvey, and all over the neighborhood, just to be able to give the people some vibes. I didn’t charge, I accepted donations. I just wanted people to bump the tunes. So, it feels good to be considered “very active” out here. I’m just staying as hungry as day one. Some of the challenges are to maintain that hunger though. Being independent and having no managers or backing and paying for your career out of pocket is serious. It has been disappointing plenty of times over the years. But I look at challenges as lessons, so I always bounce back and properly adjust after I learn what to do or what not to do. The reward is seeing people’s faces light up when you walk in the room and they tell you “I love” this album or this song. Or, “Yo your music is so dope!” It’s the little things that are rewarding. Getting paid for my music is a blessing but it’s the way the music hit the people that bring a tear to my eyes because I’m still happy about the fact that people choose to listen. Let alone someone telling me this song helped them get through the day, or this record got them through a hard time in their life. It makes the grind all worth it. 

VALIDATED: What advice would you offer your younger self about navigating a career as an independent artist in Hip Hop?

EDDIE KAINE: (Laughs) Do you and stop worrying about critics! That was my main issue coming up, I wanted EVERY person that heard me to love the music. That’s a dream, it’s never that way. I’d just tell myself to work and network even harder. Because that’s all it really takes to succeed in this game.

VALIDATED: In what ways does your upcoming album "Crown Me… Kaine" differentiate itself from your previous work, and what evolution in your artistry do you hope fans will notice?

EDDIE KAINE: This is my first time working with the producer Machacha. The joints we put together were clear cut, hard hitting, boom bap gritty hip hop tracks. I came with a different approach to this project; I don’t want to let them know the exact recipe, but this album is different from the others. Purposely I did these tracks with a different energy which you will realize instantly upon listening. Funny when I hear people say your vibe is… Or, you like to rap to these type of joints, because they don’t know I’m a chameleon. I can change up all sorts of ways on the music level and still give you my authentic self. This project is definitely what I think will be one of “them ones” in everybody’s eyes.

VALIDATED: What do you hope to achieve with this album, both in terms of your musical career and its impact on the hip hop community?

EDDIE KAINE: I want people to make this album a go to for numerous scenarios… Happy, sad, want to be uplifted, need to feel inspired, or you just want to hear some vivid street music! I have all of that and so much more. When it comes to me creating a piece I always think of the CD books we had growing up. The covers, the music, the excitment of knowing you will have favs on this album but which ones will they be? My goal is to make a portfolio of albums that will be considered timeless classics! That’s always what I strive to achieve.

VALIDATED: What’s your favorite record off the album and why?

EDDIE KAINE: I don’t want to sound like a buzz kill but I really don’t have one for this album. When it came to writing each one of these records some are 2nd drafts with whole new verses and hooks, and some I just killed once, but I specifically didn’t want to let this album go until I felt satisfied with every record. So before the people get it I can HONESTLY say every song is my favorite. I remember writing each one, some more than once but I love them all and I wasn’t giving it to the people until I did. 

VALIDATED: Which producers and features can fans look forward to on the album?

EDDIE KAINE: Well the project is fully produced by Machacha so that’s something my supporters will be surprised about. This is our first time connecting and we put together greatness. Rim is on the project, Josiah The Gift is on the project, and I took it back home to the Stuy I got my brother RBMBizzel, who likes to say he’s retired, but not if I can help it. (Laughs) And that’s all I’ll leave you with. It’s some other surprises too. My supporters know how I do.

VALIDATED: You’ve talked about the importance of consistency in your career. Can you elaborate on how that has helped you navigate the ups and downs of your music career?

EDDIE KAINE: Consistency is very important to me. That’s all I’ve had honestly, like I said earlier, being independent sometimes has its way of making you feel like you’re all alone on your journey, which can easily become discouraging. However, in the same breath, I can say that is what I always used as my fuel to stay consistent, knowing that there’s always gonna be ups and downs. There’s always gonna be feelings of being alone, but hey, write and record about it. This is what it’s about, the feelings, the emotion, the music; that’s all that matters at the end of the day. So it’s easy to stay consistent. When all you have to do is… the music.

VALIDATED: Many fans feel there's a renaissance happening in the underground hip-hop scene. How do you see your role in contributing to this "golden era" revival?

EDDIE KAINE: Well first I would like to say if people say they feel there’s a Renaissance happening and I’m a part of it, I’m extremely happy. My contribution to this golden era is me, my upbringing, my life in Brooklyn, New York, what I’ve seen, what I’ve done, what I lived in the Mecca, New York City. I feel I have to be me. There’s people overseas who love my story, who love to hear about the things I went through and the things I’m going through today. There’s people outside on my block who say I’m speaking for them. I got people locked up who say my music still gives them the feel of the music they heard growing up and it holds them down while they inside. It keeps me going; that’s what got me here. I won’t change up the sauce.

VALIDATED: Your music often gives off classic 'golden era' hip-hop vibes. How do you manage to keep that authenticity while also appealing to modern audiences?

EDDIE KAINE: Well, being a city kid I just feel like being naturally me is all I really have to do. I grew up in the golden era. This is what I learned from so I’m gonna stay fly. I have a slick mouth. I’m very sly with words. I’m a trendsetter whether I intend to be or not. I’m a city kid. It all comes full circle with my upbringing. I’m New York City, I’m Brooklyn. I’m Bedford Stuyvesant, and that’s what I deliver in my music.

VALIDATED: What’s next for Eddie Kaine?

EDDIE KAINE: Everything is next for Eddie Kaine. I’m gonna keep putting out fire music. I’m working on more merch. I’m working on many different things. I’m here to stay. Make sure you go to the website EddieKaine.com (http://eddiekaine.com/). It’s always active and always in the new. I appreciate Validated Magazine for having me on their platform. This is a childhood dream come true. You guys are our Source Magazine; keep pumping the greatness and I’m gonna keep doing the same.