Impact Detroit Magazine Impact Detroit Magazine 2013 | Page 76

KB’s debut album, ‘Weight and Glory’
Delivers Truth

“Somehow I knew I wasn’t right with God, despite my
family telling me that I was good. I knew I wasn’t… and
the idea of meeting God was unbearable.” KB

Kevin Burgess was born in St. Petersburg, FL and

raised in Southern Illinois. His parents divorced when he was 8 years
old, and that meant big changes for him and his mother. “I went from
the suburbs to the hood in one day”, KB stated about the changes that
took place after his parents split. At the fragile age of 16 he was
invited to participate in a unique school program, an experience that
uncovered a painful reality for KB. “Somehow I knew I wasn’t right
with God, despite my family telling me that I was good. I knew I
wasn’t. I knew I was sinning and the idea of meeting God was
unbearable. It was eating me alive.” He struggled through the first
semester of the program, failed a few classes, and watched expulsion
from the program draw near. He had an internal war surging in his
mind, and spirit, and the culture he grew up around said that
expressing emotions was anti-manly. So he kept the war a secret, and
it turned into depression and thoughts of suicide.
During the second semester KB met Jeremy, a Christian who
introduced him to Christian rap. He took a cd home and loved every
track he heard. “The music was such good quality. I used to love
ignorant, trap music that was good quality, and this was equally as
good but answering questions.” Answers in hand, and full of a new
found hope KB accepted Jesus as his savior and boy has his life
changed.
After high school KB enrolled in Bible College and befriended a
group of Christian rappers. Together they formed His Glory Alone
(HGA). Over time HGA accumulated a steady following consisting of

Lecrae, Ben Washer, and DJ Official. He was invited onto the
“Acquire the Fire” tour by Lecrae, and asked to join the Reach
Records team just a few months later. KB released his mixtape in
2011 titled “Who is KB”, which garnered over 30K downloads. He
has been featured on many Reach artist’s projects including: Lecrae
Rehab (I Used to Do it Too), Man Up, PRo (Dying to Live), and Trip
Lee The Good Life (One Sixteen).
KB resides in Tampa, FL with his wife where he indulges in crab
legs, boxing, heading up HGA, and serving at Living Faith Bible
Fellowship Church. “Right now I am learning to steward and
shepherd my platform as a rapper. “ His idea of success is wrapped
up in the act of obedience. He says that “being faithful and obedient
to what God has asked of you whether in Beverly Hills or Ethiopia”
determines success. KB hopes that his role on the Reach Records
team will be that of a leading thinker. “I want to be someone people
can look up to and trust as a deliverer of truth. “If I can accomplish
that, I will have been successful.”