Kelman Duran feat. Mess Kid No You (2019)
“I was just like, how did this happen?” Dominican producer and multidisciplinary artist Kelman Duran was taken by surprise when Beyoncé’s team suggested using his productions on her 2022 album Renaissance. Yes, in the years leading up to this point, Duran had made a name for himself in the world of experimental music with his unique blend of dembow, Caribbean riddims and ambient. Nonetheless, he sometimes would find himself playing in front of a few dozen people (which is pretty normal for an artist of his scale). But now, all of a sudden, Duran was the co-author of songs that would generate hundreds of millions of plays on Spotify et al… However, the extra exposure hasn’t done much to the numbers of his solo efforts: Duran’s music, which often is described as sad boy reggaeton, is still some sort of insider tip. One particular highlight in his catalog is “No You”, a bittersweet collaboration with Latvia-born American producer Mess Kid.
Start the conversation
Become a paid member of The Rest to gain access to the comments section.