Kay One

Born on September 7, 1984, in Friedrichshafen, German rapper Kay One entered the world as Kenneth Glöckler to a German father and Filipino mother. His older brother’s influence prompted him to begin rapping at thirteen, and by sixteen he captured the Royal Rumble contest in Stuttgart. At seventeen he joined forces with Jaysus to create the duo Chablife, which secured a deal with Royal Bunker. He parted ways with the project in 2005 to join Eko Fresh’s German Dream imprint, only to move to Bushido’s Ersguterjunge roster two years later. Steady exposure through guest spots, compilation tracks, and free downloads earned him the 2009 Juice Award for Newcomer, paving the way for his debut solo album Kenneth Allein zu Haus in May 2010. Featuring appearances by Bushido, Fler, Frauenarzt, and additional artists, the record climbed to number seven on the German album charts. That same year Kay One joined Bushido and Fler on Berlins Most Wanted, which reached number two. Early 2012 brought his second solo effort, Prince of Belvedair, peaking at number four in both Germany and Austria, shortly before he publicly confirmed his exit from Ersguterjunge.