K-Riz, part of a growing Western Canadian hip hop scene, combines jazz and soulful R&B elements with a deft flow to create a sound that feels as alive in a lounge as it does in a club. The last four years have been productive for K-Riz, with two EPs and two full length albums to his credit. His latest, 2023’s One Way Ticket, sees him maximising his abilities as a vocalist and MC, his rich tenor smoothing the waves of offbeat Brown Sugar grooves, and spicy horn lines punctuating the proceedings with a nod to the best of Eric B. & Rakim’s groundbreaking records from the ‘80s. While his voice is buttery on the lounge numbers, K-Riz’s lyrical flow focuses on his push to feel and show love while ruminating on making the most of the time we all have. With a 2022 Western Canadian Music Award nomination for Best Rap & Hip Hop Artist to his credit, K-Riz isn’t taking anything for granted, earning admiration from audiences and critics for his versatility and emotional vulnerability, using music to chronicle his search for pockets of peace.

— Mike Dunn