K.A.A.N.
K.A.A.N. is Brandon Perry, born January 12, 1991, in Howard County, Maryland. He’s an American rapper and singer known for fast, breathy rapping, a large vocabulary, and lyrics about mental health, abuse, politics, and religion.
Growing up in a trailer park in Maryland, his parents played Tupac, Nas, and Biggie, and he began listening to hip-hop at a young age. He cites Tupac, Eminem, Jay-Z, Big Pun, Biggie, Wu-Tang Clan, and others as influences, along with artists from outside hip-hop like Etta James and Nirvana.
Perry started releasing music around 2014, and he gained attention after the video KAANCEPTS. He once worked six days a week in contracting and masonry to fund his rap career. He now lives in Los Angeles and writes and records at Dr. Dre’s Record One Studio. In 2018 he released a Mac Miller tribute song called Rest Easy. In 2022 he released his 25th album, The High Before You Fall.
Influences include Tupac Shakur, Nas, Eminem, Das EFX, EPMD, Big Pun, Biggie, and Wu-Tang Clan, as well as artists outside rap like Etta James, Smokey Robinson, Earth, Wind & Fire, Nirvana, and Adele.
About his role and race in rap, he says he’s a young Black man who is aware of racism and police brutality, but he writes for himself and doesn’t claim to speak for anyone else.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 15:11 (CET).