The refugee has been producing his own music since he was 12 years old.
According to rapper Jev.’s Instagram bio, he considers himself a “part-time rapper, full-time creative.” After speaking with him, that description rings true as he describes his music as an outlet for the countless stories he wants to tell. Jephté Kewto, better known as Jev. is a writer first, explaining he’s explored many different modes of storytelling. “It’s probably my favorite thing in the world,” he says. “I’ve always been into books, movies, TV, film, and all my favorite rappers and artists have always been ones that go heavy on lyrics.”
Jev. started performing music as early as nine years old. By 12, he was already writing his own songs, recording, and learning how to produce in a studio. Starting young, he describes his journey as a learning experience up until now, where his knowledge has turned into preparedness for the moment he’s in. Jev. has been getting a lot of attention for his music through social media. Notably his song “Where’s the Confetti?” which has been going viral on TikTok, is now over 14 million streams on Spotify.
Jev. is a part of a new generation of artists, charting the unknown territory of social media musicians– a path few have ventured. In the age of virality, Jev. has gained notoriety for something he is truly passionate about. “It validated a lot of things,” says Jev. of his internet catapult. “It feels good. It gave me the confidence to continue and to keep sharing my art with the world.”
Prior to dropping his first EP the color grey. in 2022–not even a year ago–Jev. was working retail at Staples, selling computers and helping people with tech problems. His album allowed him to quit his job and focus on music full-time. “It’s betting on yourself,” he explains. “Since then, it’s been a learning curve because once you drop an album, there is a constant need to improve on what you did.” Jev.’s most recent project, LONERWRLD, vol 1 is a testament to his continuous dedication to being better and putting his creativity on display. A book lover himself, Jev.’s lyrics read like a poem, full of hidden meanings, metaphors, and emotion. The second EP dropped in September of this year.
“It was a very validating experience, actually being able to share what I am passionate about with the world. Probably a highlight of the year for me.”
Big things are on the horizon for the “and then i got revenge.” artist. He just played his first ever arena show, opening for Lil Tjay in front of thousands of people. “It felt great. It was one of those moments, just like the viral moment, where it gives you the confidence to keep going,” says Jev.. “It was a very validating experience, actually being able to share what I am passionate about with the world. Probably a highlight of the year for me.”
As a Congolese refugee living in Canada, Jev.’s music has been influenced by many different cultures. His sound is representative of his diverse upbringing, spending years in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, and now Canada. “It’s given me a unique perspective on the world. It’s helped me a lot with songwriting because there are different places that prioritize the rhythm and the beat of lyrics, maybe because they don’t understand the language, and there are other places where language and lyrics are a priority,” says Jev.. “So when it comes to my writing, I like to keep that in mind because I want my music to resonate with a majority of people. I give the beat as much focus as I do the lyrics. It’s all a balance.”
“When it comes to my writing, I like to keep that in mind because I want my music to resonate with a majority of people.“
Above all, Jev. wants people to feel the love he puts into his music. He wants people to listen and know how much effort was there. “My music is a blank canvas,” he says. “I want people to interpret it how they want to interpret it. I want them to feel however the music makes them feel.”
Jev. isn’t stopping at music. He’s already co-directed his own music video and hopes to keep doing so. He hopes that his creativity will extend into film and TV. He is an artist to watch. He ended our conversation with the words “I want to travel the world doing what I love. I want to perform for people in all different parts of the world. I want to do what I love and to be as creative as possible. Those are my hopes for the future.”
