Kenneth La'ron Beasley[1][2] (born August 5, 1997[3][4]), known by his stage name KennyHoopla, is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is primarily known from his singles "How Will I Rest in Peace if I’m Buried by a Highway?" and "Estella". He released his commercial debut EP How Will I Rest in Peace if I'm Buried by a Highway? on May 15, 2020.[5]

KennyHoopla
KennyHoopla performing in 2022
KennyHoopla performing in 2022
Background information
Birth nameKenneth La'ron Beasley
Born (1997-08-05) August 5, 1997 (age 27)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Genres
Occupation
  • Singer-songwriter
Years active2016–present
Labels
Websitekennyhoopla.com

Early life

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La'ron was born in Cleveland, Ohio.[6] He moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin as a child. He spent a large part of his youth in-between the two cities.[7] When asked about his earliest musical memory in an interview with DIY magazine, La'ron recalled recording a "horrible" freestyle rap on a cassette toy his mother gave him when he was around 10 years old.[8]

Music career

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2016–2019: Beneath the Willow Tree and other singles

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KennyHoopla began posting songs to his SoundCloud page in 2016. On October 5, 2016, he released an EP titled Beneath the Willow Tree to SoundCloud, which consisted of some of the tracks he had posted throughout the year, as well as some new songs.[9] The EP received acclaim from several music blogs, who considered him an artist to watch.[10][11] On October 26, he uploaded the song "Cave" to SoundCloud, which became his most streamed song on the site at the time.[12]

On August 6, 2017, he released his commercial debut single "Waves", along with a music video. This was followed by "Sickness" in 2018. On February 1, 2019, he released the single "Lost Cause",[13] which became his most popular song at the time and gained him more exposure. Its music video was released on February 6.[14] This was followed by "Sore Loser" on September 18, which was also positively received.[15][16]

2020–present: How Will I Rest in Peace if I'm Buried by a Highway? and Survivors Guilt: The Mixtape

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On February 4, 2020, KennyHoopla released the single "How Will I Rest in Peace if I'm Buried by a Highway?"[17] This track quickly became his most popular song to date, becoming his first song to reach 1 million views on YouTube, and garnering praise for its unique post-punk and new wave inspired sound.[18] The track also received radio play on alternative music stations, and peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. On March 12, he released the follow-up single, "The World is Flat and This is the Edge".[19]

On May 13, 2020, he released the single "Plastic Door", and announced that his EP How Will I Rest in Peace if I'm Buried by a Highway? would be released that Friday, May 15.[20] The EP received critical acclaim, being praised for its versatile mixture of sounds such as indie rock, hip hop, pop punk, and drum and bass.[21][5] On August 28, he released a reworked version of his 2019 single "Lost Cause", featuring guest vocals from Grandson.[22] On October 14, he released another version of the song, this time featuring guest vocals from Jesse Rutherford of The Neighbourhood.

On October 12, 2020, he revealed that he is working on his debut album.[23] Two days later, on October 14, he posted a picture to his Twitter account of him in the studio with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker.[24] On November 20, he released the song "Estella", which features Barker on drums. Its music video was released five days later, on November 25.[25]

On May 7, 2021, he released the single "Hollywood Sucks" featuring Travis Barker, and announced that he would be releasing the mixtape Survivors Guilt: The Mixtape on June 11.[26]

KennyHoopla is scheduled to support Yungblud in London on his Occupy the UK tour in 2021,[27] and Machine Gun Kelly on his 2021 Tickets to My Downfall U.S. tour, alongside Jxdn and Carolesdaughter (Later was off tour) .[28]

Musical style

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La'ron's music has been categorised as indie rock,[29] and pop punk,[30] often incorporating elements of new wave and dance-punk.[31]

Discography

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Mixtapes

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Title Details
Survivors Guilt: The Mixtape
(with Travis Barker)
  • Released: June 11, 2021
  • Label: Arista Records, Mogul Vision
  • Format: Digital download, streaming

Extended plays

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Title Details
Beneath the Willow Tree
  • Released: October 5, 2016
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download
How Will I Rest in Peace if I'm Buried by a Highway?
  • Released: May 15, 2020
  • Label: Arista Records, Mogul Vision
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Blink and You'll Miss It
(with Travis Barker)
  • Released: July 7, 2023
  • Label: Arista Records, Mogul Vision
  • Format: Digital download, streaming

Singles

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Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
Alt.

[32]
US
Rock

[33]
CAN
Rock

[34]
"Waves" 2017 Non-album singles
"Sickness" 2018
"Lost Cause"
(solo, with Grandson, or featuring Jesse)
2019
"Sore Loser" How Will I Rest in Peace if I'm Buried by a Highway?
"How Will I Rest in Peace if I'm Buried by a Highway?" 2020 8 39 15
"The World Is Flat and This Is the Edge"
"Plastic Door"
"Estella"
(with Travis Barker)
8 41 22 Survivors Guilt: The Mixtape
"Hollywood Sucks"
(with Travis Barker)
2021 23 [A]
"Dirty White Vans"
(solo or with Wiz Khalifa)
2022 Non-album single
"You Needed a Hit?" 2023
"Sabotage"
(with Travis Barker)
Blink and You'll Miss It
"Keep A Window Open" TBA
"One Tulip" 2024
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
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Title Year Album
"Blood"
(Nothing,Nowhere featuring KennyHoopla & Judge)
2020 Trauma Factory
"See You When The End's Near"
(Day Wave featuring KennyHoopla)
2022 Pastlife
"Dancing on My Grave"
(Groupthink featuring KennyHoopla)
2023 Before the Afters
"Hello"
(Grouplove featuring KennyHoopla)
Non-album single
"Keep It Rolling"
(Bloc Party featuring KennyHoopla)
The High Life EP

Tours

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Headlining

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  • Survivors Guilt Tour (2022)
  • Home for the Holidays (2022)
  • Raised By Wolves (2023)

Supporting

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  • Yungblud - Occupy the UK Tour (2021)
  • Machine Gun Kelly - Tickets to My Downfall Tour (2021) (Later was off tour)
  • Blink 182 - World Tour (2023/2024)


Notes

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  1. ^ "Hollywood Sucks" did not enter the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, but peaked at number 42 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart.[35]

References

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  1. ^ "Kennyhoopla | Primary Talent International". primarytalent.com.
  2. ^ "DUST". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  3. ^ "Forward Motions: KennyHoopla on Music as Escapism". Made of Millions Foundation.
  4. ^ "Tweet". twitter.com. Retrieved 2020-10-31.
  5. ^ a b "KennyHoopla Is Magnetic on New 'how will i rest in peace if i'm buried by a highway?//' EP". HYPEBEAST. 15 May 2020.
  6. ^ "KennyHoopla - Paradigm Talent Agency". www.paradigmagency.com.
  7. ^ "Journal Sentinel". www.jsonline.com. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  8. ^ "Get To Know... KennyHoopla". diymag.com. 19 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Beneath The Willow Tree// (EP)". SoundCloud.
  10. ^ "Kenny Hoopla – Beneath The Willow Tree// EP". October 5, 2016.
  11. ^ Solotaroff-Webber, Henry (11 October 2016). "608 Release: Kenny Hoopla dazes, amazes on debut EP".
  12. ^ "CAVE// (prod. taxpurposes)" – via soundcloud.com.
  13. ^ "KennyHoopla's "Lost Cause//" Visuals Paint Him as an Alt-R&B Purveyor [PREMIERE] / Ones To Watch". Ones To Watch.
  14. ^ "Video". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2020-10-31.
  15. ^ "PREMIERE: KennyHoopla Wins with New Nostalgia on "Sore Loser//"". FLOOD.
  16. ^ "Meeting Faith Halfway: KennyHoopla's Time is Now". Complex.
  17. ^ "Video". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2020-10-31.
  18. ^ "KennyHoopla is the life of the party in his "how will i rest in peace if i'm buried by a highway?//" video". The FADER.
  19. ^ "KennyHoopla drops new song "the world is flat and this is the edge//": Stream". March 12, 2020.
  20. ^ "KennyHoopla brings the feels with new track 'plastic door//'". Dork. 13 May 2020.
  21. ^ Angell, Jack (May 14, 2020). "Here's why the only artist KennyHoopla is trying to sound like is himself". Alternative Press.
  22. ^ "KennyHoopla teams up with Grandson for 'lostcause//' reworking". diymag.com. 28 August 2020.
  23. ^ "Tweet". twitter.com. Retrieved 2020-10-31.
  24. ^ "Tweet". twitter.com. Retrieved 2020-10-31.
  25. ^ "Watch KennyHoopla and Travis Barker drive around town in new 'ESTELLA//' video". NME. November 26, 2020.
  26. ^ "KennyHoopla shares 'hollywood sucks//', announces mixtape". 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  27. ^ "Tweet". twitter.com. Retrieved 2020-10-31.
  28. ^ Clarke, Patrick (26 April 2021). "Machine Gun Kelly announces huge run of 'Tickets To My Downfall' tour dates". NME. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  29. ^ Angell, Jack (14 May 2020). "HERE'S WHY THE ONLY ARTIST KENNYHOOPLA IS TRYING TO SOUND LIKE IS HIMSELF". Alternative Press. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  30. ^ SUNDBERG, EMILY (14 April 2021). "NESSA BARRETT". Nylon. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  31. ^ Polo, Maxamillion. "KennyHoopla's "how will i rest in peace if i'm buried by a highway? //" Is Pure Catharsis". Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  32. ^ Peaks on Billboard Alternative Songs chart:
  33. ^ Peaks on Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart:
  34. ^ Peaks on Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart:
  35. ^ "Rock & Alternative Airplay : The week of June 5, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2021.