At only 17 years old, Kinji00 has quickly become one of the most talked-about new voices in Quebec rap. Exploding in popularity on social media, the Gatineau-based rapper positions himself as the spark of a new, youth-driven sovereignist movement, one he describes as a “quiet revolution.”
A viral rise fueled by history and the internet
Scheduled for release on June 24, his debut mixtape À la prochaine fois blends historical references, political symbolism, and Gen Z internet culture. The project is packed with audio excerpts from speeches by René Lévesque, Jacques Parizeau, and other key nationalist figures, anchoring his work firmly in Quebec’s political memory.
A brotherhood behind the project
Kinji00 (pronounced “Kinji”) works closely with his older brother and producer, Lb66 (Léo). Together, they form a creative duo that began experimenting with rap music in a basement studio. Their first track was uploaded just over a year ago — initially as a casual experiment. The response was immediate and unexpected.
What started as a playful project between two brothers quickly turned into thousands of Spotify streams and hundreds of thousands of TikTok views. Kinji00 soon evolved into a generational figure, resonating strongly with younger audiences.
Gen Z references with a Quebec core
Much of Kinji00’s appeal lies in his dense use of internet culture references, from anime and digicore aesthetics to viral humor and niche online codes. For those unfamiliar with Gen Z digital language, these references may seem cryptic. For those raised online, they feel instantly familiar.
Yet beneath this internet-driven surface lies a deeply Quebec-rooted musical identity. Influenced by artists like Jeune Loup, Rowjay, and Mike Shabb, Kinji00 adds his own twist by explicitly addressing independence and national identity, topics rarely approached so directly by artists his age.
