Kaiydo serves ‘Fruit Punch’ for summer

Rapper+Kaiydo+captures+the+essence+of+summer+and+carefree+fun+with+his+latest+singles%2C+including+his+Soundcloud+hit+%E2%80%9CFruit+Punch.%E2%80%9D+He+will+performing+April+25+at+the+Bottom+Lounge%2C+1375+W.+Lake+St.

Courtesy CANON JOSH

Rapper Kaiydo captures the essence of summer and carefree fun with his latest singles, including his Soundcloud hit “Fruit Punch.” He will performing April 25 at the Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St.

By Blair Paddock

Fruit Punch” quenches listeners’ thirst with uplifting, jubilant beats paired with summer-reminiscent lyrics. It’s a hit for hip-hop artist Kaiydo.

At 20, musician and visual artist Keiondre Boone, who records as Kaiydo, has gained popularity with this song, which has more than eight million plays on Spotify. He said he takes after artist Jean-Michel Basquiat as both display chaos with a deeper meaning in their art. The Orlando-based musician captures the jauntiness of summer with his latest releases “Jumpin,” “Lottery” and “Reflections.”

He will be performing April 25 alongside artists Boogie, Kemba and Michael Christmas at the Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St.

The Chronicle spoke with Kaiydo about his upcoming album, musical influences, and the Orlando music scene. 

THE CHRONICLE: Who do you take your musical inspiration from?

KAIYDO: I’m inspired by this generation of artists coming out. Because of the internet, they’re coming to the forefront and showing their talent without any middlemen.

How has visual artist Jean-Michel Basquiat inspired you artistically?

It’s hard to answer how he directly inspired me, but I would say by his story and how he communicated through his art. My art—the artwork from my songs is artistically driven—I always have a vision for it. [His art] doesn’t look like it’s anything too deep or life-changing. But when you actually go and look at it for days, it’s like his own little world. It doesn’t look like anything, but it has such dark and meaningful undertones.

Can listeners expect an album soon?

[There is] definitely a mixtape coming out soon that I’ve been working on, around summer.  I started off with the lighthearted stuff to build toward [more serious music]. I’m more than just a kid that goes to parties and turns up. I have an actual story I want to tell. There will be other stuff on there that people aren’t used to hearing from me.

What is the Orlando hip-hop scene like?

It’s developing. I feel like we have a good underdog story going on right now that will turn a lot of heads. For the last decade, people have looked over Central Florida and went straight to Miami. The youth [in Orlando] are really talented.

Did you anticipate the sudden internet success of your music?

I expected it around my city to turn a few heads. I wasn’t focused necessarily on the internet when I first started. The only  hip-hop scene I was really around was in my city, but then [my music] just started taking off around internet, blogs and Soundcloud. It was a good opportunity [to put my music out there] and a month later I put more music out, and it built on top of that. Honestly, I stayed up for about two days sitting  at my computer looking at the blogs. After that, it just took off on its own.