305 On The Rise: Miami Gardens Artist Kyriq is Bringing his Roots and an Honest Perspective to Music

For Kyriq, making music can mean confronting painful memories. Other times, it means giving himself permission to put work aside, pick up a video game and take a breath.

Both experiences belong in his music.

The artist, who grew up in the Scott Lake community of Miami Gardens and now lives in Houston, brings that emotional range to Hy-Lo News’ inaugural 305 On The Rise Class of 2026. In a conversation with senior reporter Justin B. Smith on “The Culture Report with Dericka Jaye,” Kyriq discussed his South Florida upbringing, his creative process and learning to recognize his progress while pursuing more.

“I pull from all the experiences, good, bad, everything in between,” he said.

That approach connects the lighter mood of “Headspace” with the more difficult experiences explored on his album “Wow, That Was Fun.” Across both, Kyriq draws from his own life to tell stories that leave room for grief, joy and growth.

His relationship with music began at home. His mother and uncles played artists including Outkast, D’Angelo, Biggie and 50 Cent, introducing him to different sounds before he began exploring music himself.

He attended Miami Lakes Educational Center and later graduated from Florida A&M University with a degree in electrical engineering, he said. But the experiences and relationships he developed in South Florida remain central to his work.

Kyriq pointed to Denzel Curry as a major inspiration, describing him as one of his favorite artists. He also credited the different friendships and communities he encountered growing up with helping shape the stories he tells.

“I put my experiences into my music,” he said.

On “Headspace,” that means addressing the pressure to keep moving while recognizing when it is time to slow down. Kyriq described the song as a reflection on being a Black man trying to care for his mental health.

He said he was feeling overwhelmed by his responsibilities when he made it. The song became a way to express the need for rest, leisure and time for himself.

“I made that song kind of just to capture the way I was feeling,” he said.

For Kyriq, that care can be as ordinary as staying home and playing video games. It also involves focusing on what empowers him and letting go of what holds him back.

His wife contributes background vocals to “Headspace,” a detail he shared while discussing how he has become more open to involving others in his creative process.

Earlier in his development, he said, he approached songs with more rigid expectations about how they should be structured. Now, he gives himself room to follow his instincts.

“So I just kind of trust myself and go off the feeling,” he said. “So I let the emotion lead me.”

That emotion takes a different form on “Wow, That Was Fun.” Kyriq said the album draws on traumatic experiences, including the deaths of his stepfather and cousin, and the responsibility he felt toward his younger sisters after his stepfather died.

He also described using recordings of happy experiences from his time at FAMU within “Thought It Was Fun,” placing those memories in a musical context that makes them feel sad or unsettling.

The contrast is intentional. Kyriq said he enjoys exploring how the same moment can carry different emotions depending on how it is presented.

Much of his songwriting begins with an idea captured on his phone. He listens to beats, records voice notes and revisits them in his home studio, where he develops and records songs before sending them to an engineer for mixing and mastering.

That work happens alongside another demanding career.

Kyriq said he moved to Houston for work after college and works at NASA. Engineering and music engage different parts of his mind, he explained, giving him a sense of balance even as he manages competing responsibilities.

Music remains his passion, but he also values his engineering career and wants to continue both for as long as he can.

“I feel like I can operate at a very, very high level doing both,” he said.

Houston has also expanded his musical community. During the interview, Kyriq announced that his upcoming album, “Who Prayed for Me,” is scheduled for release Nov. 6, with features from Mick Jenkins and an artist he identified as Nine to Five.

He said he previewed the project at listening events in Houston and Miami, both of which sold out. Attendees heard the music, watched videos and participated in conversations about the project.

For Kyriq, those gatherings also offered opportunities to support other artists. He described inviting another performer to take the stage at his Miami event so that artist could reach listeners who might not already know his work.

That spirit of collaboration is something he wants to see grow across South Florida’s music scene.

Miami has a wide range of rappers, singers and poets, he said, and its creative community benefits when people recognize that variety and help one another reach new audiences.

His own selection for 305 On The Rise offered a meaningful reminder that people are paying attention.

“It feels like I made the XXL of South Florida,” he said.

The recognition also challenged a mindset he is working to change: feeling that he is either exactly where he wants to be or has made no progress at all.

Being part of the inaugural class gave him a reason to pause and acknowledge the distance he has already traveled.

“It feels like, whoa, somebody saw me,” he said. “Somebody noticed me.”

For Kyriq, that feeling is fuel to keep going.

Kyriq is a member of Hy-Lo News’ inaugural 305 On The Rise Class of 2026, highlighting emerging artists connected to South Florida. Find his music and updates at kyriqmusic.com.