Keith Ape Is Alive

ORIGIN
Keith Ape is a South Korean rapper and member of The Cohort crew. He’s currently signed to 88rising. Keith’s breakout single “It G Ma” became a viral hit both locally and overseas. His discography includes the EP Born Again (2018) and the collaborative album Project: Brainwash (2014) with G2. He’s drawn comparison to American rapper OG Maco. Keith Ape was born Dongheon Lee on December 25, 1993, in Bundang, Seoul, South Korea. He reportedly quit high school in favor of a music career. His early influences include rappers Nas and AZ. Growing up, he also found solace in hip-hop.

CAREER
Dongheon Lee began his music career in 2010 under the stage name Kid Ash. His early online buzz caught the attention of the Cohort crew, who recruited him. He was featured on the single “Fly Girl” from Okasian’s debut, Boarding Procedures (2012). Kid Ash and G2 dropped their joint album, Project: Brainwash, in January 2014. It was released on the Luminant Entertainment label. The album includes songs like “999”, “Space Ninja” and “Mind Control.” Dongheon Lee began using his current moniker “Keith Ape” at some point in 2014. He released the single “Psycho’14” later that year. His spin-off “Hot Ninja” to Bobby Shmurda‘s hit single “Hot N!gga” created some extra buzz, racking up 1+ million views on YouTube.

In January 2015, Keith Ape’s breakout single “It G Ma” graced the internet. It was released by Hi-Lite Records and features JayAllDay, Loota, Okasian, and Kohh. The song became a monster hit, racking up 16+ million spins on SoundCloud and 60+ million views on YouTube. The single’s success led to a recording contract with 88Rising. It also led to a number of high-profile performances in the United States. An official remix to “It G Ma” featuring Waka Flocka Flame, ASAP Ferg, Dumbfoundead and Father was released in July 2015. It too has millions of views across the web. Keith closed out 2015 with “Psycho’15” and “Ksubi”, featuring Robb Banks and Ken Rebel respectively. He followed up with “Underwater Potion”, “Swanton Bomb” and “Diamonds” with Jedi P.

In 2017, Keith Ape collaborated with Rich Brian, XXXTentacion and Ski Mask the Slump God. The following year he appeared on 88Rising cohort’s compilation, Head in the Clouds (2018). The album peaked at #76 on the Billboard 200. Keith’s debut EP, Born Again, was released in October 2018. It was supported by tracks like “My Wrist Clearer Than Water!” and “Ninja Turtle” featuring Wifisfuneral.

PERSONAL
Keith Ape is about 5ft 7in tall and he’s of Korean descent. The stage name “Keith Ape” was formed by combining his favorite artist ‘Keith Haring’ and his favorite animal (the Ape). His net worth is estimated at $500 thousand. He has 300K+ followers on Instagram and 166K+ on SoundCloud.

Back in 2015, Keith was accused by rapper OG Maco of cultural appropriation. He was also accused of stealing the idea for “It G Ma” from Maco’s “U Guessed It.” The two settled their differences (with Maco collecting royalties from “It G Ma”).

Keith Ape Bio, Net Worth, Height