KYLE Wed 4/26 Crystal Ballroom
KYLE Wed 4/26 Crystal Ballroom Courtesy of the artist

KYLE, a 23-year-old rapper/singer from Los Angeles, doesn’t like being compared to Drake (see “Keep It Real”), but it’s hard not to see the vague similarities in their voices, personas, and appearances. And that’s a compliment! His catalog is filled with summer-vibed songs, silly-but-fun music videos, and collabs with the likes of Kehlani, Lil Yachty, G-Eazy, and Chance the Rapper.

The video for “iSpy” is your typical half-nekkid-hunnies-on-the-beach situation, but Lil Yachty and KYLE tromp around with comically enlarged heads and tiny bodies. On the catchy “Don’t Wanna Fall in Love” (which samples Jane Child’s 1990 synth-pop song of the same name), KYLE raps verses explaining why he’d be a bad boyfriend, because he’s easily hurt and doesn’t want to be tied down. The video finds him on a beach date that leads to a boxing match with a baddie who hands him an ass-whooping—but not before he and Brick break out some super-slick dance moves in the ring.

My favorite KYLE song is his collaboration with Kehlani called “Just a Picture,” which is about phone and social media addiction. It’s got his signature Cali vibe, a valid message, and a hint of nostalgia. I promise it’ll make you want to dance in unison in the sunshine. That being said, his show is likely to be uplifting AF.