For many people in the Bronx, living in the area is synonymous with living in poverty. That was certainly the case for musician and artist Kenneth Castro, better known as KCAST, and his family as most of his life, the borough in the Big Apple was all he knew. Yet despite his humble upbringing, KCAST has risen about the challenge and hopelessness and created a legacy in the music world that only grows with time.
KCAST is the founder of KCASTMUSIC, an independent music company that hosts the artist’s music and many other endeavors in the arts and entrepreneurial spaces. Apart from his business, KCAST is best known for his singing, rapping, songwriting, recording, producing, and beat making. On January 4, 2000, the artist was born to a simple family out of the South Bronx area. When KCAST was only a few months old, he lost his father and grew up with his mother and sister for most of his life.
KCAST is extremely honest about his origins and leaves no details left out. “Growing up in the Bronx is metaphorically similar to living in poverty,” he shares. “Almost every time of the month, you feel depressed, anxious, sad, unwelcome, etc. Many people lose hope when situations make humans lack confidence in their desires and will.” Despite the hardships that he and his family faced, KCAST kept a champion grip on his dreams and never gave up on his aspirations of doing something great. His family’s predicament would only serve as motivation for him as he would constantly seek ways to better their situation.
It was through these circumstances and beliefs that KCAST would land in music. Throughout his life, the artist has always been about creativity, evolution, and pursuing dreams. Those foundational principles would become the inspiration for his first album entitled Dream Boy because KCAST “never stops dreaming.” In 2020, KCAST decided to put himself out there and show the world what he had to offer. It wasn’t easy as he would struggle with impostor syndrome followed by a worldwide pandemic that put most of the world on pause for a season.
Despite the challenges, KCAST was determined to keep pushing hard for what he wanted to achieve for himself, his family, and for all the people who he knew he could touch with his music. He released “Dream Boy,” which would become a massive hit across digital and radio airwaves. Some of his tracks, including songs like “Lost in a Dream,” “Fortune Cookies,” “Missing the Past,” “Out of Something,” “Fighting to Survive,” and others, became instant hits.
Today, KCAST has over 12,700 monthly listeners on his Spotify account, with many of his tracks hitting five-digit streams in record time. On YouTube, KCAST has an additional 128,000 views and over 2,000 subscribers. All those numbers have come most recently and continue to grow exponentially with time. KCAST has become an inspiration for many youths in the Bronx and many other parts of the nation, standing as a testament to the power of belief when it comes to overcoming seemingly impossible odds in life. He hopes to inspire more as he aims for greater heights in music. Learn more about KCAST and his music by visiting his website and Instagram account.
