KR Freestyle: Watch Him Reject Comparisons to Drake, Kendrick Lamar and More

Some five years removed from the day he first gained national recognition, KR, still only 23 years of age, stands as one of the more promising young talents the rap game has to offer. Despite having carved out his own lane, he finds himself the subject of comparisons to other rappers, and in his new freestyle, which marks the first in XXL's new What I Do franchise, he sets the record straight. Delivering an a cappella verse, KR makes it known he's a unique artist.

From the outset of the freestyle, which lasts about two minutes, KR makes it clear he's not playing any games, spitting with an impassioned delivery as he lets loose everything on his mind.

"Everybody been telling me keep it real, but everybody is myself, so I'ma tell you how I feel/Go 'head and crush my hopes and dreams for goodness sake/I spit a little truth, now they calling me Drake/I sing high pitch and now I'm Tory Lanez/I guess comparisons and hate is a part of the game," KR raps.

From there, he continues, "And honestly, comparisons is getting old, I start to rap with a passion, now they calling me Cole/I start to rap unorthodox, now they calling me Dot/I guess comparing me to your favorite will never stop."

While some folks would welcome comparisons to Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and the like, it's clear KR wants to be seen for who he is. That's something easy to respect.

KR is now nearly three months removed from dropping off his In Due Time album, a project he's called his most honest to date. While he's made a name for himself through music, he doesn't feel the need to be confined to it.

"I want to do everything," he tells XXL. "This business will make you feel like you have to do one thing and you can't do everything." Since 2017, taking on different roles in film and television has been on KR's to-do list.

Since acting alongside Halle Berry and Daniel Craig in Kings last year, KR has continued working himself into a thespian. This past summer, he played the role of JuJu in Superfly, a 2018 remake of a classic 1972 Blacksploitation film of the same name. In his career, he's been to 40 auditions for the likes of ABC, Fox, NBC, BET and more.

While KR's acting career is taking off, he doesn't plan on doing more acting than rapping—or vice versa. "I don't see myself ever doing one thing more than the other," offers the California-based rapper. "I just see myself getting better at each. I just wanna do as many things as possible while I'm here on this earth."

Here's to hoping KR can do that. Watch KR's intense freestyle for yourself above.

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