K Camp

Atlanta-based rapper K Camp, whose real name is Kristopher Thomas Campbell, built his reputation around a relaxed and understated delivery while remaining able to shift into expressive, melodic hooks when required. After spending years releasing material below the radar, he broke through commercially in 2013 with the platinum-certified singles “Money Baby” and “Cut Her Off.” Both tracks earned strong critical notice, highlighted by his inclusion in XXL’s Freshman Class, and paved the way for the 2015 album Only Way Is Up, which produced three more RIAA-certified singles. A later resurgence arrived with the 2019 track “Lottery,” also circulated as “Lottery (Renegade),” whose spread across video-sharing platforms propelled the follow-up full-length Kiss 5 to number 29 on the Billboard 200 in 2020—his second project to reach the Top 30. The sixth studio album, Float, surfaced the following year.

Born in Milwaukee and raised in Atlanta, K Camp began performing while still in high school as part of the group HBC. When that collective disbanded, partly from insufficient drive among its members, he began treating his own abilities with greater seriousness even though he had not yet envisioned music as a profession. He kept writing and recording independently, issuing the 2009 party track “All Night” that found local traction in Atlanta. Following several business setbacks—one of which involved disputed credit on Mykko Montana’s 2011 single “Do It”—he continued to strengthen his standing through underground projects such as Fan4life and Show Money. By 2013 he stepped into wider view with “Money Baby” featuring Kwony Ca$h and “Cut Her Off” featuring 2 Chainz; both platinum singles appeared on the 2014 Interscope EP In Due Time.

Shortly after that release he appeared in XXL’s 2015 Freshman Class, then issued his debut album Only Way Is Up, which entered the Billboard 200 at number 20 and the R&B/hip-hop chart at number five. Three singles from the project achieved gold or platinum status, among them “Comfortable,” while guest verses came from Bun B, Snoop Dogg, and T.I. Additional stray singles, mixtapes, and the Lyric Ave EP set the stage for the next two studio albums, 2018’s RARE Sound and 2019’s Wayy 2 Kritical, both issued with Interscope support and further distribution through Empire. The latter contained the Reazy Renegade-produced “Lottery,” whose producer tag inspired suburban Atlanta teenager Jalaiah Harmon to create the accompanying Renegade dance. After the track and dance spread virally, “Lottery” was reissued as “Lottery (Renegade)” and certified gold in March 2020. Kiss 5 followed the next month, returning K Camp to the Billboard 200 at number 29 and the R&B/hip-hop chart at number 18. Turning attention to his Rare Sound label and its emerging roster, he released the compilation RARE Family, which spotlighted contributions from True Story Gee, GENIUS, and Lil Bird alongside his own tracks. A year later he delivered another full-length, Float, featuring PNB Rock, Trey Songz, Mooski, True Story Gee, and Kaleem Taylor. The standalone single “Woozie” arrived in 2022.