Kay-O, serving a life sentence for murder, releases an EP from prison, sparking an investigation.
He released a rap EP from prison. Authorities flagged his music, and he made a ‘censored’ gesture.
Kay-O says he is ‘getting richer.’ He is serving time at HMP Belmarsh, and he is 26 years old. He received a minimum of 37 years after a trial concluded in January at the Old Bailey.
He was one of four men jailed for the murder of Kacey Boothe. Boothe was shot repeatedly in London in August 2022 while leaving a birthday party. Detectives think he was not the target.
One of his tracks got deleted from YouTube after authorities noticed it earlier this month. An EP appeared called ‘10 Minute Call,’ referring to prisoner phone time, and it was uploaded to a Free Kay-O account. The music is also on streaming channels, where Kay-O could earn royalties. He is from Leyton, east London.
Videos show handwritten lyrics on prison notepaper, indicating he wrote them in prison. In ‘C’est La Vie,’ he raps about getting richer and freeing his friends, adding that gunshots are less frequent now. The rapper also mentions smuggling contraband and trying to get things through the gates.
In ‘Heavy Wait,’ he discusses his sentence, noting that the judge gave him a very long term that shocked his girlfriend. Henry-Richards reflects on his crime in another music video and blurs out names of family and the victim. In ‘From Kammar,’ he addresses the shooting, claiming he didn’t shoot the victim and cannot reveal any names.
Mobile phones are banned in prisons, as is making unauthorized recordings. Kay-O says lyrics came via 10-minute calls avoiding the illicit phone issue.
‘Cest La Vie’ got 125,000 Spotify plays earlier this month, which could earn around £400, and TSM Entertainment owns the copyright. YouTube removed ‘Cest Le Vie’ earlier, so a new account was created with a message: “WE CAN’T LET THEM SILENCE HIM.” The Sun says YouTube banned Kay-O from operating an account there.
The new profile has a doctored mug shot, and a YouTube channel with over 22,000 subscribers reviewed it.
It is unclear if he can claim royalties, as this is often handled by agreements with the Prison Service. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is investigating and requested the music be removed. They have no proof it was uploaded from jail, but prisoners breaking rules will face punishment. Kay-O is one of many rappers jailed, and several promising British rappers are also behind bars.
Last July, Remtrex, whose real name is Demehl Thomas, was jailed for six-and-a-half years for supplying drugs. Thomas is 34 and from Birmingham, and a court found him guilty. Police called the conviction significant and part of a bigger drug investigation.
Metro has asked the MoJ for comment.