Zak Downtown

Hailing from New York, Zak Downtown crafts hip-hop that fuses swaggering energy with playful elements and an ear for pop hooks. Growing up in Manhattan's West Village, he developed a deep interest in rap during his high school years. Drawing from classic acts such as Wu-Tang Clan and A Tribe Called Quest, plus more recent figures like Kanye West and Cam'ron, he first tested his skills through freestyles at parties. Those spontaneous moments soon led him into a friend's home studio, where he started crafting his own recordings. Following high school he entered NYU, yet kept building his career by performing at clubs throughout the city. The 2015 single "Kylie Kendall," a nod to the Keeping Up with the Kardashian sisters, helped him attract wider notice.