Kheengz, born King Bawa, is a Nigerian rapper and actor from Northern Nigeria whose music has become known for directly confronting stereotypes about Northern Nigeria while celebrating the region’s cultural diversity.
Born on 8 July 1992 in Zaria, Kaduna State, Kheengz traces his origins to Bida in Niger State. He began recording music in 2010 while still a university student, gradually building a sound rooted firmly in hip-hop while working under his own independent label, YFK Entertainment.
His debut album, “Voice of Arewa,” released on 25 December 2019, made a significant impact across the Nigerian music scene. One of its standout singles, “I Am North,” directly addressed the stereotypes often painted onto people from Northern Nigeria, while promoting the region’s rich cultures and diverse, resource-abundant lands. The project and its lead single positioned Kheengz as a voice determined to reshape national perceptions of Arewa identity through music.
In December 2020, Kheengz teamed up with fellow Northern Nigerian rappers DJ AB, Deezel and B.O.C Madaki on a joint four-track EP, further cementing his standing within the wider community of Arewa hip-hop artists working to push the region’s sound into the national conversation.
With a catalogue built on both artistic ambition and cultural advocacy, Kheengz continues to represent a generation of Northern Nigerian rappers using their platform to challenge narrow narratives about the region while building a genuinely competitive presence within Nigerian hip-hop.
